BANGALORE, INDIA: VeriSign, Inc, a provider in  Internet infrastructure for the networked world, today announced the creation of  TrustTheCheck.com, a Web site devoted to helping consumers keep safe as they surf the web.

According to the 2009 Identity Fraud Survey Report, by Javelin Strategy and Research, every day identity thieves are getting smarter at tricking people into revealing their account numbers, passwords, Social Security Numbers and financial information.

Last year, they racked up 9.9 million fraud victims who lost an average of $4,849 in each incident.  And potential victims are not always Internet novices, as recently evidenced by FBI Director Robert Mueller who admittedly almost fell victim to a phishing site that posed as his bank.

Working within highly organized e-fraud cartels, today’s criminals are outwitting Web-savvy consumers by luring them to Web pages that look real but aren’t.

They’re phishing sites, clever copies of the real thing designed to capture sensitive personal data to be used maliciously by the phisher or sold to the highest bidder on the global black market.  

But armed with the right information, consumers can protect themselves – and their valuable personal information, said a press release.
 
TrustTheCheck.com presents the tips and techniques consumers need to safely shop, bank, trade stocks and book travel online.
 
In addition to drawing on VeriSign’s knowledge base on online trust, the website makes information accessible to you from a variety of independent sources, including the Federal Trade Commission, Parent-Teacher Associations, and many others, said the release.

The site also allows visitors to take the fake site challenge, an eye-opening experience that reveals just how similar many fraudulent sites are to the real thing. It provides with other features such as crash course on staying safe on the Web, ask community questions about identity protection, viruses and worms,  encryption and more. Visitors can also use the community forum to report a clever phishing email or online scam.

It also features a range of other related resources, including desktop widgets, a dictionary of security terms and a primer for businesses looking to build trust online, added the release.