But just as Americans are becoming increasingly comfortable turning to the net as their source for music, CD’s, clothes, and even groceries, another group of people are hoping to exploit that comfort.
Scammers and con artists are increasingly turning to the net to make a quick buck or looking for mine personal information from overly-trusting, unsuspecting consumers. While there is no way to guarantee you won’t become a victim of on-line scam, there are several steps you can take to protect yourself:

1. Protect your identity. Nearly 10 millions Americans have their identity stolen every year. Though this number seems staggering, there are steps you can take from becoming a statistic. Avoid giving out personal information like your social security number, credit card number or bank account information unless you know exactly who you are dealing with.Several on-line scams involve e-mails or pop-up ads asking you to “verify” your personal information. As a rule, you should be very skeptical of these notices; no matter how “official” they look. Most banks and financial institutions would not attempt to contact you via e-mail or through a pop-up advertisement. If you aren’t sure if an e-mail or pop-up is legitimate or not, call your financial institution over the phone, don’t e-mail them by hitting the reply button. Report any scam e-mails spam@uce.gov.
2. Shop safely. Don’t provide any personal information such as your address or credit card number unless you are on a secure, encrypted site, which encodes your information, making it more difficult for hackers to access. Look for a picture of a “lock on the bottom right-hand corner of your browser, or a URL which begins with “https,” (The “s” stands for secure.)
3. Pay with a credit card. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, consumers may dispute unauthorized charges. In most cases, the credit card company will suspend the charge as well as any interest charges as it is investigating the claim. If it is found to be an unauthorized charge, you are legally liable for only the first $50 of the charge. (Some credit card companies provide additional coverage.)

By following a few simple steps you can help reduce your risk of being the victim of an on-line scam, and help ensure that your on-line shopping experience is safe and pleasurable.

By David Plowman

But with the powerful positive opportunities of the web, comes an equally powerful flip-side. Just as you can watch the world though your computer, the world can watch you.

While some tout the internet’s anonymity, you aren’t as anonymous as you think you are.      Several consumer sites will ask you for personal information such as you name, address, phone and e-mail address. Other sites will attach “cookies” to your computer that track every site you visit and report the information back to on-line retailers and marketers.

But there are ways to protect your privacy on-line. When traveling through cyberspace, protect your safety and privacy the same way you would when traveling though the real, “3-D world.”

If you’re on a tight budget, and you want get the most of Europe in a short amount of time, a Eurailpass is great way to go.  Remember, Eurail passes must be purchased prior to your trip, so knowing which of the five different Eurail options to purchase takes some planning.
 

The standard Eurailpass permits ticketholders to travel in 18 European countries for 15 days during a three-month period.  How many cities you visit in day is up to you. For example, you can begin your day in Rome, make your way to Venice, then head to Switzerland, in one break-neck day of train travel and use only one day of your pass. 
 

The Eurailpass Flexi is similar to the standard pass. You can choose either 10 or 15 days of train travel, but is valid for only two months.  Like the standard Eurailpass, it is in 18 European countries.
 

If you don’t think you’ll be traveling throughout all of Europe, perhaps the Eurail Selectpass is best for you. With it, you can choose to travel anywhere within three, four or five neighboring countries. The Selectpass is valid for two months, and you can choose five, six, eight, ten or 15 days of travel days
 

Regional and National passes are also available.  The Regional Pass offers 16 different country combinations, and offers four to ten days of travel time that can be used within a two-month period. The national pass has the same travel options as the Regional pass, but as the name implies, the national pass is valid in only one country,
 

If you do your homework ahead of time, you can get an Eurailpass that fits your travel plans, the duration of your stay and your budget. Travelers 26 years-old and younger may receive an additional youth discount.
 

Armed with your pass, you are now ready to ride the rails through Europe. To get the most out of your travels, follow these easy tips:
 

Bring food and water.  If you find yourself on a long-distance train trip (i.e. Amsterdam to Vienna), then you’ll be happy that you brought along some sustenance. While most trains in most countries offer a meal cart or dining car, be forewarned, they can be expensive, a small bottle of water can go a budget-busting 5 Euros (6 USD). Some trains may not even offer such amenities.
 

Travel light.  Imagine you just got into Munich, and you’re ready to catch the next train to Paris.  You exit your railcar only to discover you and your bags have to be at the opposite end of the station in 10 minutes to make your connection.  If you packed the equivalent of a one-bedroom apartment in your suitcases, chances are you’re going to miss your train and will have to baby-sit your luggage for hours as you wait for the next connection. But if you travel light, you have a much better chance of grabbing your gear and catching your connection.
 

Remember, the Eurail won’t get you everywhere.  The Eurail pass is only valid in: Austria (including Liechtenstein), Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France (including Monaco), Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Don’t try to visit every country in 15 days.  Unlimited travel is all well and good, but if you want to maximize your Eurailpass usage, you won’t be spending that much time at each location you visit.  It’s often better to spend quality time in just a few locations, rather than trying to visit thirty cities in two weeks.  Train travel can be fun, but it loses its allure after 20-hour train rides or days of back-to-back railing.
 

Use the curtains.  If you’re traveling overnight on a train that isn’t packed, consider closing the curtains and claiming your space.  If your in a compartment that seats six, and you’d like some privacy, close the curtains, put your bags on the seats closest to the entry way, and turn off the lights.  That way when people board the train, all they see is a crowded room full of travelers that don’t wish to be disturbed.  At times the trains can get pretty cramped, and you might find yourself taking desperate measures to get some privacy.  Sleeping cars are available, but they were designed for midgets, and cost as much as a hotel room.
                                      
There are pros and cons to seeing Europe on the Eurail.  If you do your homework before you get there, you can find a pass that’s right for you, and if you don’t overdue your time on the rail, you’ll enjoy the experience tremendously. 
 

For more information on the Eurail, visit http://www.eurail.com/.

 By Christopher Stout

A: Congratulations on nearing the joys of home ownership. Not only have you already saved enough for a down payment, you have some time to spare. With that in mind, my expert, detailed recommendation to you is to DO NOTHING. Put the money in the bank and start thinking about whether you’ve accounted for all those additional costs such as property taxes, furniture, and your wife’s obsession with something called “crown molding.” (oops, I’ve said too much)

On a serious note - the real reason that you shouldn’t be pursuing short-term investments in this case is because your timeframe is too short to risk anything but a cash vehicle. If there is a possibility you may move within a year and need the money for a down payment at that time, there is no acceptable risk/return instrument available to you.

First of all,  consider the upside in terms of actual dollars. if this down payment is $25,000 (10% on a $250,000 home)  an investment that gets you an extra 1% only means an additional $250 in actual gains, before expenses, on the whole amount. That’s simply not enough upside to put any of your hard-earned house money at risk.

In addition to the relatively small amount you’ll gain from a short-term investment besides cash, there’s also the reality that most providers of financial and investment products have little desire to capture such short-term dollars. Thus, the product offerings in this space (less than 1 year) are extremely limited. In a low interest environment such as this - for the companies to make any profit at all - their fees pretty much would wipe out the extra interest that most of these products offer. Even short-term CDs aren’t a good fit since they often are illiquid for a period of time, such as 6 or 9 months, and you may need the money on short notice if you find a home to purchase.

Also, due to the very short timeframe at hand, you wouldn’t have enough time to recover your principal should it sustain any losses from a potentially riskier investment.

For all of these reasons, your best bet is to seek out the highest yielding money market or interest-bearing checking account you can find and safely deposit your down payment.

2006 Honda Civic Compact Sedan
MSRP: $14,560 - $23,350
City Mileage: 30-50 mpg
Hwy Mileage: 40-50 mpg

2006 Honda Accord Midsize Sedan
MSRP: $16,295 - $32,140
City Mileage: 21-29 mpg
Hwy Mileage: 30-37 mpg

2006 Ford Escape Hybrid Sport Utility
MSRP: $26,900 - $28,525
City Mileage: 33-36 mpg
Hwy Mileage: 29-31 mp

2006 Lexus RX 400h Hybrid Sport Utility
MSRP: $44,660 - $46,060
City Mileage: 31-33 mpg
Hwy Mileage: 27-28 mpg

Health Insurance - Check with your health insurance on whether or not coverage is provided outside the U.S. Social Security Medicare/Medicaid program does not provide care outside of the U.S. If your policy does not cover you, you may want to purchase a short term health and emergency assistance policy. Many of these policies also include trip cancellation, baggage loss, and travel accident insurance. In addition, some traveler’s check companies offer protection with purchases. The cost of this type of insurance varies depending on the type of coverage and the duration of the coverage.

Medical Evacuation - Most health insurance policies will not cover a medical evacuation back to the U.S., which can run up to $10,000 U.S. In cases of severe medical emergencies, this may be neccessary. You may want to consider purchasing supplemental medical evacuation insurance if your regular policy does not cover you. In many cases travel health and emergency policies cover medical evacuation.

Baggage Insurance - This type of insurance protects your baggage and personal effects if they are lost, stolen, or damaged. You should check your homeowener or renters policy to see if coverage is provided for off premises theft, which would cover stolen baggage.

Trip Cancellation Insurance - This type of insurance covers you in the event that the tour operator goes out of business, or if you must cancel your trip for illness, a death in the family, or any other condition in the policy. For expensive vacations, it may be a worthwhile policy to consider.

Accidental Death - This is essentially the travel version of life insurance. If you have a good life insurance policy, you should already have have coverage. However, you should review your policy to be certain.

Maintain Good Credit - More and more insurance companies are using credit to determine premiums, so make sure you pay your bills on time. Check your credit report and make sure there is no activity on it you aren’t aware of.

Compare Prices - Prices on insurance policies can vary wildly, so comparison shopping is definitely recommended. In addition, the financial stability of your insurance is of utmost importance. Check a rating company such as Standard and Poor’s and magazines such as consumer reports. Ask your friends and relatives, which companies they use, and whether or not they are happy with the level of service they are getting from their insurance company.

Get a Higher Deductible - Deductibles are what you have to pay on a claim before insurance coverage begins. By increasing the deductible on your policy, your premiums will be lower. However, make sure that your will be able to pay the deductible if something does happen.

Buy auto and homeowners insurance from the same company - A lot of insurance companies will give you a package rate if you buy several different types of insurance from them. However, this may still be more expensive than buying from different companies, so make you comparison shop.

Drop the collision on older cars - Most of the time, it is not cost effective to have collision on your policy if the car isn’t worth very much. If your car is worth less than 10 times your premium, then ditch the collision.

The most common way of financing a new car is through the dealership. Often, that means that you will be able to get approved for your loan on weekends or at night, when banks are closed. Although this is the certainly most convenient way of getting financed, you may be able to find a better rate from a credit union or bank.

Whether you finance through your dealership, bank, or credit union, you will have to fill out a credit application. You will have to decide the term of your loan (generally between 3 to 5 years, or 36 to 60 payments). Your monthly payments will be calculated using your interest rate (based upon your credit score), the amount of your downpayment, and the loan’s term. Technically, the lender will own your vehicle until you have paid off the loan. We recommend that you shop around to find the best rates on loans, rather than just financing through the dealer. A little leg work can save you thousands over the term of your loan.

The Federal Reserve System investigates complaints lodged by consumers against state chartered banks which are members of the system. The Federal Reserve System will refer complaints to the appropriate regulatory agency.

To submit a complaint, write to the Division of Consumer and Community Affairs, Board of Governeors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551. You should provide the complete name and address of the bank, a brief description of your complaint, and copies of any relevant documentation. The Federal Reserve will contact you within 15 business days to acknowledge your complaint and inform you whether they will investigate or whether your complaint will be forwarded to another agency.

If the Federal Reserve investigages and determines a violation, the Federal Reserve will inform you of the violation and the corrective action it has directed the bank to take. In some instances, merely filing a complaint will motivate the bank to resolve the situation. In cases without resolution, you should obtain an attorney to resolve your issues.