Posted By: John Steele

Mon Oct 9, 7:00 AM ET

To: Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor

Contact: Chaunda Ball of AARP, 212-407-3732

News Advisory:

What:

A new AARP survey to be released Tuesday found that more than half (54 percent) of adults in the New York metro are at risk of losing their personal information through a phishing scam. The survey found that roughly two-thirds of New York City residents age 40 or older own a computer and regularly access the Internet. The overwhelming majority, 92 percent, of Internet users are concerned about providing their personal information online. Alarmingly, three quarters of Internet users are unaware that when a website has a privacy policy, it does not to prevent them from sharing customers' personal information with others.

The survey is being released at a seminar open to the public sponsored by AARP, Microsoft and Geek Squad 24 Hour Computer Support Task Force. The seminar is the New York stop of the Get Net Safe Tour, which seeks to heighten awareness and empower people to use the Internet safely around the country. A second seminar will be held Thursday.

Who:

-- 200 older New Yorkers concerned about Internet safety

-- AARP New York

-- Microsoft Corporation

-- Geek Squad-24 Hour Computer Support Task Force

When:

-- Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

-- Thursday, Oct. 12, 10 a.m. to noon

Where:

The Graduate Center/CUNY, Baisley Powell Elebash Hall, 365 Fifth Ave. (at 34th St.), New York City

Why:

People 50 and over are the fastest growing group of Internet users. With Internet criminals constantly finding new ways to take advantage of online users, older computer users with little Internet experience are particularly at risk. Computer experts estimate that a computer comes under attack about 300 times an hour by spyware, viruses and other unwanted software.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

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