While it is best to be aware of computer fraud and prevent or avoid it when possible, it is also important to know about the law and the resources that the authorities provide to report computer fraud so that appropriate action may be taken.

Have you discovered that you’ve been a victim of computer fraud? Unwittingly submitted personal information of a sensitive nature–names, addresses, social security numbers, user names or passwords–to people you don’t trust?

Keep in mind that the U.S. Federal government punishes computer fraud based on the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, passed by Congress in 1986 to combat computer fraud. The text of the law can be accessed here.

The U.S. Department of Justice has a website dedicated specifically to computer crime. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the National White Collar Crime Center (or NW3C), run the Internet Crime Complaint Center , which has a convenient and easy-to-use online form to report Internet Fraud. Most Federal agencies involved in fighting computer and Internet fraud have websites and resources to help you identify, prevent, and report these criminal activities, including the FBI .

But to ensure that you don’t fall victim to computer or internet fraud, be sure first and foremost to guard any private information, especially computer user names and passwords, and be mindful of the fact that the Internet is almost never a safe place to share such sensitive data even with people you trust.