Spoofed Identities: Virus,Spam or Scam?

Identification is becoming increasingly problematic in the halls of smoke and mirrors we call ‘cyberspace’. The identity question raises its head in the context of the origin of mass-mailing viruses and worms; the relentless avalanche of spam; electronic identity theft; Internet fraud and cybersquatters. How do we recognise and respond to email address spoofing? How should we react to the evil spammer? Why must we remain vigilant in defence of our financial details and what is our recourse in the event of identity theft and fraud? How we choose to resolve these issues could determine our future freedom of use of the Internet, and a clearer understanding should allow us to navigate safely some potentially hazardous waters ahead.