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We're forever warning teenagers to be careful online -- don't reveal personal information to strangers, avoid scams, report bullying behavior. It turns out the same advice may be appropriate for grandma and grandpa, as well. Seniors are the fastest-growing segment of new Internet users, as they've discovered email, online shopping and banking, social networking, travel planning and other online conveniences.

Even the most tech-savvy among us sometimes fall prey to online scammers, so if your parents or grandparents have recently taken the online plunge, here are some safety tips you can share:

senior internet scams

Two things to remember as you prepare to file your taxes: If you get an e-mail from the IRS, it's probably a scam. And don't forget the stamp.

As the April 15 tax filing date nears, online tax-related scams tend to ratchet up, experts say. If you're not careful, you could lose a lot more than just the refund.

"Filing your taxes online is extremely convenient, however if you want to maintain the privacy of your data, you need to ensure that you are connecting to the proper Web site, that the connection is using encryption, and that your computer is free from any malware. If any of these components are compromised then your data is not safe," Ryan Barnett, director of application security research for Breach Security, said on Friday.

"This would be like going to an ATM machine to withdraw money and allowing everyone around you to see your PIN number as you punch it in," he added.

Not only do people have to take precautions in storing and transmitting their data over the Internet, but they also have to be wary of social engineering-type ruses that scammers use to trick people into giving out their sensitive data.

Probably the most common type of tax season scam is the fake IRS phishing e-mail. These e-mails will either claim to be a tax refund or an offer to help file for a refund, settle tax debt, or other aid. (Not long ago, scammers were offering economic stimulus payments, even before the plan was approved.) They will provide a link to a Web site where the visitor is prompted to type in personal data like a Social Security number. Don't trust it, experts say.

Privacy Security Tax Scams IRS

Thandi Zulu was single, pregnant and staying at a women's shelter in Houston, Texas, when she received a mysterious letter one day.

A company told Zulu that she could make big money working at home in a data-entry job. No résumé or experience was needed. All she had to do was pay a $200 fee.

You probably know what happened next. Zulu called the company, gave them her checking account number and then tried to stop herself because she realized that she was doing something stupid.

"The moment I did it, I said 'Damn, this is a scam,' " Zulu said of her 2001 nightmare. "I put them on hold, and then I tried to call them back, but nobody was home."

Financial guru Bernard Madoff is grabbing headlines because he is accused of swindling wealthy clients out of $50 billion in a massive Ponzi scheme. But work-at-home scammers are also plundering the paltry savings of ordinary people like Zulu every day.

Work-at-home-scams are on the rise, consumer watchdog groups say.

Privacy Security Scams Work at Home

Jeffrey Lafferty is confident, smooth and likable.

By all accounts, he knows plenty about investing and can talk eloquently about the topic to large audiences. He would even tell you he has a better than average understanding of the real estate markets.

But here's the thing about Jeff Lafferty: He's a crook.

Privacy Investment Scams Regulator