Kim Komando's Q & A: Contacts you initiate are safer

— -- Question:I went online to a bank to buy a CD. Then the bank personnel called me. They verified the information that I entered, but they wanted my Social Security number, age and drivers license number, among other things. I was uncomfortable giving that out, so I canceled the arrangement. Was I being overly cautious?

Answer:You need to be careful how you give out personal information, but you can't be locked down completely. You'd never get anything done. If you're sure you're talking to the bank, I wouldn't see a problem. Trouble could arise if you get e-mail asking for this data. You could be taken to a scam site. If you enter your confidential data there, kiss your money goodbye. There's a crucial difference between the two situations. One you initiated; the other arrived uninvited. I'd feel comfortable with the one you initiated.

Q:I use Windows XP. I don't want to set up user accounts or password-protect my computer. My 12-year-old son is only allowed limited time on the computer. I want him to learn self-control. So, I want to know when he logs on and off. Is there any way to track this?

A:Computer usage is easily monitored in XP. It creates a time-stamped log of programs and services that run. You can use the log to see when the computer is booted. It will also show you when the computer was turned off. The event log runs automatically, so you don't need to enable anything. Also, your son probably won't think about the log. To access event logs, click Start, then Control Panel. Double-click Administrative Tools and double-click Event Viewer. Finally, double-click System. You'll see the event log.

Q:My friend sent some pictures with captions actually in the photos. I cannot get in touch with him. How can I put captions in my photos? What program would I use?

A: I'd recommend using IrfanView. I have a download link at www.komando.com/news. Open the program and click File, then Open. Select a photo and click Open. Click and drag on the photo to create a selection. It'll be outlined with a thin white line. Next, click Edit, then Insert text into the selection. In the box that opens, enter the desired caption. The area behind the text will be transparent. If you want to set a background color, you can. Just de-select "Text is transparent." Click "Set background color." Select a color. Click OK.