How to Protect Yourself From Identity Theft While Online
Identity theft is the largest growing crime in the nation. Anyone can become a victim – all a criminal needs is your name, address, and other seemingly insignificant personal information. Many people believe that most identity theft occurs via the internet. This is a fallacy – most identity crimes happen offline. However, this does not decrease the need for cautiousness online. It is certainly more “convenient” for criminals to steal your information online – they run less risk of being caught as they would breaking into your house, and can do it from thousands of miles away. Let’s make it less convenient for them with these commandments!
Guarding Thyself From Id Theft Through Email
Email is one of technology’s greatest accomplishments. No more waiting days for important information to be sent to you. With a click of a button, vital documents can be in your hands within minutes. Email has opened a new world of communication. It has also opened a new world for criminals to target their victims. Following a few safety guidelines can decrease the likelihood you will be victimized in this manner.
One such tactic is called email phishing. You receive an email from a trusted source like your bank, insurance agency or other financial institution letting you know that you need to update your account, that there’s been suspicious activity and to please log in, or that your account is about to be canceled. These emails can come in many forms – the important thing to remember is to treat all emails with caution. Anybody can dress up an email to make it look like it came directly from a business you normally deal with.
What the thieves are trying to do is get you to click on the link in the email. This link will look like the website address you usually deal with, and the “spoofed” website you go to will look exactly the same. If you log in with your username and password, your information will be recorded, and the thief can then quickly go to the real site, log in, and do as they like.
Because of the prevalence of these types of fraud emails, forward-thinking banks and other companies have a policy to never send you email asking to update your information. These fraudulent emails are tools criminals use to gain your personal information, logins and passwords. Report any email you think may be irregular. Most email servers have icons that enable you to report an email as spam. Using this device will keep that sight from emailing you further and makes the email server aware of your concerns. If you receive an email from an unknown source, always assume it is suspect.
Report suspicious emails to the proper authorities, including the FBI (through the Internet Crime Complaint Center) and the Federal Trade Commission. There is also an organization called the Anti-Phishing Working Group you can contact. If you are not sure if a site is legitimate or not, call the organization on their toll free number and speak to a representative to get more information.
Remember, never open links found in emails – type the address directly into your address bar instead.
Keeping Thyself Safe From Identity Theft While Surfing the Net
Before placing personal information online, always make sure the site is secure. When using Internet Explorer, find the padlock icon in the toolbar – if the padlock is shut then the site uses encryption. This icon may not be on every page but will always be on the payment pages of legitimate sites. Keep in mind, this icon can be faked. It is a good idea to double click on the icon to view a security certificate. If the name on the certificate is not the same one on the site, you could be dealing with a fake.
Do not place personal information on a pop up window. Pop up windows can frequently pop up over a legitimate site and there may be no way to verify security. Close pop ups by clicking the red X in the top right corner; using the cancel button may not always function as you intended.
Shielding Thyself From Fraud When Downloading
Downloading is an area that can make your computer vulnerable. You may be tricked into sending a virus or other nasty program into your computer to track your habits. There are some important steps you can take to protect yourself online when downloading off the internet. You should keep your safety software up to date. Using Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000 Service Pack (SP3) or later, or Windows Millennium Edition (Me), gives you access to automatic updates. This is the most effective way to keep your windows updated. If you use an earlier version of windows, you can get updates from Microsoft Updates. Using antivirus programs like Norton, Avast, etc. and anti-spyware programs like AdAware and Spybot can increase your online security. Having them on your computer is not enough – you need to regularly run your antivirus and antispyware programs to scan your computer for problems.
People that are scared to use the internet as a means of shopping, banking, paying bills, etc. are usually just lacking the education needed to feel safe. Following safe “surfing” practices and arming your computer appropriately can give you the needed security to use the internet fully. Just keep in mind, if you aren’t sure a site is secure – LEAVE.
