Few scams are as frightening as identity theft. When criminals gain
access to your personal information, irreparable damage can be done to
your finances. Your bank accounts can be emptied, your credit cards
could be maxed out with purchases you didn't make. Bank and investment
accounts can be opened, bad checks can be written, cars can be rented
and not returned, and many other major crimes can be committed...all in
your name!
In
this age of advancing hacker technology, digital credit, and global
communications networks it is vitally important to do everything that
can be done to avoid becoming an identity theft statistic. Here are ten
suggestions to help protect you from identity theft.
10. Install decent anti-virus and firewall software to be sure that unauthorized users cannot access your computer.
9.
Do not leave emails with sensitive information like passwords or
account numbers in your inbox at free email websites. Download them to
your hard-drive and encrypt them. Use encryption software on all
sensitive data on your PC. PGP is free and offers excellent privacy
protection. It is nigh un-crackable.
8. Use a secure web browser
to surf the internet. Internet Explorer is notorious for security
holes. It seems hackers love to hack Microsoft! Firefox with Google
Toolbar is a good alternative choice as it's free and is generally
considered to be faster and more secure than Internet Explorer.
7. Do not leave receipts behind when you use your credit card.
6.
Destroy all private documents that you no longer need. Never throw
financial statements in the trash! Use a data shredder to delete files
and a paper shredder to destroy the old fashioned kind.
5.
Sign your credit cards in permanent ink as soon as you receive them and
always know where your credit cards are. Keep a list of your credit
card numbers and information somewhere safe so it can be given to your
credit provider in the event of a lost or stolen card. If your card is
lost or stolen report it immediately.
4. Get a copy of your credit report and get frequent updates. Monitor it for suspicious activity.
3. Pay attention to your monthly credit card statements and be watchful for any purchases you did not make.
2.
If you do your banking online be sure you log out of the bank's website
fully when you finish your banking session and then clear your
computer's cache to erase any temporary files which may contain
personally identifiable information. Firefox with Google Toolbar makes
this easy to do by simply pressing Ctr+Shft+Del or going to:
Tools>Clear Private Data
1. There are hundreds of scam emails
in circulation that claim to be from a bank, or the IRS and state that
your personal information needs to be confirmed. Don't fall for this
fraud. Never give your SSN (SIN in Canada) to anyone other than the
government, financial institution or your employer. Know who you are
communicating with before giving out personal information.
Organizations that deal with your money will never send you such a
request by email or phone.
Its a shame to have to worry about
online identity theft but if you are "on your toes" and follow these
guidelines, you are well on your way to making your online experience a
much safer and secure one.
About the Author: Steve Greene publishes scam alerts and exposes email scammers and internet frauds on his blog:Email Scams Info
Proven Tips, Tools, and Tactics and Other Security Measures To Stay Safe Online (Part 1 of 2)
The Internet serves as an incredible tool for educators and
students to communicate, research information, and learn. The
widespread availability of computers and connections to the Internet
provides everyone around-the-clock access to information, credit and
financial services, and shopping.
Unfortunately,
there exist individuals who exploit the Internet through their criminal
activities and other harmful acts. Cybercriminals use creative measures
to gain unauthorized access to your computer and then use that access
to steal your identity, commit fraud, or even launch cyber attacks
against others.
Staying safe online is no longer a given, but
a necessary extracurricular activity. Here are nine security measures
you can employ immediate to protect yourself, your family, and your
business. By following the recommended cyber security measures outlined
here, you can limit the harm cyber criminals can do not only to your
computer, but to everyone's computer. However, keep in mind that there
is no single cyber security measure or technological solution that will
prevent their cybercrime. These recommended cyber security measures
highlight that using a set of common-sense precautions that include
Internet habits as well as technology solutions can make a difference.
The
National Cyber Security Alliance recommends eight measures. To that, I
have added an additional. They are practical steps, in no particular
order, you can take to stay safe online and avoid becoming a victim of
fraud, identity theft, or cyber crime.
1. Protect your children online.
Implement parental control tools that are provided by some Internet
Service Provider (ISPs) and available for purchase as separate software
packages. Remember: No program is a substitute for parental
supervision. Also check your browser to see if it would allow you to
set some parental controls. (Internet Explorer allows you to restrict
or allow certain web sites to be viewed on your computer, and you can
protect these settings with a password. To find those options, click
Tools on your menu bar, select Internet Options, choose the Content
tab, and click the Enable button under Content Advisor.)
2. Back up important files regularly.
No system is completely secure. If you have important files stored on
your computer, copy them onto a removable disc, and store them in a
secure place in a different building than your computer. If a different
location isn't practical, consider encryption software. Encryption
software scrambles a message or a file in a way that can be reversed
only with a specific password. Also, make sure you keep your original
software start-up disks handy and accessible for use in the event of a
system crash.
3. Protect your valuable personal and financial information.
Don't open unsolicited or unknown email messages. If you do get an
email or pop-up message asking for personal information, don't reply or
click on the link in the message. To avoid opening such messages, you
can turn off the "Preview Pane" functionality in email programs, and
you can set your default options to view opened emails as plain text to
avoid active links or pop-ups in the messages. Most importantly, do not
to respond to solicitations for your personal or financial information.
If you believe there may be a need for such information by a company
with whom you have an account or placed an order, contact that company
directly in a way you know to be genuine. Never send your personal
information via email because email is not a secure transmission method.
4.
Use strong passwords or strong authentication technology to help
protect your personal information. To further increase the security of
your online identity and to help protect you from account hi-jacking,
take advantage of stronger authentication tools wherever available.
This may take the form of two-factor authentication – the combination
of a password or PIN number (something you know) with a token, smart
card, or even a biometric device (something you have).
Stronger
authentication can also come from a behind-the-scenes
identity-verification process, which uses various data to establish
whether or not a user is genuine. Ask your bank, your regular online
retailers, and your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if they offer
stronger authentication tools for more secure transactions. 5. Know who you're dealing with online.Every day, millions of computer users share files online, either as
email, documents, or photos. File-sharing can give people access to a
wealth of information, including music, games, and software. You
download special software that connects your computer to an informal
network of other computers running the same software. Millions of users
could be connected to each other through this software at one time.
Often the software is free and
easily accessible, but file-sharing can have a number of risks.
(a)
If you don't check the proper settings, you could allow access not just
to the files you intend to share, but also to other information on your
hard drive, like your tax returns, email messages, medical records,
photos, or other personal documents.
(b)In addition, you may
unwittingly download pornography labeled as something else. Or you may
download material that is protected by the copyright laws, which would
mean you could be breaking the law. Therefore, downloading
file-sharing software is not advisable and could place your personal
information and computer at risk. If you do decide to use file-sharing
software, set it up very carefully. Take the time to read the End User
License Agreement to be sure that you're sharing files legally and that
you understand the potentially high risk of any free downloads. For
example, some license agreements include an agreement to allow spyware
to be installed on your machine.
Although the Internet basically
provides a positive and productive experience, cyber-attacks against
our personal privacy and security are reaching epidemic proportions.
These attacks are occurring in our own homes and businesses. Our own
computers are being used are being used as zombies to attack other
people, businesses, and even our nation itself. As an average Internet
user, you may not be aware of these threats nor have any idea about the
dramatically increasing risks you face when connected to the Internet.
On
a campaign for internet safety awareness and protection, my mission is
to bring critical awareness to individuals, families, and small
business owners, and to provide access to the necessary tools and
ongoing expertise to secure your computer and help you stay protected.
I
invite you to join the many thousands of others who have tested their
computers, discovered these threats are real, and taken the necessary
steps to protect themselves.
Now that you have become aware of
these issues, I encourage you to share this vital information with your
families, friends and communities. Together, we can reach many millions
of people and inform them about the threats to their privacy and
security, and help them get the protection they desperately need.
Remember: When you say "No!" to hackers and spyware, everyone wins! When you don't, we all lose!
About the Author: Etienne A. Gibbs, Internet Security Advocate and Educator,
consults with individuals, small business owners, and home-business
entrepreneurs about online protection (including free lifetime
technical support and $25,000 identity theft insurance and recovery)
against spyware, viruses, hackers, and other pc-disabling cybercrimes.
For more information, visit www.SayNotoHackersandSpyware.com/.
Proven Tips, Tools, and Tactics and Other Security Measures To Stay Safe Online (Part 2 of 2)
6. Learn what to do if something goes wrong.
(a)
If a scammer takes advantage of you through an Internet auction, when
you're shopping online, or in any other way, report it to the Federal
Trade Commission at ftc.gov. The FTC enters Internet, identity theft,
and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure,
online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law
enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
(b) If you get deceptive spam, including email phishing for your information, forward it to "spam at uce.gov"
(replace "at" with the @ sign). Be sure to include the full Internet
header of the email. In many email programs, the full "Internet header"
is not automatically included in forwarded email messages, so you may
need to take additional measures to include the full information needed
to detect deceptive spam.
(c) If you believe you have
mistakenly given your information to a fraudster, file a complaint at
the FTC's website and then visit their Identity Theft website to learn
how to minimize your risk of damage from a potential theft of your
identity.
7. Use anti-virus software, a firewall, and anti-spyware software to help keep your computer safe and secure.
Don't be put off by the word "firewall." It's not necessary to fully
understand how it works; it's enough to know what it does and why you
need it. Firewalls help keep hackers from using your computer to send
out your personal information without your permission. While anti-virus
software scans incoming email and files, a firewall is like a guard,
watching for outside attempts to access your system and blocking
communications from and to sources you don't permit. Some spammers
search the Internet for unprotected computers they can control and use
anonymously to send unwanted spam emails. They refer to these as
"zombie computers".
If you don't have up-to-date anti-virus
protection and a firewall, spammers may try to install software that
lets them route email through your computer, often to thousands of
recipients, so that it appears to have come from your account. If this
happens, you may receive an overwhelming number of complaints from
recipients, and your email account could be shut down by your Internet
Service Provider (ISP).
Some operating systems and hardware
devices come with a built-in firewall that may be shipped in the "off"
mode. Make sure you turn it on. For your firewall to be effective, it
needs to be set up properly and updated regularly. Check your online
"Help" feature for specific instructions.
8. Be sure to set up your operating system and Web browser software properly, and update them regularly.
Hackers also take advantage of unsecured Web browsers (like Internet
Explorer or Netscape) and operating system software (like Windows or
Linux). Lessen your risk by changing the settings in your browser or
operating system and increasing your online security. Check the "Tools"
or "Options" menus for built-in security features. If you need help
understanding your choices, use your "Help" function.
Your
operating system also may offer free software patches that close holes
in the system that hackers could exploit. In fact, some common
operating systems can be set to automatically retrieve and install
patches for you. If your system does not do this, bookmark the website
for your system's manufacturer so you can regularly visit and update
your system with defenses against the latest attacks. Updating can be
as simple as one click. Your email software may help you avoid viruses
by giving you the ability to filter certain types of spam. It's up to
you to activate the filter. In addition, consider using operating
systems that allow automatic updates.
9. Subscribe to a managed security services.
As the best form of protection available today, you get much more than
just software. You get professional grade technology coupled with
having a team of security experts available to help with any security
problem. This level of protection has never been available for homes
and small businesses until now, and, because of the increase in online
security threats, risks, and attacks, it is becoming the future of
Internet security.
Although the Internet basically provides a
positive and productive experience, cyber-attacks against our personal
privacy and security are reaching epidemic proportions. These attacks
are occurring in our own homes and businesses. Our own computers are
being used are being used as zombies to attack other people,
businesses, and even our nation itself. As an average Internet user,
you may not be aware of these threats nor have any idea about the
dramatically increasing risks you face when connected to the Internet.
On
a campaign for internet safety awareness and protection, my mission is
to bring critical awareness to individuals, families, and small
business owners, and to provide access to the necessary tools and
ongoing expertise to secure your computer and help you stay protected.
I
invite you to join the many thousands of others who have tested their
computers, discovered these threats are real, and taken the necessary
steps to protect themselves.
Now that you have become aware of
these issues, I encourage you to share this vital information with your
families, friends and communities. Together, we can reach many millions
of people and inform them about the threats to their privacy and
security, and help them get the protection they desperately need.
Remember: When you say "No!" to hackers and spyware, everyone wins! When you don't, we all lose!
About the Author:Etienne A. Gibbs, Internet Security Advocate and Educator,
consults with individuals, small business owners, and home-business
entrepreneurs regarding online protection (including free lifetime
technical support and $25,000 identity theft insurance and recovery)
against spyware, viruses, hackers, and other pc-disabling cybercrimes. For more information, visit www.SayNotoHackersandSpyware.com/.
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