Identity Theft

A few things you can do to stay secure are listed below:

1. Do not be greedy, just because a particular store online is offering you prices you will not receive anywhere else, does not mean it is a good deal. If you do not pay attention to certain important indicators for security and read the description of the product properly you could lose much. Be sure that the website you shop from can be trusted.

2. When you are shopping online you need be careful about phshers and scammers and there are so many of them around. Though, there is a way to dodge them by ensuring that you are on the right website, a website you can trust and not on any other website that is a scam. Check the address, make sure it belongs to the website that you can trust and then enter your personal and account details. Always open a new browser window when you get a link in an email for online shopping.

3. Secure browsing is essential. Make sure that the address of the website you are shopping at starts with 'https'. Also look for the padlock symbol to ensure that you are not at threat.

4. Using a third party payment system could offer you additional security as well. These accounts work as a buffer between you and the merchants you are shopping with. Services like PayPall and Google Checkout offer third party payment systems so that you can stay secure by serving as middlemen. This will also reduce the hassle of entering in your account information every time you make an online purchase.

5. You could also consider keeping one credit card only for shopping online. In this way if your details do fall into the hands of someone you cannot trust, the limit will be too low to exploit.

6. Pre-paid credit cards are an option that a lot of people are using today to stay secure when they shop online. There are a number of choices you have and you can choose between CVS, Walmart or a number of other stores as well. In this way, if a thief does get a hold of your credit card details, you will not lose out on a lot of money, but just the amount that is loaded up on your card.

7. When thieves get a hold of your credit card information in the real world, they can use it online. To save yourself from this threat, you have to pay special attention to safeguarding your credit information in the real world as well.

8. Make sure that you do not share your online passwords for third party payment systems like PayPal with anyone. If you get an email from a bank that is requesting you for passwords or PINs, you can be rest assured that it is someone wanting to get access to your account, so refrain from divulging that information. Banks have a standing policy not to request their customers for their passwords or PINs.

9. It is ideal to change the details of online bank accounts once every two or three months. Make sure that it is a combination of letters and numbers and it is something that is difficult to crack. Ideally, if it is a randomly generated password, it is the best, however, you may have trouble remembering it. Once you have chosen a password, make sure that you do not share it with anyone.

View the original article here

Uses of the internet have increased tremendously in recent times. People use the internet for sharing information, learning, communicating, and doing business. There are also some people using the internet as a resource to steal your identity. This is why every internet user needs to protect his or her personal information against identity theft. There are several things you should do to protect yourself against identity theft online.

Firstly, guard your online information. Use very strong passwords which should be very hard for anyone to guess. You should also not use one password for every website you use. Never write your password down or save it in a document in your computer. Your passwords should not be your birth date, your family member's name or your pet's name. Instead use unrelated words with numbers and symbols.

The second thing you can do to protect yourself from identity theft online is shred sensitive documents. Many people just fold or tear apart vital documents into several pieces. An identity thief can easily put those papers together and read your personal information. Shredding outdated bank statements, credit card applications and bills before dumping it into trash or recycling will make it very hard for a thief to put the papers back together. In fact it is almost impossible.

You should be aware of phishing. In phishing, an identity thief pretending to be personnel of a famous or loyal company sends an email telling you that you have won some money. The email usually contains a link where you will be directed to fill personal information online. To avoid falling for this, never verify personal information online before researching for the company in question. In your search you can include the word scam and several results relating to scams in the name of the company in question will display. Go through the search results and learn how other people have dealt with it.

Identity theft protection services can also help you to protect yourself from online identity theft. Most of the companies that offer these services, submit fraud alert on your behalf to avoid identity thieves from opening new lines of credit. Some companies also search through the internet for you, to make sure that nobody is using your credit card and social security numbers. Some of the most famous companies include: Identity Guard, Trusted ID and Equifax ID.

The law puts you at liberty to get a free copy of your credit report every year upon your request. You should go through the report keenly, checking on the accuracy to make sure that you can account for each line of credit. It is recommended that you check your credit reports at least three times in a year. Apart from the free copy that you are entitled to; you can purchase the reports from the major credit bureau, that is, Equifax, Experian or Trans Union.

Another important thing you should do to protect yourself from identity theft online, is to secure your computer. Make sure that your antivirus software is updated regularly. This makes a barrier between your trusted networks and untrusted networks which might be trying to access your computer. In addition to that, your mobile devices like smart phones or iPads, should be secured with strong passwords just in case they get lost.

Identity Theft is something to really watch out. Learn how to protect against identity theft

View the original article here

One of the curses of going online is the flood of spam emails making a variety of fraudulent claims. A lot of them seem to emanate from Nigeria, where corruption is endemic, but they are spreading to all corners of the Internet Globe.

From their frequency, I assume there are people online who are falling for these scams, and there seems to be little or nothing that Internet Service Providers are doing to put a stop to them. I find this surprising. After all, if they can't, or won't, police their fraudulent clients, who will?

These scams vary in their fraudulent offers. The most popular is where the sender has access to an enormous sum of money, apparently deposited by a now deceased client of theirs who left no next of kin, and in return for the cooperation of the recipient, he will share in the windfall. For his part, the recipient will have to provide his personal information, which can then used for identity theft, and also make a substantial administration payment to facilitate the transfer of this non existent sum of money. Needless to say, once paid, the hapless victim is left high and dry and poorer for the experience.

The other popular scam is winning a lottery, and the scammers use email addresses from reputable companies to give authenticity to this type of fraud. There is always an administration payment required, and again, hapless victims are falling for this on a daily basis.

There are always dishonest people hoping to profit from the misfortune of others. With the global economy in a downward spiral, and with unemployment in many countries at an all time high, the hope of instant riches to solve the problems of those at the end of their tether is often too great to resist.

And finally, there are the scams from public international bodies such as the UN, offering to compensate victims of scams, again in return for personal details and an administration payment.

The Internet is exploding at an alarming rate, and to many, it is out of control. It is the beast that cannot be slain, like the Hydra of Antiquity, but that is a poor excuse. The first port of call must be the ISP's. Without an email address, these scammers couldn't operate.

Time for a complete rethink on the way the Internet is policed. As a starting point, I would like to know how these scammers get access to my inbox. I appreciate that they are sent to "undisclosed recipients", so my actual email address is not being used, but that doesn't stop them arriving with alarming frequency.

About The Author
David Osborne is a successful barrister, author, public speaker and media personality. He writes articles of topical interest on the law for newspapers and journals, and he has his own blog at: http://david-osborne.com/blog.

View the original article here

If you're trying to disappear, protect yourself against identity theft, or just get a job, your information is all over the internet. And it gives you away at the click of a mouse.

One of the best gifts you can give yourself - regardless of your situation - is to clean up and clear out the information on you that's available to anyone.

After all, do you really want that burglar in the next state over knowing where you live, what you bought recently, or that you're going to be out of town this weekend?

Do you really want to help an identity thief get enough information on you so they can live the lifestyle to which they'd like to become accustomed - on your credit and salary?

Do you really want a stalker, collection agency, or skip tracer to track you down and make your life hell even if you don't have any money?

And do you really want a prospective employer to discover certain information about you - including hobbies - that might make them decide to give that job to someone else because they don't like what they found online?

I didn't think so.

And don't even think these are crazy scenarios

If you think any of the questions I asked above are far-fetched, think again. It happens all the time. And thieves, employers, lawyers, skip tracers, stalkers, and anyone else you can think of, are getting very good at checking online for anything they can find on you. And they're using it for their advantage. Not yours.

Many companies now do background checks on prospective employees - sometimes even before they offer them a job. Maybe you know you'd pass a background check because you've never been in trouble.

But what about the information and pictures you've posted on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, and all the other social media and whatever sites that proliferate the internet? Have you considered what's out there that might not make you look like the kind of employee they want?

An identity thief can take that same information and use it to put together a pretty good profile of you that will help them get their hands on enough of your information to help them live a great life at your expense.

Your online information is not private

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has said that research into what you do on your personal time does not violate your privacy - especially if it's online. Meaning, what you put out there is fair game to anyone who comes along. Whether you want them to have it or know about it - or not.

This is just like the trash you put out on trash day. Once it's on the curb, it belongs to anyone who wants to get into it. Or the phone calls you make in public. There's no expectation of privacy. So think twice before you start talking about personal information that someone else can (and probably will) overhear.

I was in a hotel lobby not too long ago and could hear a man 20 feet away giving his credit card information to whoever was on the other end of the line (and whoever else was in the lobby). It was identity thief heaven.

Once you put it out there, it's no longer yours. It's theirs. It belongs to anyone who wants it.

What you can do

Name Search

Do a search for your name on all the search engines - Google, Bing, Yahoo, and Dogpile - and see what shows up. (Dogpile is a search engine that checks ALL the search engines and gives you a lot more results.)

Social Media

Then check all the social media sites for your information.

Think about what you find. You may not consider it all that bad. But what about an employer? How would they interpret that picture or information? (And don't think searches are things only prospective employers do. Your current employer might check you out from time to time to make sure they know everything about you, too.)

Is any of it inappropriate? Immature? Does it match the image you're trying to project?

Does any of it give away where you live? Your birthdate? Where you went to school?

If it gives away too much information - remove it. You don't want any accurate personal information about you out there. It's just too easy to use against you.

Also, if there's anything out there that you don't like - get it removed.

Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes it's not. And sometimes it takes time.

Blogs

Do you have a blog? Do you appear in a blog? If so, take a close look at everything on there and remove all the personal information that could be used by someone else. Remove anything that might make you look to an employer.

Picture and Video Sites

Do the same for these sites. It's amazing how videos can make their way across the planet in no time at all and ruin your life.

You've probably heard about the video of the woman on an Asian train. Her dog had an accident on the train and she refused to clean it up. Someone on the train videotaped her (of course) and the story (and her picture) went all over YouTube and everywhere else and ruined her life.

It doesn't take much.

Privacy Settings

The problem with privacy settings is that the rules are always changing. So something that was private, isn't the next time you think to check.

Check your privacy settings and make sure none of this information is available. I also recommend putting bogus information on the site - especially birth date information, phone, address, or anything else personal - even though no one else is going to see it.

Use a different month, day and year. So if you were born on August 3, 1983, put down that you were born on February 18, 1985. Pick a date you can remember - maybe a cousin's birthday. Or someone famous who you admire.

You might not think it's such a big deal. But should a hacker get into my information on Facebook, they won't get anything that they can do anything with. None of the information is real. For example, the little I have on Facebook is all all private, so it's not as if I'm deceiving anyone. Except a thief or someone else with evil intentions. So even a skilled identity thief won't get very far with what's there.

Could you say that about your information? Could a hacker get anything that they could then sell to an identity thief? And actually ruin your reputation, credit, and life by pretending to be you?

And before you pooh-pooh it - it happens all the time. And there's no reason it can't happen to you.

For example, should a hacker get into my information on Facebook, they won't get anything that they can do anything with. None of the information is real. So even a skilled identity thief won't get very far with what's there.

If you put bogus info there you won't have to constantly monitor your privacy settings, nor will you have to worry about someone getting that information.

Put up positive information

Don't just remove the negative or misleading things. If you have a blog, put information there that talks about the good things you're doing. Things you would want your friends or prospective employer to know about you.

If you talk about an event, post about it afterwards - not before. A burglar can't break in if they don't know you're going to be gone. And a stalker can't show up if they don't know where you're going to be.

Always be thinking

Finally, always be thinking about what you're putting out there. Always consider what someone else might be able to do with that information.

There are a lot of people out there who will take advantage of the information you put out there.

You have to be very clear about the fact that they do not care about you. They do not care about the people they hurt. The idea that you might be hurt doesn't even cross their mind. You have what they want and that's all it's about.

For more information on what you can do to keep your personal information private, visit my website at http://how-to-disappear-now.com/ and find out how you can protect yourself and keep identity thieves from taking advantage of you by hiding in plain sight.

View the original article here

If you are a frequent internet user, chances are good that you may be exposing your identity to many of the bad guys out there. Twenty percent of all people will become a victim of identity theft, and this number is growing. Although not all these victims are due to online activity, you can rest assured that your identity will remain safe as long as you don't make the following online mistakes.

Mistake #1 - Give out personal information to people you don't know.

This does not really need much explanation but the truth is, many people are very trusting and some people have the "it won't happen to me" attitude about identity theft. Most of these people fall in the above mentioned twenty percent. When online, TRUST NO-ONE! This may sound rather harsh, but it could save you a whole lot of trouble.

Mistake #2- Make online purchases on insecure websites.

This is one that many people who are new to purchasing online may not know about. When making purchases online and you are asked to enter your credit card information, look at the address bar of the webpage. It should start with "https" not "http". The letter "S" indicates a secure webpage. Many times there will also be an icon of a closed padlock as well.

Mistake #3- Respond to an email from your bank or financial institution by clicking the link in the email and entering your information.

Many high-tech cyber criminals develop phishing sites, which are websites made to look like that of a popular financial institution. They then send spam emails out making them look like they were sent from the financial institution. When you click the link in the email and enter your information, you just gave the bad guys access to your account. Banks typically will not ask for information by email. If you receive a similar email from your bank or financial institution, call them by phone or make sure you type the web address directly into your web browser instead of clicking on a link to get there.

Mistake #4- Select short easy to remember passwords or use the same password for every site.

But I can't remember a bunch of long passwords. We all use the same excuse. I am guilty myself. If a password is easy for you to remember then chances are it's also easy for a cyber-thief to crack. Make sure you select passwords with a combination of numbers, letters and symbols at least 8 -10 characters in length. Write down the usernames and passwords for each website on a piece of paper (do not save it on your computer). Store the piece of paper in a secure, hidden yet accessible place where you will not forget it.

Mistake #5- Let your computer protection software become outdated, or worse yet, don't have any at all.

Surfing the web without computer protection software is like swimming through shark infested water with raw meat attached to your body. Sooner or later you are going to get bit. By computer protection software, I am talking about antivirus, anti-spyware software and a firewall. Nowadays you absolutely must have all three. There is plenty of good free software out there that will do just fine but most of them will not update automatically. I recommend purchasing and maintaining an internet security system that includes all three of these programs. It is generally well worth the investment.

Now you know the five most common mistakes made by victims of online identity theft. To ensure that you do not become a victim yourself, be very careful about what information you release, only make purchases from secure websites and use long difficult passwords. Also, be very suspicious about strange emails and make sure to keep your computer protection software updated. Follow the above advice and you will significantly lower your chances of becoming part of the twenty percent.

Would you like to make more money online but are not sure what to do or where to start? If so, Justin Young would like to invite you to visit http://10waystomakemoneyfast.net/. Here you can find information about the latest online money-making tips, ideas and techniques.

View the original article here

If you use the internet frequently, chances are you may be presenting yourself as a possible victim of online identity theft. One in every five people will have their identity stolen at some time in their lives. Not all become victims due to activities on the internet but nonetheless, internet identity thieves are becoming more and more elusive in their tactics. Because of this we need to keep our guard up now more than ever before. Here are some tips to help prevent becoming a victim to this deceitful crime.

1. Do not give out your personal information to people you don't know.

This may seem rather obvious to most people but it is surprising how trusting some people are. If something about a situation doesn't seem quite right, then go with your instincts.

2. If you are asked to update information from a financial institution by email, don't do it.

Identity thieves have been known to send spam emails made to look like they came from financial institutions. By clicking the link you are directed to a separate webpage identical to that of your financial institution. By entering your information, you are giving the identity thief full access to your account. Whenever you want to visit the webpage of your financial institution, make sure you type the address into your internet browser rather than using a link.

3. Do not make online purchases unless you are on a secure, trusted site.

Many people who are new to online purchasing fall for this one. Any time you are making a purchase and you are asked for your credit card information, look at the internet browser's address bar. Secure web addresses begin with "https". If it shows "http" do not enter your credit card information.

4. Select "difficult-to-crack" passwords.

Especially do this for highly private accounts like banks and financial institutions. You should consider using passwords with a mixture of capital and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. Passwords should be at least 8-10 characters long but the longer the better. Also, make sure you are not using the same password for every site. A password cheat sheet can be created to help you remember the passwords and usernames for every site. Keep the cheat sheet in a secure but accessible location and do not save an electronic copy on your computer.

5. Make sure your computer protection software is up to date.

This day in age it is extremely important to have a good antivirus, anti-spyware and firewall installed on your computer and always kept up to date. There are many good free ones available but most of the time the free versions do not update automatically. It is usually a worthwhile investment to purchase a good internet security system that constantly updates by itself. This way you can set it and forget it.

Now that you know the top 5 tips for protecting your identity online, it's time to apply them. Remember, try to be aware at all times to whom you are giving information to. Only enter credit card information on secure websites and immediately delete strange emails. Also, do not get lazy with your password selection and computer protection software. They may someday save you a lot of financial and emotional burden and prevent you from becoming the one in five.

Would you like to make more money online but are not sure what to do or where to start? If so, Justin Young would like to invite you to visit http://10waystomakemoneyfast.net/. Here you can find information about the latest online money-making tips, ideas and techniques.

View the original article here