Stop Being a Victim of Online Identity Theft!

The Internet is a very useful tool for people. It helps us communicate with our loved ones who are at the other side of the nation or overseas. It helps us find a lot of information regarding something.

It allows us to listen to radio stations from all over the world, or even watch movies. It also helps us purchase things without ever having to leave our homes.

The Internet is also a very useful tool for identity thieves. Many have fallen prey to numerous baits left by identity thieves and lost their identities.

As we know, knowledge is the best weapon against this. Know how to stop being a victim of online identity theft, and follow some simple tips that we will give you:

1) Use secure servers

When surfing the Internet, make sure you are on a secure or encrypted server. That way, when a hacker or ID thief tries to find you and your computer’s location, they cannot locate you as your ISP and URL are encrypted, or coded as unreadable characters, by your server. Secure servers will filter fraud websites and spam mails before you can access them.

2) Don’t reply to spoofed e–mails

Spoofed mails are e–mails sent to you by certain e–mail accounts, asking for your details, or telling you to reply to their e–mail to do something like verify the details of your credit card account, online account, etc.

These e–mail accounts pose as banks, credit card companies, retailing websites like eBay, PayPal etc., and send you emails telling you to give them your information to get or verify something.

NEVER REPLY TO SPOOF E–MAILS! Banks, credit card companies, and other companies never ask their client to send their details over the Internet just for verification or claiming a prize or confirming your entry into a raffle draw you have never joined.

3) Don’t open files sent by unknown sources

If someone you have never known sends you a file over the Internet, usually through an instant messenger, or as an attachment in an e–mail, DO NOT OPEN IT!

The file may contain viruses and spying software that will steal your personal information that is in your computer. Besides, opening the file may cause serious damage to your computer!

4) Properly log into your sensitive accounts

Always log on to your sensitive accounts by opening a new browser and typing the actual URL directly into the address bar. This will help you verify if the URL of the sender of an email is really the website it claims to be.

5) Use disposable e-mail accounts

Whenever you want to join a newsgroup, subscribe to mailing lists, or make online purchases, always use a disposable, free email account.

That way, you can always delete that account if you suspect ID theft. Always keep your business account for business and personal communications.

6) Disguise your online ID

Never use domain names and identities that will give out who you are. For example, if you are Brian Gadzuric, do not use brgadzuric@mail.com or briangadz as your email address and username respectively, especially when dealing with people you do not know.

7) Use leveled and strong passwords

Always have different passwords for your accounts. A password should be different for your personal account, business account, and disposable account.

Never use sequential passwords like password1, password2, password3 etc. that will easily allow others to access your accounts.

Make sure your passwords will be very difficult to guess. Use a combo of letters, numbers, and characters that only you can remember. Never write down a copy of your password. If you must, make sure you keep it in a safe place.

8) Regularly change passwords

Always change your passwords after a short period, let us say, one month. Regularly changing passwords makes if very difficult to access your accounts. It also helps stimulate your memory and creative side.

9) Use credit cards for online purchases

Credit cards are more secure than debit cards due to the security system being used by credit card companies. Besides, disputing fraudulent chargers is easier than recovering funds already spent. Also, use ONLY ONE CREDIT CARD for online purchases.

10) Always check a company’s privacy policy

Whenever you are going to transact business with a company, make sure to check its privacy policy.

Also, make sure to click the logos of the consumer groups posted on their website to make sure that the safety authentication is authentic. Make sure you also know the real online consumer welfare groups before transacting with companies.

11) Always use a secure site when submitting data

Make sure the URL of the site has https:// at the beginning, or has a padlock icon at the address bar before submitting sensitive data.

12) Security Software for your PC

Always make sure that you get the latest security patches for your operating system and internet browser.

Also, update your virus databases, and install advertisement and pop–up blockers that will disallow pop–ups from certain websites from appearing on your screen.

How to Avoid Becoming a Victim of Identity Theft?

Identity theft simply putting it is a case of someone else assuming another person’s identity with the intention of committing fraud which usually results to trails of ruined credit, debts and collectors. And in most cases identity theft can lead to wrongful arrest.

The worst thing about identity theft is that most victim will only know that their identity have been robbed after everything that they have worked hard for is taken from them and the sad part is that most of the offenders usually gets away with it.

The case of identity theft is increasing in an alarming rate every year and to the great number of people who have become a victim of this crime the experience is comparable to a terrifying nightmare that has made them to live a life of fear and uncertainty. In what manner can your identity be robbed? There are actually so many ways on how an identity thief can acquire information about you like from your driver’s license, bank accounts, credit card accounts and others.

After the thief gathered all your information he or she will then direct all the bills and statements of his or her transactions to a temporary address. This is now where he or she waste all of your credit line for all its worth in cash advances, loans and credit card debt without the least intention of paying. After you are financially drained that is the only time that the thief will stop using your identity.

However, there are also some cases wherein an identity thief assumes somebody else’s identity not with the purpose of financially robbing the person but just to destroy the reputation of the person. This is usually where wrongful arrest occurs.

High Technology Provides a Great Venue for Identity Thieves

With today’s advanced technology it is no longer surprising that even identity thieves have also utilized the up-to-date resources especially in terms of the internet. Most of the identity thieves make use of the information provided by customers during online transactions. So if you are one of those avid consumers of online products and services you are a potential victim of identity theft.

The Federal Trade Commission suggests ways on how you can avoid becoming a victim of identity theft and here are some of them:

· Never give more than the information that is required of you especially in shopping online or in joining online services. Likewise, refrain from answering unsolicited emails since most thieves’ poses as representatives of legitimate businesses and often times would require for you to supply some additional personal information about yourself.

In cases such as this it would be wise if you would contact the company and ask them about the email and why they are asking for some very personal information. If the company denied the email then you better report the person that has sent you the email to FTC (Federal Trade Commission) or you can send a fraud alert to consumer reporting companies so that they can keep track of the thief.




· For your additional protection try also to place passwords on your bank accounts, credit card accounts as well as your other lines of credit. Make use of other numbers other than your social security number to guard against identity theft.

· Always keep your social security card in a safe place. If you want you can place it on a safety box or if you have a home safe you can also place your social security card there together with some of your other important documents. And for those who are fond of putting their social security number on their wallet just be careful not to lose your wallet or else you might just wake one day with somebody else walking around town posing as you.

· As much as possible keep refrain from giving out your social security number unless of course you are to obtain a credit report, loan or some other legitimate transactions. If ever you are to conduct other transactions that are entirely different from the above stated and is required to give your social security number be sure to ask why your social security number is needed and always try to find out the legitimacy of your transaction before giving away such important information.

· If you are an avid web user make sure to refrain from giving any personal information to web sites that are not employing Secure Sockets Layer especially in transferring information. Look for web sites that make use of https and encrypt all information between your computer and the site. Likewise, always read the privacy policy of the web site in order to gain insight on how they process and secure information their gathered information.