How to Fight Identity Theft
One of the unintended realities of the computer age has been identity theft. Hackers with malicious intent can break into retailers mainframe computers or into the systems of banks and steal credit card information that can lead to everything from your social security number being stolen to your bank account being emptied out. Every day, thousands of people fall victim to identity theft. Let’s take a look at ways you can help keep yourself safe from online and real world predators who are after your hard earned dollars.
The first and maybe the most common sense step is to watch your wallet. Many times, people carry their social security card with them in their wallet and then one false move and your wallet, along with your identity, is in the hands of a crook. You also need to protect your social security number when it comes to who uses it and how. Many universities use their students social security numbers as their student number, and many banks or other institutions will incorporate their clients socials into their account numbers. If you deal with a school or a company that does this, demand that they issue you a new number. You don’t want your social security number to be easily accessible by anyone, ever.
The next step is to be aware of a new trend called “phishingâ€. We’re not talking about the famous jam band, phishing is a practice of someone impersonating someone in a position of authority to try to get you to disclose personal information. The most common phishing schemes are done over the Internet and involve emails that ask for your urgent attention and then lay out a story of some kind that asks you to call a particular number or fill out a form over the Internet where you give out your social security number, email passwords and bank account information. Every year, millions are fooled by these schemes. Don’t ever give out personal information on the Internet unless you yourself are visiting the website of your bank or another trusted company. Do not respond to “urgent†emails, if you have a question, simply call the company and ask if there is a problem.
Another important and easy step you can take involves making sure that every shred of paper that leaves your home that contains important information on it is, in fact, shredded. This includes everything from credit card bills to cell phone bills to letters from the government that might have your social security number printed on it somewhere. Some thieves actually root through people’s garbage looking for exactly this type of document. Make sure that all they find are shredded bits of paper.
If you are a frequent computer user or if your computer has an Internet connection, make sure you install and update spyware and virus protection that keeps your computer safe from hackers and worms. Much of the identity theft that happens in the world is done through sinister programs like viruses and spyware that monitor your keystrokes and track the web pages you visit, so if you were to visit your bank’s website and log in to see your balance, it is possible that a hacker could learn your login name and password. By using top of the line virus protection programs and spyware/adware programs, you can stop this behavior cold.
Keeping yourself safe from identity theft might be one of the most important battles you fight. The list of people whose lives have been ruined by having their identity stolen is long and sad, so take these common sense steps in protecting yourself. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.