Kamis, 19 April 2012

How to Protect Yourself From Identity Theft Online

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AppId is over the quota

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 Shredding outdated bank statements, credit card applications and bills before dumping it into trash or recycling will make it very hard for a thief to put the papers back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


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