Skip to main content

How to Protect your Online Identity Effectively

Information Technology Blog - - How to Protect your Online Identity Effectively - Information Technology Blog

Identity theft is a kind of scam, deception, or crime which results in the loss of passwords, usernames, banking information, social security numbers, credit card numbers, health ID’s, etc. which are then used to commit crimes like fraud.

Identity theft online occurs when users fall for confidence or phishing scams, download malicious software, use insecure wireless networks, withdraw money from rigged ATMs, share passwords with strangers, etc.

To ensure this never happens to you, here are a few things you can do to protect your online identity effectively:

Protect your computer with strong security software

If your PC has malicious software, all other safeguards will be of little help since the criminals already have the key to your personal information. Whenever you download files from the web with your internet download manager software, always scan the files first with your antimalware tool to ensure there is no infection. Also, make sure you install all system updates as soon as they are available.

Learn to spot any scams or spam

Some phishing scams are easily identifiable. Some other phishing attempts through email, social networking, IM, etc. look legitimate. The only way of ensuring you never fall for these scams is by not clicking on links that are sent to you. If you get an email from your bank, don’t just assume it’s actually from your bank. Instead of visiting the links in the email, use a search engine to visit the actual site. This will you will know if you have received a legitimate email or spam.

Weak passwords are the dream of any identity thief

They’ve hit the jackpot if you use the same password for all your accounts. This is because once they know your password, they will be able to access every single online account of yours and make your life miserable. You should always use long passwords (at least 10 characters) which are a combination of various alphanumeric characters and are not related to your personal information in any way.

Another thing which you should do is frequently check your credit scores

When you go through your credit report look to see if there are details of any new credit cards, transactions or loans which you aren’t aware of. If you find any, make sure you take immediate steps to get them rectified.

Sometimes, criminals use your stolen ID’s to open up lines of credit. You can prevent this from ever happening by freezing your credit altogether. This means no additional credit will be issued in your name without additional controls and information.

Lastly, always be alert for any of the below signs of identity theft:

  • False information on credit reports including address, employer’s name, or social security number.
  • Missing mail. If your bills haven’t arrived or come late, speak with your creditors. A missing bill may just indicate that someone is using your account and has changed the billing address, so you don’t find out.
  • Getting credit cards which you haven’t applied for.
  • Having credit approvals denied or being charged high rates of interest without a valid reason.
  • Receiving notices or calls regarding due bills for services or products you didn’t purchase.

This should be more than enough to ensure you never have your identity stolen in today’s world.

Originally posted 2017-08-03 19:03:26. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The post How to Protect your Online Identity Effectively appeared first on Information Technology Blog.



Udimi - Buy Solo Ads from Information Technology Blog https://ift.tt/2GlenwO
via IFTTT
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

9 VCs in Madrid and Barcelona discuss the COVID-19 era and look to the future

Spain’s startup ecosystem has two main hubs: Madrid and Barcelona. Most observers place Barcelona first and Madrid second, but the gap appears to close every year. Barcelona has benefitted from attracting expats in search of sun, beach and lifestyle who tend to produce more internationally minded startups. Madrid’s startups have predominantly been Spain or Latin America-focused, but have become increasingly international in nature. Although not part of this survey, we expect Valencia to join next year, as city authorities have been going all-out to attract entrepreneurs and investors. The overall Spanish ecosystem is generally less mature than those in the U.K., France, Sweden and Germany, but it has been improving at a fast clip. More recently, entrepreneurs in Spain have moved away from emulating success in pursuit of innovative technologies. Following the financial crisis, the Spanish government supported the creation of startups with the launch of FOND-ICO GLOBAL, a €1.5 billi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Emulating USB Dongle – Introducing HASP Dongle Emulator Software

Information Technology Blog - - Emulating USB Dongle – Introducing HASP Dongle Emulator Software - Information Technology Blog Over the years the methods used by software developers and producers to limit the amount of users to a specific number in a licensing agreement have become more complex.  The aim of copy protection is to protect the intellectual rights and financial investment of the individual developers and manufacturing companies.   A way of getting around this protection is to reproduce the media through which you can deliver the application to other users,  meaning that the software can be replicated far in excess of that specified in the license. One of the most common methods has been to use hardware keys or dongles which will enable the user to activate an application, unlocking its full functionality without using a device.  In addition, it offers good protection against attempts to pirate the software. In this article, we will look at th...
1 comment
Read more

Advantages and Disadvantages of using Vouchers in eCommerce

Information Technology Blog - - Advantages and Disadvantages of using Vouchers in eCommerce - Information Technology Blog To decide whether vouchers and coupons are the right tool to add to your online marketing strategy, it is essential that you consider the benefit and the cost of using coupons. In this article, we will use Gtech coupon marketing strategy as an example a successful coupon strategy.  Also check out these great books on coupon codes for ecommerce . Advantages of Using Coupons Increase Sales This is the obvious benefit. Coupons serve to increase sales especially for high ticket items such as luxury gadgets. Gtech discount codes is a good example as Gtech quality is reflected on the price of both the Gtech eBike and Gtech AirRam. In order to boost sales, the company releases 10% off offers certain times of the year when online sales would normally be low. Enlarge Email List Acquiring a customer can be expensive in terms of advertising and marketing. If yo...
1 comment
Read more