| In a world where you can do virtually everything | | | | trust and then steal your money through gaining |
| online, one has to wonder where all the | | | | access to your bank account. |
| information is going, and how it is being protected. | | | | #6 - Don't ever click links in emails from senders |
| High speed Internet access and devices like | | | | you do not know; this is one of the easiest ways |
| Blackberry's give us constant access to the | | | | for hackers to gain access to your information. |
| Internet, and therefore, the ability to exchange | | | | #7 - Make sure websites you visit are secure. |
| information via the World Wide Web. But with this | | | | These are easily distinguishable just by glancing at |
| convenience also comes a price. | | | | the toolbar on your browser. A URL that begins |
| Local and national news stations run stories | | | | with 'Https' indicates a secured and encrypted site. |
| frequently about hackers that have corrupted | | | | #8 - Beware of phishing. Phishing emails are those |
| someone's database leaving millions of facing the | | | | that look like emails from reputable sites like |
| possibility of identity theft. How do you go about | | | | PayPal, eBay and even your bank, but are |
| protecting your identity when you're online? And, | | | | designed specifically to steal your identity. The |
| is it really safe to do business online? | | | | hope is that you will read the email, panic at its |
| #1- Install a firewall on your computer. A firewall | | | | information and click on a link within to verify your |
| is software that installs on your computer to | | | | account details. The website you visit appears as |
| prevent unauthorized access to your computer. | | | | being from the vendor and you are asked to |
| Without a firewall in place, you become exposed | | | | enter your personal information to verify your |
| to hackers while surfing the Internet or simply | | | | account. Once you do this, you will find your |
| having your computer connected to the Internet. | | | | account at a zero balance within days. One way |
| There are many available, both free and paid, | | | | to avoidphishing is to avoid clicking the embedded |
| stand-alone or part of a package. | | | | link in the email and instead type in the |
| #2 - Use anti-virus software to avoid contracting | | | | organizations official URL in your browser and login |
| a virus which can monitor your computer habits. | | | | on the official page. |
| Remember, anti-virus software is usually an annual | | | | #9 - Watch out for misdirected urls. When you |
| subscription, don't let your subscription expire. | | | | type in a misspelled URL, you can be redirected |
| #3 - Don't use the same password for all of your | | | | to a bogus website, although it looks authentic. |
| online accounts. It can seem tempting to keep | | | | Often you are asked tologin with your legitimate |
| them all the same just for the sake of simplicity, | | | | credentials, which are captured by the bogus site. |
| but if you do, and a hacker gains access to your | | | | Then you are often given an error notice that the |
| desktop, you may find that they are able to also | | | | site cannot process your request and to return at |
| gain access to all of your personal accounts. | | | | a later date. This buys time for the criminals to |
| #4 - Use spam filters in your email. Most hosted | | | | take your stolen credentials, visit the legitimate |
| email solutions now have anti-spam solutions. If | | | | site, and drain your bank account. |
| they offer it, use it! | | | | Keeping your identity safe online takes work and |
| #5 - Avoid Email Scams. - Different than spam, | | | | persistence, but it's worth it. The only certainty |
| email scams use social engineered methods to | | | | when dealing with identity theft is that the battle |
| convince you to trust the sender. Often these | | | | will never end. As the hackers become savvier, |
| scams talk about large sums of money that need | | | | the solutions will become more high-tech and you |
| to be deposited in your bank account. If you | | | | will need to stay on top of what's current. |
| respond, you will begin emailing with a live person, | | | | Common sense plays a large role in keeping you |
| maybe for months, that will work to gain your | | | | and your family safe from online identity thieves. |