Ways to Avoid Identity Theft on the Internet

The Federal Bureau of Investigation says that identity theft is the United State’s fastest growing crime. As if this is not enough to scare anyone who has a bank account and credit card, then the level of sophistication that are increasingly being used by identity thieves is enough to concern even the most laidback person.

Cyber criminals steal and then fraudulently use the name, telephone number, social security number, credit card number, and other types of personal information of an estimated 10 million Americans on a yearly basis. Knowing the tricks thieves use to steal your identity will help you protect yourself against identity theft. Below are some steps you should take:

• If you’re hosting a website, never reveal your full contact details. Be careful about posting your picture as well. The less biographical information is available, the better.

• Do not reveal sensitive data unless you are sure about the legitimacy of the website. The most sensitive information includes bank details, credit card number, and social security number.

• When submitting sensitive personal information, ensure that the transaction is over a secure server. Usually, this means that the “http” at the start of the URL turns to “https”.

• Use a password for any account you manage including credit cards, banking, and utilities. Be careful about choosing your password. And remember never to use easily available data such as your mother’s maiden name, any derivation of your name, birthdays, or the name of your spouse.

• If you intend to transact a large amount with a certain website, read their privacy policy thoroughly. It is important to understand how they secure your personal information is with them.

• Stop using automatic login when you visit your favorite websites. This is especially important if the website with the automatic login feature contains sensitive data about you and your finances. Remember to always log off when using a public computer as well.

• Update your virus protection software. A significant number of computer crimes occur because computing systems are not adequately protected. Some malware programs transmit your information to a remote server making it easy for cyber criminals to attack you.