I’m a little obsessive when it comes to online privacy and ensuring the security of my personal information. Despite my reliance on the connected and mobile world where finances are handled online, I never want to jeopardize sensitive data whether banking, online shopping, or connecting through my social networks. Identity theft is even more common around tax time when thieves are step up their schemes to capitalize on a busy season through methods that can fool the most savvy of consumers.
How does identity theft happen? It can happen in any number of ways including:
- Malware that tricks you into downloading a program that pulls your personal information
- Websites that take your information upon visiting and use it for undisclosed and unlawful purposes
- Email spam that solicits personal information or account numbers
How can you protect yourself from identity theft?
Be aware of phishing schemes abound around tax time. Consumers are bombarded with all kinds of emails offering free tax preparation, faster refunds, requests for donations from bogus charities, threats from the IRS, etc. in addition to the ones that are more easy to spot like the request that a money transfer be made to a foreign bank account. These scams are designed to lure you into providing personal information. Need more information about phishing? Read my All About Phishingpost.
Make sure your computer is free of malware and your antivirus software is up to date. Antivirus software is only as effective as its license is current. Since antivirus software licenses need to be purchased and renewed, make sure yours is up to date. If you’re not sure, AVG offers free trials of their Anti-Virus program to protect your computer against viruses and spyware while you’re browsing online or on social networking sites. While you’re on the AVG site, get a 30 day trial of their Internet Security to keep your personal information safe from hackers and spammers.
Secure your mobile devices. We use our smartphones for just about everything and hackers know that. Secure your smartphone for free with Trend Smart Surfing for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch and HouseCall Mobile for Android.
Create secure passwords. For tips, visit my post Protecting Passwords from Identity Theft.
Today’s highly communicative, mobile world has made connecting with friends and family around the world easier than ever before but it’s also opened a seemingly infinite number of doors for thieves to access your credit and other personal information for their own gain. As a result, it’s even more important to have someone on your side who can keep pace with all the information that’s spinning around “out there” about you, and can help you keep your identity safe.
For more than a decade, Identity Guard® has been helping to protect people from the threat of identity theft with solid technological solutions that quickly alert you to certain kinds of activity involving your personal information. And because identity thieves don’t just take advantage of adults, Identity Guard now offers its latest innovation — kID Sure℠, the most comprehensive child ID theft protection available — to help families stay better protected. This kind of protection has become a necessity in today’s totally connected online environment where spyware, malware, keylogging and other online threats are only a click away. But you can worry less about them when you have IDENTITY GUARD working proactively to help keep you and your kids safe.
So do your identity a favor. Get Identity Guard, and all the details you need to know about identity theft and how to help yourself stay safe from it. You can start by downloading our three FREE e-books.
I am a kIDsure Ambassador and received Identity Guard service to review at no charge. I also receive monetary compensation for my involvement in the program however, all opinions are my own and knowledge comes from past experience working for internet security companies.
Thanks for reading Tech Savvy Mama through your feed!
Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
©2012
[…] Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft(techsavvymama.com) […]