How to avoid ID
Theft!
Written by: Denise Chase, staff writer
You reach for your wallet and it's just not there. The fear begins to set in
as you realize it is gone, along with all your credit cards, checkbook and
other personal items and information. Sound scary, or familiar?
How about this scenario: You are online paying bills and your screen blinks
and goes black. You reboot and try again, only to find you can't get back in.
It isn't until weeks later that you realize you have had all your personal
information "hacked" while you were online.
This is the big fear we all have about paying our bills, or even shopping
online. But there are several things you can do to protect yourself.
#1. NEVER give your password to
anyone! There is never a time when any person or websites will ask for your
password with a valid reason. The absolute only time you ever need to use your
password is to sign on or log into these sites. There is always the
possibility that you might get "hacked" anyways, but the majority of these
hackers depend on the gullibility of internet users to simply give them their
passwords. So, when someone asks for your password, tell them emphatically
"NO"!
#2. Limit your credit card use to
one card only while online. In the unfortunate case of someone getting your
card number, you will be able to identify and stop the use much more quickly
if they only have one card number. This also makes it more difficult to hide,
so the thief will be easier to locate!
#3. Unsecured pages, let's talk
about this. Many companies will use these pages in the simpler tasks for your
business simply because they are more cost efficient for the site. I have
never seen an unsecured page that asked for my credit card number or my
password. And, if they ask, NEVER give it if it is an unsecured page. This is
an easy catch for even the inexperienced hacker. (Easy way to identify
whether the page is secure: ?http? is unsecured, ?https? is secure.)
#4. Finally, the best way to stay
safe online is to know the company or the area you are using. I pay my bills
online because I know the companies are all very high profile, with a greater
need to protect their users. They have a reputation and take care to preserve
it. The smaller or younger companies will sometimes cut corners to make that
extra $ to stay afloat. Don't let them compromise your identity and your good
credit. If it is unsecured, DON'T GIVE THEM THE INFO!
It really is a common sense issue.
You wouldn't give your credit information to some guy you never met on the
corner, so don't give it to someone online you don't know, or have never heard
of. You can check out websites at the Betterbusinessbureau.com. Use your
search engine to check all your options before you make a purchase, and just
be safe out there! It's a web all right, but if you are careful you won't get
caught!
EJ's Note: For further information, the
Better Business Bureau has detailed suggestions for avoiding ID Fraud check it
out at
http://www.newyork.bbb.org/identitytheft/index.html
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