How To Protect Yourself From Internet Identity Theft
If you have spent any time at all on the Internet, then the chances are real good that you have been on the receiving end of repeated attempts to make you a victim of identity theft. Without question, the most common type of Internet identity theft comes in the form of an email. These emails masquerade as legitimate web sites asking you to "update" your personal information.
This is called "phishing". Phishing is when a criminal creates an exact, or near exact duplicate of a popular web site, like PayPal and eBay, and sends them out in emails. In essence, what the creators of these bogus web sites are attempting to do is lure unsuspecting people into sharing their personal information. And I'm sorry to say that they are good, I mean really good.
Even for the trained eye it is difficult to tell them from the real thing, but we will take care of that in a moment.
These bogus emails are usually accompanied with text urging the recipient to take immediate action, or risk having their account closed down. That's what we're looking for right there. No legitimate business operates that way. That is phishing.
Never, ever give out your personal information to an unsolicited source, whether they are calling you on the phone, or sending you emails. As a rule, do not respond to any email unless you specifically requested that that company contact you by way of email. If you are not sure, contact the company independently from the contact information listed in the email that you received in order to verify its legitimacy.
5 Ways To Battle Internet Theft
1. Never respond to an unsolicited request for personal information. Immediately delete that email. It's bogus... it's phishing.
2. If you think an email may be legitimate, but are not sure, contact that company using a contact email address or phone number that is independent to any contact information supplied in the email.
3. Never, ever give out your password. If you are ever asked to supply your password information then you will know, with 100% certainty, that it is phishing and a criminal is on the sending end of that email.
4. Make it a habit to review your bank statements and credit card accounts on a regular basis to look for suspicious activity. Many times identity theft goes undiscovered for an extended period of time. That's when the real damage is done.
5. Be on the lookout for messages saying that you must act right away, or risk having your account closed. They are always attempts at identity theft.
These are just a few simple, yet valuable rules to live by when using the Internet. By following the above steps, you will be in a much safer environment, and able to enjoy your Internet experience. Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States... 5 years running. It victimizes over 10 million unsuspecting Americans per year, and I am sorry to report that that number is rising. Don't become a statistic - surf smart.
