Contents
What Is Identity Theft?
How Your Identity Can Be Stolen
How Identity Thieves Can Use Your Personal Information
How to Stop Identity Theft at Home
How to Stop Identity Theft at Work
How to Stop Identity Theft in Public Places
How to Stop Identity Theft Online
How to Set Strong Passwords
How to Detect Identity Theft
What to Do If You’re the Victim of Identity Theft
How to Repair Your Credit After Identity Theft
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How to Stop Identity Theft Online
Using an unsecured computer when you’re online is like leaving all the doors and windows unlocked when you leave your house in the morning. You can improve your online security by:
- Installing the right software to protect your computer
- Avoiding software that can harm your computer
- Protecting your network
- Using passwords
- Practicing safe email habits
- Shopping online with care
How to Keep Your Software Secure
When it comes to computer security, there are two types of important software:
- Software that keeps your computer safe
- Software that makes your computer vulnerable to hackers who can steal your personal information
Use Software that Protects Your Computer
The software safeguards you must have on your computer to keep it safe are:
- Up-to-date operating system (OS): Check for and install security upgrades for your operating system (such as Microsoft Windows®, Linux®, or Mac OS®) on a regular basis. Often, you can set your system preferences to check for these updates automatically.
- Up-to-date web browser: Use the latest version of your web browser (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer®, Netscape®, or FireFox®) to make sure your computer has the most current security patches and encryption capabilities. Most browsers have a security setting, which you should set to high. The browser will then alert you whenever it detects unauthorized downloads or other potentially malicious activity.
- Antivirus software that updates daily: A computer virus is a malicious program that replicates itself and can infect millions of computers. Some viruses execute programs that steal personal information and email it back to identity thieves. Antivirus software (such as Norton AntiVirus® or McAfee VirusScan®) scans your computer for viruses and deletes or quarantines any suspicious computer code or software that it finds. For the best protection, use antivirus software that provides constant active scanning and has daily updates that defend against current viruses.
- Antispyware software: Just as antivirus software scans and eliminates viruses from your computer, antispyware software defends your computer from spyware and eradicates spyware whenever it’s surreptitiously downloaded and installed.
- Firewall software: A firewall is a virtual security barrier that blocks unauthorized access to your computer and alerts you if malicious software installed on your computer is attempting to send your information to another computer. Your OS probably includes built-in firewall protection. Firewall software can be purchased separately and often comes bundled with antivirus and antispyware software.
Avoid Software that Can Harm Your Computer
Any time you surf the web, open email, download files, or use your computer in a way that connects it to an outside network, you risk unknowingly downloading software that can either harm your computer or steal your personal information.
- Don’t click on pop-ups: Clicking on some pop-up windows may install spyware or other software onto your computer without your knowledge. Avoid clicking on any unsolicited pop-up windows while on the web.
- Download with care: Download files only from people and websites that you know and trust. Read reviews of any software you’re interested in before you download it. Downloading software indiscriminately can lead you to install viruses and spyware unknowingly.
- Practice safe file sharing: File sharing programs allow you to swap files with computer users around the globe. If you use file sharing, make sure your program is configured to allow remote access only to files that you wish to share. Check that your antivirus and anti-spyware software are up-to-date before you download anything from a file-sharing network.
How to Use Email Safely
Identity thieves use email in two ways:
- Scams and phishing: You receive a fraudulent email that attempts to get you to divulge personal information, such as a bank account number or a credit card number and expiration date.
- Viruses and spyware: You receive a fraudulent email with an attachment that hides a virus or spyware. If you click on the attachment, the malicious software downloads and can steal your information.
To combat phishing and email scams: |
To avoid downloading viruses and spyware: |
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If you must send and receive email containing identifying personal or financial data, consider purchasing encryption software to encode your emails. That way, even if your email is intercepted, it can’t be read. If you do use encryption software, your recipients must use a compatible encryption product to decode and read your messages.
How to Shop Safely Online
For many people, the internet has replaced the local mall. Just as you wouldn’t leave your wallet lying around in the middle of the mall, you need to take precautions to guard your identity when shopping online.
- Shop with familiar companies: Doing business with reputable companies you already know and trust minimizes your risk. Offers that appear too good to be true often are just that.
- Research unfamiliar companies before you buy: Before you shop on the website of a company you don’t know, do a little investigating. Look for an accessible customer service department with a working phone number and a real street address (not a P.O. box). You can also contact the Better Business Bureau for more information at www.bbb.org.
- Shop only at secure sites: Before placing an order online, confirm that the site where you’re shopping is secure. If the site’s secure, the address of its order placement page should begin with “https,” not simply “http.” Also look for a small closed padlock icon on your browser, either in the address bar at the top of the window or in the status bar at the bottom. These are both indicators that the site uses encryption software to guarantee a secure transaction. Some clever identity thieves may attempt to fool you with a fake padlock icon. Depending on your browser, you may be able to double-click on the icon to see whether the certificate is from a legitimate authority such as VeriSign®, Thawte®, or Entrust®.
- Use a credit card instead of a debit card: Credit cards usually provide more legal protections than debit cards. A federal law, the Truth in Lending Act, limits your liability for fraudulent credit card charges to $50. Your liability for unauthorized use of an ATM or debit card, on the other hand, is usually determined by how quickly you reported the card missing.
- Don’t store your credit card account number: If an e-commerce site gives you the option of storing your credit card information on the site, don’t take it. Though convenient, this service puts your account information at risk. Even reputable online businesses have experienced security breaches.
How to Protect Your Wireless Network
If your computer is on a wireless (Wi-Fi) network, you must take extra precautions. Wireless networks are less secure than traditional wired networks. If you set up your wireless network without configuring its security features, anyone within range of your network can use your internet connection and perhaps steal personal information stored on, or transmitted from, any of the computers on your network.
To secure your wireless network, you’ll need to change some of the default settings on your wireless router, the device that broadcasts your wireless internet connection:
- Change your router’s default user ID and password
- Enable 128-bit encryption
- Change your default Service Set Identifier (SSID)
- Disable SSID broadcasting
- Turn on MAC address filtering
To change these settings, consult the documentation for your particular router or contact tech support at your internet service provider. Setting up a secure wireless network can be challenging. If you have trouble doing it yourself, you may need to enlist the help of a tech-savvy friend or else hire a professional.
How to Protect Your Computer Hardware
In addition to using software to protect your computer from threats online, it’s crucial to secure your computer hardware against theft or snooping.
- Watch out for your laptop: Laptops are expensive, portable, and popular, making them ideal targets for thieves. Treat your laptop as you would your wallet or purse and don’t leave it unattended.
- Zero your hard drive: If you replace your computer, be certain to wipe the old hard drive clean before you put it out on the curb. Deleting your old files manually is not sufficient, as deleted files are recoverable. Use a utility that promises to “wipe” or “zero” the drive, permanently removing your personal information and all of your other data.
| Acknowledgments & Disclaimer |
