Don't Be an Identity Theft Victim: E-mail Safety Tips

Remember the good old days: To send a picture to your family, you had to put it in envelope, mark the envelope "Photos-Do Not Bend" (which, apparently in some languages means "Bend this"), then find their mailing address, hunt for stamps, try to guess how many to use, then wait 3-37 business days for them to receive it. You business owners out there, remember trying to get your client that important proposal, having to get everything typed up and signed before 4 pm to make sure it went out overnight? Then, remembering at 4:15 that you forgot to include that important page.

My how we have grown. E-mail is a truly invaluable tool. What would we do without it! Now, we use it to send pictures to friends and family instantly. We use it to request more information about that vacation we want to take. Office coworkers use it to communicate with one another and businesses use it to communicate with customers and vendors. E-mail is fun and very cost efficient. But, it is not very secure. It is one of the main ways of transmitting viruses and other malicious software from computer to computer. Also, it is possible for your e-mail to be read by someone other than your intended recipient. E-mail is really like sending a postcard through the mail. Anyone can read what you write on a postcard. Knowing that, you would never write "secret" stuff on a postcard and that same rule should apply to your e-mail.

This article is the second in our series "Protect your Data Online and in the Office". Remember, a thief first needs your data in order to steal your identity. That is what we want to prevent. The first article in our series dealt with creating good, strong passwords. Now, we will offer some tips and suggestions that will help keep you safe while using e-mail. But first, where did e-mail come from?

A Very Brief History of E-mail
Very basic e-mail actually first appeared on scene in early 1960s. However, it only worked with a certain type of computer and so was not feasible for the masses. But then, in the early 1990s, the modern version of e-mail began to take shape. America Online and Delphi began to connect their corporate e-mail systems to the Internet and viola, the modern e-mail standard was born. Now anyone could send a certain number of e-mails each month for around $10 (can you imagine having to pay for e-mail?). Today, estimates on the number of e-mails send each day range from a little over 2 billion (yes, that is "billion") to 60 billion. Wow! That is allot of communication. It also provides plenty of opportunity for unscrupulous people to spread viruses and harvest sensitive data. So, lets see how we can limit our risk while using e-mail.

E-mail Attachments
Be skeptical of attachments. Even if you know the person sending you the message, if you are not expecting an attachment, don' t open it. The attachment may contain nasty little programs know as "letterbombs." One of these could easily render your computer useless. The best course of action is to contact the sender and ask them if they sent you a file. They can then verify that it was indeed from them. Then, you can decide to open it or not. If you decide to open it, make sure your anti-virus software is operating and is up-do-date. This may be an inconvenience, but it is much better than possibly installing a trojan horse program or a virus.

Links In Your E-mail Message
Be skeptical of links to web sites that may be included in the e-mail. You must make sure the link will lead you to where you think it will. The link may say it will lead you to the "E-Bay" site, for example. However, in reality, it might lead you to a questionable web site. Rather than clicking on any link within your e-mail message, copy the URL and paste it into your web browser. Here's how:

? While in the e-mail, highlight the entire link in question and press Ctrl-C.

? Open your web browser.

? Highlight the text contained in the address bar at the top and press Ctrl-V.

? Read the text carefully and make sure it looks safe. Sometimes the underlying URL is different from what appears in the e-mail message.

Install an anti-spoofing program like Spoofstick. It is a great little program that will alert you if you are about to go to a questionable site.

Personal Data
Never transmit credit card, bank account, social security number, passwords or any other information you consider private via e-mail. Remember, it is really like sending a postcard.

"But I got this email from my bank. They told me that I had to update my account information or it will be suspended", you may say. Amazingly, thousands fall for this. While the e-mail may look official, right down to the institution's logo, it is most likely a scam. Don't fall for it. Financial institutions will not do this sort of thing via e-mail. Most likely, they will send you a letter in the mail, requesting that you update your information. However, if you think that the request may really be legitimate, call them on the phone at the number that you have on record. Then you will be sure if the request is valid.

Passwords
Change your passwords often. This does not take long and goes a long way to protecting your data. See our article "Tips for Creating Good Passwords" for more information on this important step.

Spam
This is probably the number one complaint that clients have. While it is almost impossible to completely avoid spam, here are some things that can limit your exposure:

? Never reply to spam. Sometimes there is an "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the message. However, if you click it, you are probably just signifying to the spammer that he has found a legitimate address and he will be sure to send you more spam.

? Enable your e-mail software's spam filtering features. This varies from e-mail program to e-mail program. Consult the help section of the software that you use for more information.

? Do not post your e-mail address on any web page. Programs called "harvesters" routinely search the Internet for e-mail addresses to gather and sell to spammers.

? Use a free e-mail account address (such as through Yahoo, MSN, Google) when filling out web forms. These addresses are free and, in most cases, they are very good at spam filtering.

? When filling out a web form, make sure to uncheck any box indicating you would like to receive "additional information" or "production information from related vendors" (unless you want to receive such correspondence).

Using Public Computers
When using a public computer at a library or coffee shop, for example, make sure you sign out when you are done. That way, the next user will not be privy to your account information. Also, make sure you close the browser you were using when you are ready to end your Internet session. Some computers are setup to automatically remove private information when they are closed. If you are not sure, ask the administrator.

In Conclusion
Hopefully, this article provided you with some new ideas regarding e-mail safety. Common sense and a healthy dose of skepticism will go a long way to keeping you and your data safe. Use caution when revealing personal information, such as account numbers or passwords, to anyone you meet in cyberspace because they may not be who they claim to be.

Next in the series will be an article discussing some software that will help to keep you safe. Make sure to bookmark our blog and check back for that article.

Identity theft - A true story! - Don't be a victim.

About 10 or so years ago I received a call from the Inland Revenue office. They said that they would like to visit me to talk to me about my working status and my National Insurance contributions.

Naturally I was quite nervous about their visit as I did not know what it was all about. They said that they were not at liberty to discuss the details with me over the telephone.

When they arrived we sat down and talked. They explained to me that they had received two National Insurance contributions from two different individuals sharing the same name. I was confused and still did not fully appreciate what they meant.

After further explanation I realised that my identity had been stolen. In simple terms there were two of me in the UK system.

As our discussion progressed I was told that I had to provide proof of my identity, imagine that, having to prove that you are who you say you are. It was quite a daunting experience. After I provided all the necessary and required documentation they told me that they were satisfied and that they will now follow up their investigations with the other gentleman involved.

Some months later the Inland Revenue contacted me to confirm that they had got to the bottom of this mystery and confirmed that the case was closed.

This incident happened a number of years ago when the Internet was not as well used for information as it is now used today.

I have since then discovered a website that you can use to check to make sure that your identity has not been cloned or stolen.
 

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Identity Theft Safety First

To avoid becoming the next victim of identity theft you must place safety first. Identity theft is one of the leading crimes today that is claiming the control of millions of people and costing us a fortune to recover from the crime. You heard me right; it is costing us a fortune, since we make of the loss of identity theft by paying higher costs for foods, gas, products, and so forth. When a person loses their identity, they become a long-living victim, since the victim pays for the crime that the thief acted upon.

It is unfortunate that we are in a world were the victim often pays more than the criminal for a crime, thus putting safety first is the only way we can protect our self from the criminals and the enforcers that force the victims to pay.

Crime in itself is constant, thus identity crime, is when a person takes hold of another person's information and utilizes it to make purchases, open accounts, escape crimes, commit additional crimes, and so forth. When a person gains hold of your identity it is an ongoing process to gain control of your life. Unfortunately, few states offer identity theft victims the ability to FREEZE the credit reports, and when I say unfortunately...I mean that not all states have this law available. Freezing the credit reports is the best way to protect your identity further, since if you are allowed to Freeze the accounts, only you will have access to those reports. Some states place a Fraud Alert on the credit reports, which provides no protection to you, and it makes you look bad.

If you are victim of identity theft, learn the steps to take to prevent ongoing activity. The first step is to contact the authorities and provide them all information available to you about the crime. Next, you will need to go online and report the crime to the government. The Federal Trade Commission has a site online that enables you to file a complaint, which the information is handed over to the FBI and government officials, who have put up an identity theft team force to find the perpetrators. The act of filing the complaint is essential, since the FBI and government can reach further to find the perpetrator over the local authorities. A victim of identity theft should also request copies of their credit reports and alert the companies that they were robbed of their identity. The person should also close any accounts in their names and immediately contact their credit card providers, letting them know they are a victim of identity theft.

To protect your self from identity theft it is important to learn the steps to protect yourself. Companies' offline and online have a legal obligation to you, to keep information giving to them private from other companies' and individuals, however, there are companies' offline and online they disregard the law and will sell, lease or give your information to other companies or individuals. It makes sense to conduct a background check on any service provider or company to make sure that the source is reputable. If you are making purchases offline at department stores make sure, the company has a good reputation.

Recently, a store opened in our area that offered equipment and services to the community, however, the person was not a reputable source, and thus anyone giving their information to this person was at risk. As you can see, anyone can be the perpetrator of identity theft. Although, no one was affected by this person symptoms were available that did hold potential risks.

Nowadays, we cannot trust anyone with our personal information. Putting safety first can prevent thieves from taking control of our lives. Thus, do not give your social security number or other information over the phone lines, unless you know for sure who these people are. Even then, you should use caution, since cellular phones and cordless phone lines can produce leakages, especially if the neighboring area has Scanners or other devices that make it possible to listen in to conversations conducting over the phone.

Tony Robinson is an International Author, Webmaster and Security Guru. Check out his Identity Theft Protection Tips at http://www.officialidentitytheft.com/

Identity Theft Crimes

The cost of identity theft crimes is ranging in the billions, since everyday someone is robbed of their identity. The FBI, Police Departments around the world, Government and other teams are joining to fight the ongoing crime of identity theft, however, the stronger the fight the more these groups of authorities fall behind.

Down through the centuries criminals have always managed to stay one-step ahead of the authorities. Today, these criminals are taking advantage of technology development and moving even two-steps ahead. Identity theft is one of the leading crimes around the globe and the more authorities battle the crime, the more identity thefts move in to take away someone else's life.

When a person is robbed of their identity is a long, hard fight to restore the life, yet in some cases, the person never receives their identity back. When a person does receive their identity back, it leaves a void in their life. During the battle to recover your identity, you will feel angry, frustrated, hopeless, stressed, and so forth and you will feel like you are left alone in life. You are not alone since thousands of others are also victims of identity theft, thus the only partners you have are those battling with you. The authorities work to fight identity theft, however little movement is made to progress toward apprehension, since most criminals are far too intelligent to get ahead of. Criminals outside of the Internet are likely to be caught sooner than those that steals identities over the World Wide Net. Thus, the World Wide Net is less guarded by authorities than many believe; therefore, the criminals are less apt to be apprehended.

If you are not an identity theft victim yet, make sure you do everything you can to guard your self from becoming the next victim. As a victim myself, I have fought more than seven years with little result and the perpetrator in one instance was never caught.

If you become a victim of identity, theft, be prepared to battle throughout the rest of your lifetime. Be sure to contact the three B's right away and let them know that you believe that your identity was stolen. The Credit Bureaus will put up a Fraud Alert once they are notified, thus you will need to step up when this alert is activated and ask them to FREEZE your accounts. Freezing the accounts will provide you hope whereas fraud alerts will only add to the distress you are already feeling from the crime. Fraud alerts only alert the creditors that someone has possibly tampered with your account, while a Freeze on your account will enforce the creditors to look more into your situation if you apply for credit in the future.

Once you have alerted the credit bureaus that you are possibly a victim of identity theft, make sure you close any accounts that the theft may possibly have access to...bank accounts, credit card accounts, department cards; et cetera should all be closed immediately. If you notice any bills on your credit cards, checking accounts of other accounts notify the provider and dispute the charges immediately. Delaying to take action will only worsen the situation.

It is important to keep guard over your checking accounts, saving accounts, credit cards and other accounts at all times to make sure no activity is in movement that you have not issued. Keep all PIN numbers, ID numbers, Social Security Card and other information in a secure area and do not allow anyone access to those numbers unless you have no doubt in your mind you can trust the source.

After my identity was stolen, I lost self-respect, confidence and felt that my privacy was non-existing. In fact, it affected me so dramatically that my body alone felt completely violated. Identity theft crimes are one of the worst crimes that could be committed against another individual. In fact, as a victim of rape and a victim of identity theft, I preferred to have been raped again rather than lost my identity. I compared the two, since it will give you an insight of what to prepare for if someone steals you identity.

Tony Robinson is an International Author, Webmaster and Security Guru. Check out his Identity Theft Protection Tips at http://www.officialidentitytheft.com/

How to Prevent Online Identity Theft

 

Identity theft rates one of the fastest growing crimes in mAmerica today and the Internet can make it even easier for some criminals to take your good name and drag it through the mud.

Identity theft involves criminals stealing your personal information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers and other information, usually to buy things on credit or to empty out your bank accounts.

Through your financial liability with your credit cards may be limited to $50 to $500, it can take years for you to clean up the mess online identity thieves leave behind.

As with any crime, an ounce of prevention may just cause the would-be identity thieves to leave you alone and move on to an easier target.

The following tips can help you avoid having your identity stolen.

1. Never give out your social security number, online or otherwise. No company you buy things from needs your social security number.

If you do business on the web, obtain a a Federal Tax ID number to use instead of your social security number.

Once criminals have your social security number, along with your birth date and address, they have virtually everything they need to start wreaking havoc in your life.

2. Use a good anti-virus program. One of the ways criminals get your credit card numbers, passwords and other sensitive information is through "Trojan horse" viruses that log your keystrokes and transmit information to the evil doers.

The "Bad Trans" virus that has caused so much havoc is just such a virus.

3. Always use a "secure" server when transmitting credit card information over the web and know something about the company before handing over your information.

You can feel pretty confident that you are using a secure server if a little lock displays in the status bar on the bottom of your web browser.

4. A popular new way to pay for goods and services online is to "use your checking account just like a credit card".

Be extremely cautious about paying this way through the web. By giving a company your checking account numbers you give away much of the information necessary to empty your bank account!

5. Never give out information such as your birthday, marital status, education level or other personal information.

This additional information makes it extremely easy for criminals to make themselves appear legitimate when they pose as you. Websites should ultimately only require you to provide your name, email and billing information for a purchase.

You should avoid any site requiring more information than that.

These criminals prey on people's ignorance and you can usually defeat them simply by making it too hard for them to get your information.

If you do find yourself a victim, immediately contact police and get legal help. Do not wait because you feel embarrassed or "stupid" over what happened.

Waiting only lets the trail grow cold and limits how much law enforcement can do to help you.

(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
http://www.thenetreporter.com

Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist and the co-author of an amazing new ebook that will teach you how to use fr^e articles to quickly drive thousands of targeted visitors to your website or affiliate links...

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