While the Internet has provided many great things, including a number of businesses and business opportunities which could not have existed without it, there are also some online dangers every Internet user must be aware of. One of the most serious of these online dangers is the growing problem of identity theft.
Instances of identity theft have been on the rise, and these scams are likely to be with us for quite some time. That said, it is important for everyone who uses the Internet to take steps to prevent identity theft.
Identity theft can take many different forms, but no matter what the specifics are, one thing is always common: personal and private information is stolen and then used illegally to open lines of credit, etc.
The real problems associated with identity theft can kick in for victims once calls from collection agencies start occuring. And it can be difficult for creditors to determine which activities were fraudulent and which were legitimate, meaning it can be difficult and expensive to clean up the mess.
What to watch out for
Scam artists use a number of different tactics to gain access to sensitive personal information. No matter what the tactics used by the scam artists, it is important not to fall prey to their schemes.
In some cases, scam artists will call a would-be victim, claiming to be from a bank or other financial institution. They may claim that they need to verify certain financial information, including Social Security numbers, account numbers, online passwords and the like. This information is then used to open new bank accounts, get approved for credit cards, etc.
In other cases the scam artists may contact the victims by email, again often with a warning that certain information must be verified in order for the account to remain active. When the victim clicks a link embedded in the email, he or she is directed to a bogus website, which is used to capture the private information requested.
Giving out personal and private information is a bad idea, and it is important to always verify the identity of the individual on the other end of the phone or email before divulging any information.
Identity theft can be quite dangerous, and it can take quite some time, and quite a lot of money, to recover from this serious crime. The best tactic is to avoid being victimized in the first place. Avoiding identity theft altogether is the surest way to protect yourself, your credit rating and your money.
Simple rules to follow
Follow this set of simple rules to help avoid becoming a victim of identity theft:
- Opt out of receiving pre-screen offers of credit in the mail.
- Shred any documents that contain personal information before recycling or throwing in the trash.
- Never give out extremely sensitive personal information like an account number or a social security number in an unsolicited phone call or in a reply to an unsolicited email.
- Never follow links embedded in unsolicited emails, such as those requesting "account updates" or other similar suspicious requests.
- Be sure to have up-to-date antivirus and firewall protection for your computer to protect your sensitive personal information and to safeguard important passwords.