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How to Prevent Identity Theft


                                                                               



How to Prevent Identity Theft

The best way to prevent Identity Theft is always to be vigilant. Never assume or take things for granted. Here are examples of some of the steps you can take to protect yourself against Identity Theft:

•Buy a shredder – they are readily available from any office supplies company. They are also relatively cheap compared to the cost of having your identity stolen.

•Do NOT throw bank statements, cheque books, utility bills or old credit cards in the waste or rubbish bins. Always shred them or cut them up by using a pair of scissors.

•When paying for goods at a shop or withdrawing money from a cash point machine always protect your passwords, codes, PIN numbers from prying eyes.

•Protect your personal information within your own home.You may be careful about locking your doors and windows, and keeping your personal papers in a secure place but an identity thief may not need to set foot in your house to steal your personal information. You may store your financial records, tax returns, birth date, and bank account numbers on your computer. These tips can help you keep your computer - and the personal information it stores - safe.

•Virus protection software should be updated regularly, and patches for your operating system and other software programs should be installed to protect against intrusions and infections that can lead to the compromise of your computer files or passwords. Ideally, virus protection software should be set to automatically update each week. The Windows XP operating system also can be set to automatically check for patches and download them to your computer.

•Do not open files sent to you by strangers, or click on hyperlinks or download programs from people you don't know. Opening a file could expose your system to a computer virus or a program known as "spyware," which could capture your passwords or any other information as you type it into your keyboard.

•Use a firewall program, especially if you use a high-speed Internet connection that leaves your computer connected to the Internet 24 hours a day. The firewall program will allow you to stop uninvited access to your computer. Without it, hackers can take over your computer, access the personal information stored on it, or use it to commit other crimes.

•Use a secure browser - software that encrypts or scrambles information you send over the Internet -to guard your online transactions. When submitting information, look for the "lock" icon on the browser's status bar to be sure your information is secure during transmission.

•Try not to store financial information on your laptop unless absolutely necessary. If you do, use a strong password a combination of letters (upper and lower case), numbers and symbols. Don't use an automatic log-in feature that saves your user name and password, and always log off when you're finished. That way, if your laptop is stolen, it's harder for a thief to access your personal information.

•Before you dispose of a computer, delete all the personal information it stored. Deleting files using the keyboard or mouse commands or reformatting your hard drive may not be enough because the files may stay on the computer's hard drive, where they may be retrieved easily. Use a "wipe" utility program to overwrite the entire hard drive.

You may freely reprint this article provided the author's biography remains intact:

About the Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.



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The Identity Theft Epidemic What The Experts Aren t Telling You
Identity Theft Protection Prevention Prevent ID Internet Fraud
How to identify Spoof Phishing emails Protect yourself from identity theft
10 Tips To Reduce Your Exposure And Prevent Identity Theft
Identity Theft Dont Be A Victim
STOP Thief 10 Practical tips to avoid credit card identity theft
Identity theft Fastest growing Crime
10 Steps to take if you are a Victim of Identity Theft
Don t Fall For The Latest Internet Identity Theft Scam
New Bankruptcy Law Will Not Protect You from Identity Theft
Own your own online business You might be a Target for Identity Theft
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Identity Theft The New Technology Crime
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Useful Suggestions for Protecting Yourself From Identity Theft
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Identity Theft s Young Victims How to Protect Your Children s Identities
Cyber Fraud Identity Theft Prevention
How To Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft
A Personal Experience with Identity Theft
How Identity Theft Occurs
Identity Theft Scams Exposed
Sole Proprietors Prevent Identity Theft
Identity Theft Shield
Identity Theft Scams
Identity Theft What Is The Contribution of The Internet
Identity Theft Is Investigated By The Department Of Justice
How You Can Avoid Becoming A Victim Of Identity Theft
Identity Theft The road back
Credit cards and identity theft
Identity Theft
Preventing Online Identity Theft
Identity Theft Guard Your Children s Social Security Numbers
Identity Theft How To Tell If You re A Victim
How To Avoid Becoming A Victim of Identity Theft
9 Sensible Steps To Prevent Identity Theft BEFORE It Happens
WILL THE REAL YOU PLEASE STAND UP How To Prevent Identity Theft
Identity Theft Don t Blame The Web


 
 
 
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