IDENTITY THEFT
Identity theft is a serious crime that affects millions of people every year. It is a crime that involves using another person’s personal information to take malicious actions, such as conducting fraud or stealing funds. Victims of identity theft often do not know their identity has been stolen until they begin receiving calls from creditors or are turned down for a loan because of a bad credit score.
You’re unlikely to find a fail-safe way to prevent identity theft, monitoring services only let you know after something has gone wrong.
But there are few things you can do to make it much harder for identity thieves!!!!!!!!!!!!
Be Alert to Phishing and Spoofing
Scammers can make phone calls appear to come from government entities or businesses, and emails that appear to be legitimate may be attempts to steal your information. Initiate a callback or return email yourself, working from a known entity such as the official website, rather than responding to a call or email. And be wary of attachments many contain malware.
Use strong passwords and add an authentication step
Use a password manager to create and store complex, unique passwords for your accounts. Don’t reuse passwords. Adding an authenticator app can reduce your risk. Don’t rely on security questions to keep your accounts safe; your mother’s maiden name and your pet’s name aren’t hard to find.
Think carefully about what you post on social media so you don’t give away key data or clues about how you answer security questions.
Monitor financial and medical statements:
Read financial statements. Make sure you recognize every transaction. Know due dates and call to investigate if you do not receive an expected bill. Review “explanation of benefits” statements to make sure you recognize the services provided to guard against health care fraud.
Using public Wi-Fi:
Hackers may be able to see what you are doing when you use free public Wi-Fi.
- Don’t use public Wi-Fi for shopping, banking or other sensitive transactions.
- If you choose to use public Wi-Fi, use a virtual private network service to create a secure connection.
SIM card swap:
This is when someone takes over your phone number. You may stop getting calls and texts, or you may get a notice that your phone has been activated.
- Set up a PIN or password on your cellular account.
- Consider using an authentication app for accounts with sensitive financial information.
Phone scams:
You may be told you have won something or even that you are in danger of being arrested. The caller claims to need personal, banking or credit information to verify your identity or to know where to send you money.
- Don’t give personal information out over the phone.
- Be aware of common phone scams.
Malware:
Opening an email attachment or visiting an infected website can install malicious software on your computer, such as a keylogger. That does what it sounds like — logs every keystroke, giving criminals access to passwords, account numbers and more.
- Be cautious about clicking on attachments or links in emails and about the websites you visit.
- Use a password manager, which lets you avoid keying in login credentials.
WARNING SIGNS
Suspicious activity on your financial records: Any purchases or transactions you didn’t make yourself can indicate identity theft. The same goes Always contact your financial providers ASAP if you notice anything that doesn’t belong on your statements.
Your private info is being used against you: Identity thieves may acquire your personal information and threaten to publish it.
Unrecognized login alerts: Lots of websites send alerts when you log into your account with a new device. But if you have not done so, it can mean that someone else has got their hands on your credentials.
Unfamiliar medical records: Medical identity theft can result in the thief’s medical history being added to yours. Be on the lookout for mysterious healthcare procedures or health conditions, and also watch out for insurance statements listing medical treatments you haven’t received.
Debt collectors are harassing you: As identity thieves spend more money under your name, you may begin to hear about it from collection agencies.
Conclusion
No one is immune from identity theft, but some people are at higher risk than others. Identity thieves prey on people less likely or less able to regularly monitor their financial accounts. They’ll also look for people without good internet security habits, like anyone who uses the same password for multiple accounts.
Get trained by THURITY on internet security.