In the advent of the internet world, a lot of scams have been invented. Identity theft is one of those schemes that have popped out lately wherein someone fraudulently uses another’s identity usually for financial benefits. Once these thieves gain access to usernames, passwords, complete name, address and birth date, they will now be able to carry out the scam. With the internet as a global means of communication, it has become an effective instrument for identity thieves especially since identity theft prevention is still not widespread.
Identity theft with the use of the internet may be done through the following:
- Phishing emails – Phishing emails are fraudulent emails sent to online users that ask for account names, passwords or credit card details. These emails masquerade themselves to be from a legitimate establishment in order to fool the user in surrendering personal information that is relevant to carry out the scam.
- Malwares – These are malicious softwares or what can be generally termed as ‘computer viruses’. These softwares are installed in a user’s computer to monitor web surfing habits which is then sent back to the author or the thief. Trojan, spyware, adware, keyloggers, screen scrapers, and bots are just a few malwares that steal data. Often times, a user unarmed with identity theft prevention skills is victimized by downloading malwares which are often disguised as desirable and harmless programs.
- Sniffing – a technique used in computer networks to monitor network traffic and the problems that may occur. This is used by a network manager to ensure efficient flow of traffic. However, it is sometimes used as an illegitimate means to capture data that is being transmitted over a network making it an effective way to gain user information.
- Spoofing – the term meaning a hoax or a fraudulent act of copying or forgery. It can be in the form of IP address spoofing, e-mail spoofing, and website spoofing to name a few.
Everyone can be a victim but simple vigilance and awareness are keys to effective identity theft prevention. Once you are aware of this crime, some steps to consider in protecting yourself from identity theft through the internet are as follows:
- Install and update your anti-virus software. Anti-spyware softwares are also present in the market so be in the know. Regularly update your anti-virus software and keep guarded with firewalls for your internet security.
- Identity theft prevention services and systems are also available in the market for user safety. Although some charge at least $10 dollars a month, some users may opt for $10 dollars rather than a loss of thousands of dollars a month.
- Keep your passwords, PINs and usernames private. These information are vital for identity theft prevention so never miss out the chance to protect your self. Make your passwords and PINs hard to track but easy to remember. If you ever need to write them on paper, keep the paper in a secure place.
- Keep track of your credit reports. This way, you will be able to spot any illegitimate processes that may be happening in your credit accounts.
