With today’s growing technology, online identity theft has skyrocketed. In previous years, identity theft usually could be prevented by shredding documents with personal information and locking up valuable documents like social security cards and birth certificates.
But thieves are no longer targeting physical documents with information. They are going virtual. Thieves are continually finding ways to steal personal information from people online.
Unfortunately many people do little, if anything, to guard themselves against identity theft online.
How It Can Happen…
Identity theft often occurs online through phishing emails. These emails appear to be from a legitimate company, usually a credit card or bank that you might do business with.
These emails ask for you to click a link and give some sort of personal information. Sometimes a phishing email will ask you to verify a purchase that you have made. Some ask you to update your account information and others ask you to confirm your account to prevent it from being canceled.
It is important to remember that companies that actually do business with you have more information about you than just your email address.
Look for your name at the beginning of the letter. Call the company and ask them about the email to verify that they sent it. Hover your mouse over the link that they want you to click and a box will pop up with the web address that it will actually be sending you to.
As careful as you are to check your inbox for phishing emails, you might not be completely successful. Some online identity theft is very subtle, because the thieves have had years of practice to perfect their technique.
They also read as much information about identity theft protection as you do, so they know what to avoid.
Protective Measures to Consider
Because it is not easy to give yourself 100% protection against identity theft fraud, you might want to look into identity theft insurance.
Having an extra level of protection against identity fraud can make a difference against today’s high tech thieves. There are many great options available to help you protect yourself from fraud and all the complications that come with having your identity stolen.
It is certainly not worth risking, so it would be wise to invest in some internet security software or a identity theft insurance policy. Being proactive about online identity theft is the best way to make sure that your personal information is kept secure.
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