Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes not only in America but around the globe. And because of the fast growing internet, it is much easier to steal an identity and drag your name into the mud.
Identity theft involves stealing your personal information and cleaning up the mess brought by these online identity thieves could take up for years.
Fortunately, preventing these thieves to take your identity is no longer impossible. There are ways on how to avoid these identity burglars.
Here are the tips on how to stay away from those nasty thieves:
1. Don't give your social security number, online passwords or otherwise to anyone else if not necessary. There are no companies that will ask for social security passwords. If you do business through internet, use a Federal Tax ID number as a replacement for social security number. Once the unlawful people get your social security number along with your personal data such as your birth date and address, they have virtually everything they need to start ruining your life.
2. Download an effective anti-virus program. One of the ways used by criminals to get your passwords, credit card numbers and other personal information is through a virus called "Trojan horse". This virus helps these evil doers to keystrokes and transmits your information. An example of this virus is the "Bad Trans" virus.
3. Use a secure server every time you transmit your credit card information over the web. Try to look into the background of the company before giving them your information. You are pretty sure that you are using the appropriate secure server if you see a little lock in the status bar on the bottom of your web browser.
4. Using a checking account to pay your goods and services through online is just another way to steal your identity. Therefore, you have to be extra careful if you choose to pay over the web. Don't give away your checking account numbers if not necessary to avoid bankruptcy.
5. Last but certainly not the least is to never give out any personal information such as your birthday, marital status, educational attainment and others. Giving this additional information favours a lot to those posers. They can appear legitimately when they pose as you. Legal online businesses should only ask for the purchaser's name, email and billing information. If you encounter an online business that asks for personal information, then you have to think twice.
These posers usually victimized people who are ignorant about this scheme. Make it too hard for them to get your personal information to defeat these criminals. If you are already a victim of this scheme, go to police station and ask for legal advice. Don't be ashamed of what happened. Act now before they victim another person.
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