May 26, 2016

Identity theft has always been a major concern for the internet users. Cybercriminals constantly attempt to breach the personal information, such as user names, passwords, social security numbers, bank account details etc. to carry out various online scams. They may also make unauthorized purchases on the victim’s credit card and breach into email account to send out spam mails or initiate phishing attacks.

The following security measures can be implemented to protect yourself against identity theft:

  • Be Aware Of What You Share: You must be cautious about the information you share through your social media profile. Make sure you do not post your address, contact details, social security number, date of birth etc. as these can be easily used by the hackers to steal your personal information. Configure the privacy settings at the highest level to safeguard your account.
  • Create Strong Passwords: Maintaining password security across all your online accounts is critical to protect them from being hacked. Create strong and hard-to-crack passwords comprising a combination of uppercase/lowercase alphabets, numbers as well as symbols. Use a different password for each account and update it frequently.
  • Protect Your Mobile Device: There are many apps that allow you to conduct banking transactions, shop, pay taxes or track your finances online. Make sure you download the app or software only from a credible source. Check its ratings and reviews before downloading as well as confirm what information it may access on your mobile. Also, block the installation of apps from unknown sources on the device.
  • Watch Out For Phishing Scams: You should never trust emails that claim to be from an authentic source and ask you to click on a link or provide your personal information, such as address, account number, credit card details etc. Do not reply to such emails or download any attachment contained in it. Instead, you can directly contact the concerned company to know about the legitimacy of the email.
  • Use Security Software: Key loggers, backdoors as well as other malicious programs can allow the hackers to gain access to your computer and steal information. These programs may infect your computer through email attachments, drive-by downloads or clicking on a malicious advertizement. After this, the hacker may attempt to steal information by session hijacking, accessing files and documents or recording keystrokes to breach the password.

For more information and prevention tips for identity theft, contact Centex Technologies at (855) 375 – 9654.