How can you protect yourself from being victimized?
I will identify some of the most common ways in which thieves get access to your information and you are likely to realize that you have often participated in behaviors that increase your vulnerability to identity theft.
1. Phishing - a popular and effective method for stealing identities. Phishing occurs by anyone that contacts you through email to “verify” specific information related to your credit card, Paypal or bank account. Credit card companies and banks will NEVER contact you over the phone or via email in order to get information about your account. They know that this is very risky. PayPal, a company of eBay, is the only one credit card company that does send personal information via email. Still, millions of spam emails flood your in-box daily seeking this most vital information, and too often this information is handed over freely by people who believe this spam is a legitimate request.
Often, a person phishing for your information will use the tactic of telling you that you are the lucky winner of a prize. More than likely they will be super excited for you and they are very pushy about offering you the phony prize. Once you reach that level, they ask you for a bank account number to wire your winnings into. It's easy to give your prize to a thief by providing them with the proper information. This still works, and people have not gotten tired of it yet.
2. Online hackers - if you are a regular on the Internet, you have likely learned more than a couple ways to protect yourself from hacks. This trend is still growing in popularity today. Even though there have been advancements to computer protection, many consumers just do not apply them. You need to install firewall and virus software on all of your computers. A hacker is someone that can get into very secure sites so accessing your personal computer that is running a basic Windows program would be a piece of cake. If you keep important documents including your credit card or bank account information, they cannot be guaranteed as safe.
3. Credit card offers - The more credit card offers you receive, the more chance you have of being a victim. The only thing credit card companies are in business for is profit. Although they may offer protection so that they can collect a monthly fee they are not likely to give you total fraud protection. Once a credit card company receives an application containing your personal information, they will check your credit, process the application and send you the approved card shortly thereafter. It is quite simple for anyone with your personal information to request a card in your name.
You can search the web for phrases such as "opt out of credit card offers" to find reliable sources that will help you opt out of credit card offers. It can be done permanently or even part time. The "lock" icon helps you secure your information online, it indicates that the information you are supplying them with will be encrypted and protected.
4. Old browsers - On the off chance you are still a "victim" of Windows 98, or the antiquated Windows 95, then chances are good your version of Internet Explorer is outdated, too. If you are using an old browser, you’re not only in danger but also inviting it. Because older browsers have serious vulnerabilities that were corrected in later versions, it is crucial for you upgrade your browser right away, if you have not already done so. As security features are constantly being updated you should update your browser frequently no matter which version you use.
5. Your wallet and your purse - How much personal information do you carry in your wallet or handbag? Is your purse or your wallet a filing cabinet that has everything about you? What will happen if your wallet containing all the information is lost? It could take a couple of hours to contact every credit card company to tell them your cards are lost. How can you be sure you have protected yourself enough? Some people even hold their children information in their wallets. Children are not immune to their credit being destroyed.
6. Shred any sensitive documents - Shredders are inexpensive and you should purchase one immediately. Never throw out anything that has your bank or credit card account numbers on it. Documents like this are a golden ticket to your account, and you will make a criminal's day by making it so easy on them. Shredding everything should be made a habit.
7. Spam and pirated software – Your web mail account filters the spam emails involuntarily. You must never open such emails as they are sent by the sources that you are not aware of. However, remember to never download, or accept pirated software under any circumstances. Avoid pirated software, no matter how much you want the program. Hackers have been known to encrypt their downloads with special coding to capture your personal information under the pretense of giving you a free application. They are named keyboard-logging programs that run in the background, and you are never aware of them. This allows the criminal to see what you have been typing and will give them access to log in a password information that will give them access to your respective accounts.
After taking all these precautions, there is no guarantee that your information will be safe. These are only a handful of the common ways thieves steal identities. In today’s high-tech fast pace world the innovation that thieves and scammers are using is astounding as they work to come up with new methods which inevitably are successful for shorter periods of time than their last method they used to get your information. Practicing the safety measures discussed in these above-mentioned tips is vital.
Over the next few weeks, watch your email for additional tips to help you protect your identity.
At anytime, if you would like to discuss Identity Theft with me, please call my office at the number below.
Pam Hoffine
I will identify some of the most common ways in which thieves get access to your information and you are likely to realize that you have often participated in behaviors that increase your vulnerability to identity theft.
1. Phishing - a popular and effective method for stealing identities. Phishing occurs by anyone that contacts you through email to “verify” specific information related to your credit card, Paypal or bank account. Credit card companies and banks will NEVER contact you over the phone or via email in order to get information about your account. They know that this is very risky. PayPal, a company of eBay, is the only one credit card company that does send personal information via email. Still, millions of spam emails flood your in-box daily seeking this most vital information, and too often this information is handed over freely by people who believe this spam is a legitimate request.
Often, a person phishing for your information will use the tactic of telling you that you are the lucky winner of a prize. More than likely they will be super excited for you and they are very pushy about offering you the phony prize. Once you reach that level, they ask you for a bank account number to wire your winnings into. It's easy to give your prize to a thief by providing them with the proper information. This still works, and people have not gotten tired of it yet.
2. Online hackers - if you are a regular on the Internet, you have likely learned more than a couple ways to protect yourself from hacks. This trend is still growing in popularity today. Even though there have been advancements to computer protection, many consumers just do not apply them. You need to install firewall and virus software on all of your computers. A hacker is someone that can get into very secure sites so accessing your personal computer that is running a basic Windows program would be a piece of cake. If you keep important documents including your credit card or bank account information, they cannot be guaranteed as safe.
3. Credit card offers - The more credit card offers you receive, the more chance you have of being a victim. The only thing credit card companies are in business for is profit. Although they may offer protection so that they can collect a monthly fee they are not likely to give you total fraud protection. Once a credit card company receives an application containing your personal information, they will check your credit, process the application and send you the approved card shortly thereafter. It is quite simple for anyone with your personal information to request a card in your name.
You can search the web for phrases such as "opt out of credit card offers" to find reliable sources that will help you opt out of credit card offers. It can be done permanently or even part time. The "lock" icon helps you secure your information online, it indicates that the information you are supplying them with will be encrypted and protected.
4. Old browsers - On the off chance you are still a "victim" of Windows 98, or the antiquated Windows 95, then chances are good your version of Internet Explorer is outdated, too. If you are using an old browser, you’re not only in danger but also inviting it. Because older browsers have serious vulnerabilities that were corrected in later versions, it is crucial for you upgrade your browser right away, if you have not already done so. As security features are constantly being updated you should update your browser frequently no matter which version you use.
5. Your wallet and your purse - How much personal information do you carry in your wallet or handbag? Is your purse or your wallet a filing cabinet that has everything about you? What will happen if your wallet containing all the information is lost? It could take a couple of hours to contact every credit card company to tell them your cards are lost. How can you be sure you have protected yourself enough? Some people even hold their children information in their wallets. Children are not immune to their credit being destroyed.
6. Shred any sensitive documents - Shredders are inexpensive and you should purchase one immediately. Never throw out anything that has your bank or credit card account numbers on it. Documents like this are a golden ticket to your account, and you will make a criminal's day by making it so easy on them. Shredding everything should be made a habit.
7. Spam and pirated software – Your web mail account filters the spam emails involuntarily. You must never open such emails as they are sent by the sources that you are not aware of. However, remember to never download, or accept pirated software under any circumstances. Avoid pirated software, no matter how much you want the program. Hackers have been known to encrypt their downloads with special coding to capture your personal information under the pretense of giving you a free application. They are named keyboard-logging programs that run in the background, and you are never aware of them. This allows the criminal to see what you have been typing and will give them access to log in a password information that will give them access to your respective accounts.
After taking all these precautions, there is no guarantee that your information will be safe. These are only a handful of the common ways thieves steal identities. In today’s high-tech fast pace world the innovation that thieves and scammers are using is astounding as they work to come up with new methods which inevitably are successful for shorter periods of time than their last method they used to get your information. Practicing the safety measures discussed in these above-mentioned tips is vital.
Over the next few weeks, watch your email for additional tips to help you protect your identity.
At anytime, if you would like to discuss Identity Theft with me, please call my office at the number below.
Pam Hoffine
phoffine@homezoneloan.com
Home Zone Mortgage & Loan
1555 Oak St.
Home Zone Mortgage & Loan
1555 Oak St.
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Phone: 541.343.1301
Cell: 541.912.0302
Cell: 541.912.0302
