May 5, 2009

Identity Pro

Being a victim of identity theft is quite possibly one of the worst things that can happen to you. There are many things you can do to prevent identity theft like keeping your information close to you at all times and never giving your credit information over the telephone, but when it comes to the virtual world, how can you tell what’s safe and what is not? That is where Identity Pro comes in. I highly recommend you try out Identity Pro to help you protect your online identity.

Identity Pro is designed to search through your entire computer and locate anything that could jeopardize your personal identity. This includes passwords, names, addresses, tax information and even social security numbers that you have entered and saved on your computer.  This program is 100% safe and secure and does NOT keep or save any of the information found on your computer.

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Once the scanning of Identity Pro is complete you will see all of the information found that someone hacking in to your computer could access. This information is usually a user name and password along with what website it logs in to. In some cases, like if you have done your taxes on the Internet or made a purchase through a non-secure server, you will have much more information exposed to others with access of your computer, including a hacker. All of this information is dangerous if put in the wrong hands because they may be able to use that login information to get in and review your profile on that website and use that information against you to perhaps purchase things or other risky acts.

Download ID Pro & Protect Your Identity

Identity Pro not only finds the vulnerable information, it also fixes it for you! For instance, if the information is stored online or in your temporary files, Identity Pro does all the work for you going behind the scenes and deleting that information. After just using Identity Pro one time you are making your online experience so much safer! Imagine how great Identity Pro will work for you, protecting your identity and making it virtually impossible for any online hacker to obtain your personal information.

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Download ID Pro & Protect Your Identity

Don’t wait until someone has stolen your information; use Identity Pro today to protect yourself and your wallet. Identity Pro is a safe bet to a safe computer! Download ID Pro


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Don't Be a Victim of Identity Theft

The Internet is extremely useful to many people. It allows us to communicate with friends and family who we do not regularly get to visit with. It helps us research information on a specific topic. We can use it to listen to radio stations, music and movies from all across the globe. We can even use the Internet to buy things without ever leaving our homes.

Unfortunately, the Internet can also be a dangerous place. Identity thieves can use the Internet to access your personal information. As you may have assumed, knowledge is the best weapon against identity theft.

You can keep your information private and safe with ID Pro. Download ID Pro now

Follow these steps to learn how you can stop being a possible victim of online identity theft:

1.)    Visit secure servers

Make sure the website you are using is secure or encrypted. This prevents an identity theft from locating where you are online because they cannot locate your ISP through a secure site and the URL is not available to them through an encrypted server. Secure servers and search engines sort out fraudulent websites and spam e-mails before they are available for you to access.

2.)    Don’t answer spoofing requests

Spoofing requests are most often sent through e-mails and are then considered “spoofed e-mail”. Do not reply to any spoofed e-mail. A spoofed e-mail asks for details about you or requires you to verify banking or personal information.

These e-mails come from certain e-mail accounts and can pose as a banking company, retail websites or payment websites such as PayPal. The e-mail address may have the name of a familiar company in it and the e-mail may look legitimate but banking companies, retail companies and other similar sites never ask you for that personal information to use for verification or to collect a prize.  Do not be fooled. Do not reply to spoofed e-mails.

3.)    Never open files from unknown sources

If you receive something over the Internet from someone you do not know, do NOT open it for any reason. Viruses or spying software is sent by identity thieves over instant messaging programs or through an attachment to your e-mail. This file may not only steal your personal information stored on your computer but can also cause severe damage to your computer.

4.)    Properly log into susceptible accounts

To verify if the URL of an e-mail sender is actually the website it claims to be, go directly to your Address Bar and type in the URL. Do not click on any of their links.

5.)    Use a disposable e-mail account

Any time you want to subscribe to a mailing list, make online purchases or join a newsgroup you should use a free, disposable e-mail account. Doing this allows you to delete the account in the future if you suspect identity theft. Use a separate account for your business and personal information so if you have to delete one account you don’t lose everything.

6.)    Go undercover with your online ID

Use a disguised online ID that won’t give out any of your personal information. For example, don’t use your name in your e-mail address or user name.  

7.)    Use strong, high-level passwords

Use different passwords for each account. For your e-mail accounts you should have a different password for your business, personal and disposable. Don’t just add a sequential number to the end of your password to change it up. You can insure your passwords will be difficult to guess by using a combination of numbers and letters that only you can remember. If you must keep the information stored, due so with a secure program. Never make a text document to save your user names and passwords.

8.)    Update and change your passwords

Regularly, about once a month, change your password to your accounts. This makes it more difficult for identity thieves to guess and it also helps motivate your creativity and memory!

9.)    Check privacy policy of online company

Anytime you are going to conduct a business deal online, make sure you know about their privacy policy.

10.)  Make online purchases with credit cards

Debit cards are not as secure for online purchases as a credit card. Credit cards have a security system used by the company of the card. Additionally, if credit theft does happen to you, disputing a fraudulent charge on a credit is easier than attempting to recover charges from a debit banking account. Furthermore, limit down to one card to use for online purposes, not several.

11.) Submit data through secure sites

This goes back to the first suggestion. Only purchase or provide information to a site that has https:// at the beginning of the URL. You can also tell a secure site by the padlock icon in the address bar.

12.) Security Software

Keep your computer up-to-date on the latest security patches and updates for your operating system and Internet browser. Get a good pop-up blocker to prevent harmful advertisements and other pop-ups from invading your computer. Lastly, keep your virus software updated so it can keep out the latest viruses, spyware and more.

Download a copy of ID Pro and prevent your identity from being stolen by securing your information that is on your PC. 

Download ID Pro now

 

Protect Your Identity Online

 

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April 14, 2009

Identity Theft Prevention Steps

Are you frequently hearing about reports on identity theft crimes? Do you even really know what identity theft is?

Identity theft is the robbery of your personal information such as your social security number, bank account information, driver’s license number and even your mother’s maiden name. Obviously, you would NOT like your identity to be stolen from you.

Preventing this information from being taken may sound difficult because there are instances when providing this information is necessary, but it’s really not as hard as you might think. You don’t want to be the person who goes to make a purchase only to find out that your credit limit has been reached on your account because someone stole the information and maxed it out in your name.

There are several noteworthy actions you can take to prevent identity theft from happening to you. If you don’t prevent it, you could be looking at year’s worth of damages if your identity is stolen.

The following are things you can do to prevent identity theft from happening to you at home.

1.)    If you have roommates, outside assistance at your home (ex. maid service), or work at home partially or full time, you should keep your personal data secure and in a proper place in your personal space that they do not access.

2.)    Put outgoing mail in a post office collection box or take it directly to a post office to be mailed out. Anyone has access to your personal mailbox. Also, collect your incoming mail from your mailbox in a timely matter. If you will not be home for more than a day call your post office to have them hold your mail until you return.

3.)    Destroy all billing receipts, credit requests information, doctor’s prescriptions, insurance applications, and other items that have your personal information on them.

4.)    Do not keep your social security card visible. Keep it in a secure, perhaps locked, place. Most often you can use other forms of identification like your driver’s license or insurance cards.

To prevent identity theft at work or in an office you can find out information about your data safety guidelines. This can also been done at your physician’s office or similar establishments that inquire about your personal information. Find out who will have access to your personal information, why they need it and when they’ll use it.

The following can protect you against identity theft online.

1.)    Read the confidentiality and safety statements thoroughly before making an online purchase.  If possible, know those who will have access to your personal information. Make sure the company will handle your online purchase information properly and do NOT provide any personal information to a company which you have heard substantial negative feedback about.

2.)    Use PayPal to make online purchases. PayPal is secure and you can move funds from your bank account to your PayPal account to buy things over the Internet rather than provide your bank account details online.

3.)    Do NOT provide your personal information over the telephone, Internet, e-mail unless you know exactly who the company/person is and that your information will be kept securely.

4.)    Before providing any personal information, insure that you are dealing with a legal company/party. Check for the company or person’s website for more information. Stay alert when responding to promotions because other’s can steal information by generating promotional offers over the telephone and having you provide your purchase and personal information.

There are companies out there that provide insurance against identity theft cases. Be sure to carefully read the options and limits they provide for your safety. Please remember that many creditors only work with you to determine the problem if your card is stolen, their insurance is there to remove fraudulent charges but does not lessen the problem of your identity being stolen.

Make sure you understand what is offered through other services before agreeing to them. If you are looking to purchase identity theft insurance you can examine the company through the Better Business Bureau or other legal agencies to see if they are reliable and check feedback on them.

Just remember to always stay alert and be clever when it comes to your information. Anytime someone asks for your personal or banking information, whether it is a family member or business, request why they need it and when they’ll be using it. Also keep in mind to ask where it will be stored, how long they will have it and who else they will be providing it to (and the reason for providing it to others). If, for any reason, you doubt why they need your information, do NOT provide it.

Protect Your Private Information
That's On Your Computer

Download ID Pro Now

 

We highly recommend you download ID Pro today from the link above.  It will check your PC and let you know if any of your personal information is at risk of being stolen.

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April 2, 2009

Prevent Identity Theft

Imagine you are walking down the street and you see this scenario: A pretty, young woman is leaving a coffee shop to head home. There are several others on the street as well. A man comes out of nowhere and snatches her purse and runs away.

The woman begins shouting and pleas for help. All are concerned by the man is too fast and disappears off. That woman’s identity has just been stolen. All of her credit card information, her address and name from her driver’s license and more.

Everyone would like to keep their property, personal information and, of course, money from getting in the wrong hands. It is a violation against the law to steal someone’s property, much more so with personal identity theft.

Although it is still a crime, it may be more acceptable for a thief to steal your property rather than your personal information. It is awful when your privacy is taken away because someone stole your personal information.

Identity theft takes away all of your privacy, exposing all of your details to the thief. The thief can therefore make a business deal with others using all of your information. This means that you will not only lose your wallet, money, maybe your phone and other material items from within the purse, but you will also be at risk to lose everything from all the money in your account to your privacy.

There is no need to worry yourself sick over the thought of this happening because there are many things you can do to prevent identity theft from happening to you! Following the tips below can keep you from being a victim of identity theft.

1.)    Always have your belongings in their secure, proper places. This is the most essential thing for you to do to keep your things safe. Never allow someone to access your wallet where you keep your ID cards, banking cards, etc.  Avoid trusting those you care for, studies show that nearly 26% of identity theft cases happen from someone who knew the victim.

2.)    Burn or shred all receipts, bank statements and other papers that contain your personal information. This helps protect your financial status and privacy.

3.)    Never provide personal information over the phone. If at all possible, provide such information or payment in person. If you must provide personal or payment information over the phone first make sure you know whom you are talking to and exactly what the charge will be for.

4.)    Another way to protect yourself against identity theft is to only bring the ID and payment you will need for a specific transaction. Leave all other information at your home.

5.)    When you are at your bank making a transaction such as depositing a check you may be required to fill out a form. When writing your bank account number, only provide the last 4 digits. The teller knows what to do and how to locate your bank account for you.

6.)    Check online and search to make sure you know the latest information about online identity theft. This may be a big concern if you often purchase things through the Internet. “Web spoofing” is when someone steals identity through a website. Where your e-mail account is located online can be imitated to steal such information from you.

7.)    When it comes to your debit and/or credit cards, take precaution. Always keep your banking cards in a secure place on you at all times when out shopping. When you pay for an item, hand your card directly to the cashier and make sure you get it back immediately after she/he has ran it for payment.

8.)    Make sure you also secure your ATM cards. When you use your ATM card to withdraw cash from your account make sure you hold it securely and do not become a victim of “skimming”. This is when an ATM machine gathers the information about your transaction and does not keep it protected.

Unfortunately, there are thousands of people daily who become a victim of identity theft. This often happens to those who are unaware about this offense. Keep yourself well informed and protected against this crime.

Protect Yourself From ID Theft – Test If Your PC Is Secure

 

More identity theft protection content coming soon, leave us a comment below and let us know if you liked this article.

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March 1, 2008

10 ways to protect yourself from identity theft

Millions of americans fall victims to identity theft annually. This is the fastest growing crime in the US these days and you need to educate yourself on how you can protect yourself from id theft and prevent all the problems that arise from it. 

You can lock your identity with a service like lifelock to guarantee that you will not ever be a victim of id theft.

1. Don't give out personal information easily such as your birth date, or place of birth, mother's maiden name etc. These little details aren't thought about by most folks as being sensitive information but they are indeed.

2. Don't leave your mail unattended overnight or weekends. Your mail can be used to extract sensitive data that can be used to open credit accounts in your name without you being aware. This is especially dangerous if a thief has open access to your mail where they can have bills delivered to your address and intercept them before you receive them. Get a lock on your mailbox.

3. Make sure your computer is spyware and virus free before initiating any transactions online with it. Spybot and Adaware are both free and work very well to remove common spyware and you can get free antivirus software from AVG.

4. Shred your trash that has your name and any other information on it. Bank statements, tax forms, canceled checks, bills and more can be used against you. Shred it all when you are done with them.

5. Opt out of pre approved credit offers by calling 1-888-5OPT-OUT. This will drastically reduce the amount of junk mail you receive as well as a bonus.

6. Check your credit report at least annually. You can obtain a copy of your credit report from each bureau below:

Equifax — 1-800-525-6285
Experian — 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion — 1-800-680-7289

7. Make sure your checks don't have sensitive information on them like your social security number or birth date. Some people actually have this information on their checks.

8. Make sure your resume does not have this information on it either. If you send your resume to 50 prospective employers with all of this information on it there is no telling how many people would have easy access to your personal private information.

9. Use strong passwords when setting up any accounts online. Don't pick words or numbers that are easily guessed and don't use the same password for every online account that you have.

10. Never give any of your information to anyone who contacts you by phone. If they called you then you need to verify that they are indeed who they say they are. Be smart with your information and protect yourself from identity theft.

Lifelock protects your identity 24 hours a day

 

 

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