Identity Theft And The Computer
Password Theft
The home computer is one of the newer places for identity theft to occur. Many people do not understand how it can happen to them but later realize they really messed up using online services that just were not secure.
An intelligent identity thief can easily get all of your personal information and use it to destroy your credit, which could take years to repair even if you prove you are a victim.
One of the easiest ways for someone to get your information, often more information than you can imagine, is when you simply upgrade, donate or throw away your old computer.
People can be so excited about setting up and using their new computer that they simply unplug their old one and set it aside until it is time to dispose of it. This is one of the worst things you can do. That old computer has all of your computer cookies, bookmarks, emails, web-surfing history, and everything else you ever looked at on it.
Someone just has to take it home and plug it in to see what you have been up to, including what you have been doing, buying, and looking at.
The Internet itself is used to gain access to all kinds of personal information. College students are at very high risk because their personal information and grades are often posted on the Internet so they can check it. Nowadays, many people pay their monthly bills online, shop online, order prescriptions online, and the list goes on.
All it takes is someone to figure out your password and they now have everything they need. But, it is not hard to stop this from happening in the first place.
Use difficult passwords. Don’t use anything that is related to you. No numbers, no names, no addresses, nothing like that. Choose a password that is eight to ten characters long with numbers and letters in it. Mix the case (upper and lower case letters) and use symbols it that is permitted. Using a variety of character types makes for a password that is very hard to crack.
Category: Featured, Identity Theft