Tips For Keeping Your Identity Safe

With the increases in identity theft, you have to be more careful than ever when doing your day-to-day financial transactions that you once took for granted as being safe. The simple tasks of withdrawing money from your bank account, doing the weekly grocery shopping or taking out an insurance policy has made many people victims of identity theft.

In the past all financial transactions were conducted in person at the bank, whereas now only one in five conduct their business in this manner. Over 50% of the consumers in the UK do most of the shopping from online Internet sites. Many of them have no idea of the risk they are putting themselves in and are unaware of the possibility of identity fraud through online transactions.

A consortium of telecom and finance companies, such as BT, Yahoo and Lloyds TSB, recently released a report in which they found that 8% of Internet users have become victims of fraud at one time or another. The report states that double that percentage of consumers know of a family member or friend who has been targeted through their computer by identity thieves posing as legitimate lenders and merchants.

Phishing scams have increased dramatically in the past year. These are scams contained in emails purporting to come from your banking institution. When people type in their personal banking information, then they are giving the thieves access to their accounts and personal information.

Spyware is another example of how identity thieves gain access to your information through your personal computer. This is similar to a computer virus in that it infects the computer without the user’s knowledge and can record the information you type when you log in to your bank account or shop online. The criminals then have all the details they need in order to steal your identity.

The group managing director of BT, Gavin Patterson, says, “Identity theft has become a real threat to all internet users. It is increasingly important that customers use the right tools to ensure they are protected.”

If you shop online or engage in any activities requiring your credit or debit card information, as well as your password, you do have to take steps to protect your computer from this illegal activity. The first step is to install Internet security software on the computer. The most important facet of this software is the firewall it sets up, which prevents thieves from gaining access to personal files or details that you have on the system that you use for online financial transactions.

Microsoft software is one of the operating systems that comes with its own firewall installation. You can, however, purchase additional protection, such as Norton Personal Firewall, which has a one-time cost of about £30. This is a small price to pay to protect your identity.

You should have anti-virus software installed on your personal computer. This software will prevent viruses from infecting your computer and gaining access to your personal files. Its specific purpose is to prevent thieves from gaining access to your passwords and sensitive data that you need to keep private. Most of this type of software is available as a free download from such sites as BT, Yahoo, and Microsoft.

If you are looking for advice on how you, as a consumer, can better protect yourself and your computer, getsafeonline.org offers a wealth of practical advice and tips for staying safe online. BT also offers a range of protection plans you can purchase, such as Internet Protection Service, at an annual cost of £45.

You should never answer emails from your bank. These are phishing scams and your bank will always contact you in writing or by telephone. You should also be very wary of unsolicited phone calls asking for your credit card or banking information. These are ways in which many people have become victims of identity theft.

Tags: operating systems, Ethics, unsolicited phone calls, lloyds, identity theft