| One of the biggest security issues these days | | | | any and all personal and financial |
| is that of identity theft, people can get | | | | information that you had stored on the |
| your vital information like your social | | | | laptop. |
| security number, birth date, credit card | | | | |
| number and other critical material from your | | | | Next, if you have confidential information |
| home via your computer at home, your trash or | | | | that is printed you will want to keep it in a |
| even your mailbox. There are some steps that | | | | locked and secure location. If you are |
| you can take to safeguard against this type | | | | throwing information like this away, such as |
| of theft and save yourself some costly | | | | banking statements, credit card statements, |
| headaches. | | | | etc you want to be sure to run it through a |
| | | | paper shredder before discarding it to |
| The first step in your line of defense | | | | eliminate the possibility that a thief could |
| against identity theft is to be sure that | | | | gain access to it. This is one of the easiest |
| your computer has the proper security | | | | low tech ways that identity thieves get |
| software to protect it from someone accessing | | | | information, it is simple and it doesn't cost |
| it remotely and stealing your information. | | | | them a nickel to do it. |
| There are programs written that if given | | | | |
| access can spider the data on your computer | | | | In regards to log in and password information |
| and pull out information such as passwords | | | | you never want them anywhere that people may |
| and financial information. If you have a | | | | be able to find them. The best practice is to |
| wireless network in your home, the same | | | | commit them to memory and not have the stored |
| applies you want to make sure that the proper | | | | anywhere. If a thief gets hold of your log in |
| security protocols are in place so that your | | | | information for your bank or online trading |
| network cannot be easily hacked into and be | | | | account they could ruin your financially in a |
| sure that you have a firewall installed. | | | | matter of minutes. You should also change |
| | | | your passwords for these accounts frequently. |
| If you own a laptop that you keep valuable | | | | |
| information on, never leave it unattended. | | | | Another problem area, especially if you live |
| Even though you think it may be safe to leave | | | | in an urban area is that of mailbox theft. |
| it inside your car for example that is just | | | | Identity thieves simply pull up to your |
| leaving yourself open to a theft of a higher | | | | mailbox and take your mail, gaining access to |
| magnitude. If someone steals your car, now do | | | | bank and credit card information as well as |
| they not only have your means of | | | | other personal documents. It may be wise to |
| transportation but if you have enough | | | | consider a locking mail box that only has a |
| personal information on your laptop they may | | | | slot for the postman to put mail in and then |
| be able to assume your identity and sell the | | | | take your outgoing mail directly to the Post |
| vehicle through a legal transaction acting as | | | | Office. |
| you. In addition they now will have access to | | | | |