| Internet mail is one of the main sources that | | | | that has your bank name listed in the header, |
| perpetrators of Identity Theft are using to | | | | is only asking for trouble. |
| gain access to your personal information. | | | | |
| The perpetrator may send threatening emails, | | | | Identity Thieves are thinking of everything |
| or emails that seem appealing. Spam or | | | | when it comes to stealing identities, |
| Phishing emails are linked to Identity Theft | | | | including sending emails in respected names. |
| and arrive in millions of mailboxes | | | | FDIC was targeted by thieves; the sender sent |
| worldwide. | | | | emails to recipients of the bank requesting |
| | | | that they provide personal information to |
| In most cases, no one is being singled out to | | | | avoid closure of their accounts. Microsoft |
| become the next victim. It is just not worth | | | | was also targeted by thieves when emails were |
| the effort involved. Identity Thieves are | | | | sent to various inboxes requesting the |
| not interested from whom they are stealing | | | | receiver to download patches to protect their |
| the identity from. Instead they focus on | | | | computers. Once the receiver downloaded the |
| targeting as many people as possible as it is | | | | attachment, a dangerous virus took control of |
| a numbers game. The more people they target | | | | their computer, leaving a backdoor entry that |
| the higher are the chances that someone will | | | | would give the hacker access to the |
| be fooled. | | | | information stored on the computer. |
| | | | |
| Now these thieves are acting on greed and | | | | EBay is also a target for thieves. Some |
| intend to get rich by stealing the identities | | | | thieves purchase items on EBay claiming that |
| of people. The senders of such emails are | | | | they have sent the seller a check that |
| challenging the receiver by using deception, | | | | amounts to more than the purchase price and |
| hoping the receiver will give out personal | | | | that the seller should send the remaining |
| information, such as bank numbers, PIN and | | | | amount back to the purchaser by electronic |
| passwords, Social Security Numbers and other | | | | form, or else say through Western Union. The |
| precious information that the thief can use | | | | checks were found to be counterfeit and so |
| to gain control over your identity. | | | | the seller was being tricked into handing |
| | | | over money. |
| Although Identity Theft has become of big | | | | |
| public interest in the last few years, the | | | | Here are some helpful tips to help you avoid |
| tactics that are used are nothing new. Some | | | | Identity Theft: |
| of the well known hackers that have broken | | | | |
| into military computers and stolen | | | | 1) Do not open emails if you do not trust the |
| information from financial institutions have | | | | sender. |
| been using social engineering for decades. | | | | |
| They did not spend months trying to break a | | | | 2) Never give out your personal information |
| complex password. They simply picked up a | | | | over the internet, unless you know that the |
| phone, rang someone and persuaded them to | | | | company can be trusted and is using |
| divulge sensitive information to them, such | | | | encryption to secure the web page(s). |
| as a password! | | | | |
| | | | 3) Do a background check on any site you are |
| So if you want to avoid Identity Theft, then | | | | thinking of giving your information to or you |
| the emails that you may want to bear in mind | | | | are considering buying from. |
| are SPAM that claim that you have won x | | | | |
| amount of cash, and to act now to receive | | | | 4) Never give your personal information over |
| your prize. Well if you have not joined a | | | | the phone line. |
| contest then chances are you have not | | | | |
| actually won a prize. A good example is an | | | | 5) Do not post personal information on |
| email that claims you have won $32,000 and | | | | forums, bulletin boards or discussion boards |
| requests that you pay the tax on the winning, | | | | online. |
| and to please respond now in order to receive | | | | |
| this prize. Or you may receive an email | | | | 6) Conceal your personal information at all |
| claiming that you could receive scholarships | | | | times, including at home. |
| or grants to attend such and such a college | | | | |
| and to earn your degree act now by providing | | | | 7) When using ATM or other machines to make |
| your personal information. These are all | | | | deposits, withdrawals or purchases make sure |
| bogus so delete them! | | | | no one sees you type in your PIN number. |
| | | | |
| Companies that already have your personal | | | | 8) Change your PIN numbers and passwords |
| information, such as your bank have no reason | | | | regularly. |
| to ask for this again in an email. In fact | | | | |
| banks clearly state in their Terms & | | | | 9) Do not just throw personal information, |
| Conditions that they will Never send | | | | such as bank statements or letters containing |
| electronic mail requesting information from | | | | your postal address, account numbers or any |
| the recipient at any time. So giving your | | | | sensitive information in the trash. Put it |
| information to someone that sent an email | | | | through a shredder first. |