Identity theft statistics released by the FBI claims that 9.91 million Americans were identity theft victims and have experienced losses totaling $52.6 billion. This can happen while surfing the Internet or while shopping, using the ATM for money withdrawal, trashing documents, and so on. The increase of online shopping, social networks, and web email increases the risk for identity theft. What’s identity theft? It happens when someone else assumes your identity; this can be your SSN, credit card, bank account number, and other information, to perform actions such as stealing money or committing other crimes on the behalf of the victim. How long it takes to notice? In average one year. Victims have been known to lose their jobs, be refused loans, education, or housing. Some were victims for false arrest for crimes they didn’t commit. How this is being done? Some of the methods are Low-tech and some are high-tech.

Low-Tech defenses:

1. Don’t accept phone calls from people you don’t know.
2. Add your phone numbers to the “National Do Not Call Registry” (1-888-382-1222)
3. If someone calls and he or she claims to be a phone technician saying that they need to come and fix something that is not broken…
4. Before trashing – Shred it! Even if it has your name and address or other information don’t be so easy…
5. While surfing the Internet or ATM make sure you are hiding your hands..
6. Keep all credit card, and ATM recites, then use statements from bank, and credit card company and reconcile Merchant’s name, date, and amount
7. Store your Social Security Card safe at home and not in your wallet
8. Don’t keep you pin with your ATM card
9. Don’t give too much information, default is none!

High-Tech defenses:

1. keep your computer up-to-date by installing all security updates
2. keep your Anti-Virus up-to-date
3. Install Spyware program
4. Phishing emails are very dangerous, if you get an email from Chase bank, but you don’t have an account – DON’T CLICK – just delete it completely
5. When you get emails from senders you don’t know – DON’T OPEN!
6. On some email you have the option to be removed from the list, don’t tempt to click this is a trick
7. When using Internet Café, don’t log to ANY bank account or shop online these places are best for hackers
8. Change passwords regularly, and don’t use one password for everything, be creative J
9. Do not email your credit card or bank information
10. Before you checkout, make sure your information will be protected by encrypting the data. This can be done by checking for the “S” in the web address (after http). In addition if you click on the lock icon than a box stating “This connection to the server is encrypted” should be displayed and this will verify that your information is secured.

Note: In this sample we used Internet Explorer version 7 with Microsoft Windows XP

We should note that criminals can get information from both Low-Tech and High-Tech methods whichever is easier to capture.

In this article we tried to focus on some practical advice on how to reduce the risk without disconnecting the computer from the Internet… bear in mind that there is no 100% security, and the last line of defense is … YOU!

Yigal Behar is the owner of 2Secure, an IT security consultant firm; you can contact the author by leaving a reply to this post!

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