Protecting yourself from identity theft is a war fought on two fronts. Half of it is fought in the real world as you go about your daily routine, and the other half is fought in the virtual world, online. To learn about how to guard yourself against identity theft in your everyday life, visit this blog post. Keep reading for a few ways to guard this white collar crime while online.
- Be Aware Of Phishing
Phishing is the act of posing as a legitimate institution in order to acquire information such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, or other sensitive information from unsuspecting internet users. If an institution, even one that you trust, is requesting any kind of sensitive information from you over the internet (probably in an email), close the email and contact the institution directly. Do not click any links within the email, and do not call any numbers provided within it. For institutions such as banks, use the phone number on your account statement.
- Keep Your Passwords Private
Never share passwords over the internet. If a website that you have an account with is asking for your account password, this is most likely a phishing scheme. Do your best to create strong passwords that others are not likely to guess. Avoid using birthdays, names, phone numbers, or any other personal information within your passwords.
- Be Careful On Social Media Sites
Oversharing on social media is just as dangerous as it is in person, or even more so since the information still exists when you leave. Identity thieves can use your social media profiles to learn personal things about you; they can then take that information and use it to beat your login challenge questions and gain access to your money and other accounts.
The Law Offices of Robert J. DeGroot provide legal defense for white collar crime charges in the Newark area. Contact us today if you’re facing identity theft charges in NJ or NY.
