Online ID theft is the fastest growing ID crime.
The FTC reports that 3.2 Million U.S. citizens are victims of identity theft each year. This costs consumers and businesses about $52 billion annually. Victims spend an average of 30 hours restoring their credit. 37% of Americans believe that online is the most dangerous. (Roberts 318)
Criminals are using our digital identity; IP addresses, user names, date of birth, Pin # and social security numbers. They can phish and spoof online to lure a victim; you can get a SPAM email or pop up sent from a trusted company. With Phishing lures they can have you validate an account or update your personal information.
According to the FBI.gov, Tips to avoid internet fraud:
- There should be no reason to give out your social security number of driver’s license
- Don’t give out your credit card number online unless the site is secure and reputable. Sometime a tiny icon of a padlock appears to symbolize a higher level of security to transmit data but this is not a guarantee it is a secure site.
- Before using the site check out the security/encryption software it uses
- Obtain a physical address
- Check with the BBB
- Don’t judge a company by their website. Flashy websites can be set up quickly
- Purchase items online with a credit card, because you can often dispute the charges if something goes wrong.
- Keep a list of all your credit cards and account information along with the card issuers contact information
Those are some great ideas to protect yourself from internet fraud. As much as I dislike doing business on the internet it is just too convenient to not use it for commerce.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jeffrey. These are some really good tips to protect yourself from internet fraud. They are a pain to deal with!
ReplyDeleteIt isn't exactly the same, but I had my gmail hacked, and every contact I have received an email in broken english about how I was in Europe without any money because I had just been robbed. Most knew it was a scam, but I still got a lot of calls. I know firsthand how easily your information can be accessed online now, and am taking more precations now with my online information.
ReplyDeleteVery intersting. I once had my check card number hacked and they went to a walmart in FL or 2 separate occasions and charged $500 each time. The 2nd time my bank put a hold on my account and contacted me. I was pretty impressed with how fast they caught it, but still the inconvenience of not being able to use my check card.
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