Online ID Theft

Author: Andy Mitchel | Filed under: Types of Identity Theft | Tags: online ID theft | No Comments »

Online ID theft is not the same as types of identity theft that are more common, and is also more difficult to guard against. Non-online ID theft generally consists of something being physically stolen, such as checks, mail, credit cards, or a drivers license to name a few. On the other hand, online ID theft involves getting access to intangible confidential information, such as credit card numbers, bank account information, social security numbers, passwords, and any other personal information a user has online.

Personal computers can hold a great deal of personal information including passwords, temporary internet files, browser history, cache, and so on. Internet thieves can reconfigure confidential information with the use of these files, such as addresses, social security numbers, credit card numbers, and login ID’s.

The internet is believed to be the most common vehicle used to commit identity theft. Each year, the rates of online ID theft continue to rise.

Years ago, it was found that billions of people use the internet all around the world. One organization claimed that the number of online ID theft cases was over 400,000, resulting in over two billion dollars being lost every year. These facts are startling, which is why protecting your identity is so critical to avoid being the next victim.

In today’s age, the internet is used by many to do banking, online investing, communication, processing financial applications, purchasing products, and so on. In each case, some form of personal information is required. Internet thieves have developed abilities that allow them to proceed with online ID theft. They usually find some way to stay ahead of the curve as well.

With all that said, what can you do to avoid being a victim of online ID theft? Well, you could avoid putting any of your personal information at all online. This means not making any purchases, not creating any accounts, and so on. But, this is probably not very realistic.

Only buy from online stores that are encrypted and can be trusted. If possible, use PayPal to complete any transaction as this will protect your credit card or bank information. Use very strong passwords and the latest browser. Only open e-mails and attachments from people you know, and run an anti-virus scan on a regular basis.

Always use common sense and be mindful that thieves are out there looking for any personal information they can get their hands on.