Jason Oh offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print. Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum. ----------- PUBLICATION GUIDELINES - You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety. - Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity. - Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only. - If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links. - Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to [email protected] - Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article. ----------- Article Title: How to Protect Yourself from Online Identity Theft Author: Jason Oh Category: Internet Word Count: 407 Keywords: online identity theft, online fraud Author's Email Address: [email protected] Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com ------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------
Unfortunately, the boom of shopping and banking on the web has increased the risk of online identity theft for internet users. Identity theft occurs when an unknown entity gains access to enough personal information to open accounts or make purchases in your name. This information could include bank account or credit card numbers, addresses, passwords and social security numbers. Although a thief could gain access to this information over the phone or at a department store, online identity theft is the most common. Online identity theft most often occurs when sensitive personal information is provided on a site that is not secure, leaving it susceptible to theft by hackers. Fortunately, there are steps that can be taken to prevent theft of your identity and still allow you to utilize the internet for shopping and banking. Be careful with your online passwords. Never write down passwords or save them anywhere online. Also beware of any popup screens that ask you if you'd like the site to save your password. Answering "yes" on one of these popup screens saves your password in a system file that will then allow hackers to access your account. Only make purchases and conduct financial transactions on websites that offer a secure connection. Be wary of unfamiliar websites, with no telephone numbers or other contact information, and sites asking you for credit card information as these are prime perpetrators of online identity theft. Look for seals and logos from well known online security services. Also beware of sites that seem to be asking with more information than is necessary, like birthdates, social security numbers, etc. Beware of "phishing" sites and emails. Phishing is the most common tactic for online identity theft, and it occurs when an identity thief presents himself as a representative of a trusted company or site and then asks for passwords or credit card numbers. A common example of this type of online identity theft includes bogus unsolicited emails from your bank or credit card company asking to confirm your password or otherwise verify your identity. Clicking on these "phishing" traps in any way puts your identity at risk, so be sure a communication is real before you accept it. Verify by phone if you are unsure. Keep in mind that no bank or credit card company will ever ask you to verify your information online. If you'd like additional protection, consider purchasing identity theft insurance or enrolling in a credit monitoring service. Jason Oh has an interest in computers and technology. His blog http://refurbishedcomputerexplained.com provides detailed information on refurbished desktop computers. The website also offers useful tips of what to look for before purchasing refurbished desktop computers. ------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
