Keeping
Your Identity Yours;
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| It happens every 79 seconds. The U.S. Postal service calls it the “fastest growing crime in America.” Last year it cost Americans over $5 billion. It's called identity theft - and it can happen to you. The days of robbery requiring physical effort are gone. Today's sophisticated thief can steal your money and identity from the comfort of their own home. These malicious hackers use a variety of ways to steal your personal information. One of the most common methods is through the use of “spyware”.Most people have heard of computer viruses, but not necessarily computer spyware. Spyware is generally considered any program that surreptitiously steals information off of your computer and sends it to a third party (usually a hacker). This information can be anything from your personal emails to credit card numbers and more. The good news is, you don’t have to be defenseless. First and foremost, you should install a quality spyware scanner.No matter how careful you are, it is always possible you might accidentally run a program or click a web page advertisement that you shouldn't and become infected. Keep your spyware scanning program updated and use it regularly. Most spyware scanning software also offer real-time monitoring which runs constantly in the background and checks for malicious programs. Another important rule is to only do business with legitimate websites.The Internet, for the most part, is not regulated. For a small price, anyone can get their own website where they have the ability to sell, or claim to sell, whatever they choose. Before you give a website your credit card or checking account information, you need to make sure they are legitimate. Recognizing the good from the bad can be hard. You should always try to find out what other people have to say about the site before doing business with them. If in doubt, buy from somewhere else. Another angle of attack identity thieves use is email.If you receive an email claiming to be from your bank and asking for personal information, call your bank to find out if the message really is from them. Most legitimate companies will not ask for personal information such as password or credit card information through email. Even if the email is from a friend, be cautious. If they are infected with malicious software, that software may have sent the email, not your friend. Spyware is but one of many computer threats to your identity and personal information.Other precautions such as using a good antivirus program and firewall need to be taken. The best solution is to consult with a professional computer company knowledgeable in the computer security field. They can help you maximize your computer's security and minimize your risk of becoming a victim. You can learn more about how to stop identity theft and what steps to take if your identity is stolen at http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft. |
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Gary Napier is one of the technicians at
Fas-Teks 423-517-TEKS (8357) www.computerrepairchattanooga.com,
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