Protect Your Identity Online!
Ways for You to Prevent Internet Fraud   

There are many ways you can fight identity theft. The following are suggestions to help minimize your risk and protect you and your money from becoming a victims.

1.  Be suspicious of any e-mail that asks for personal information, such as a passwords to any online account. Never provide personal information over the telephone, by e-mail, or to a voice mail, unless you initiated the contact and know who you are dealing with.

2.  Do not click on links that are embedded in e-mails, even if the sender's address is familiar.

3.  Pay attention to your billing statement's billing cycle. If credit card or utility bills fail to arrive, contact the companies to ensure that they have not been redirected without your knowledge or permission. Likewise, be wary of telephone calls from "collection agencies" that claim to be collecting a past due bill that you are not aware of.

4.  Avoid merchants or vendors who require wire transfers or cash to do business with them.

5.  Key in personal identification numbers privately by covering the keypad with your hand when you use debit purchase terminals, ATMs, or telephone.

6.  Be careful what you throw in the trash. Shred or otherwise destroy personal financial information such as statements, credit card offers, receipts, insurance forms, etc.

7. Choose difficult passwords and memorize them. Don't write them down and leave them on your desk or in your wallet.

8.  Update your computer's antivirus and firewall software regularly.

9.  Use a browser, such as Microsoft's Internet Explorer or Mozilla's FireFox, that warns you about possibly dangerous internet sites.

10.  When making a secure credit card transaction on the internet, make sure that you are on a secure internet page with a https:// prefix ( i.e.: https://www.secure site name.com/ ) and that the page is labeled with a secure pad-lock icon at the bottom of the page before submitting your credit card information.

If you discover you've been victimized, immediately report it to the police and take steps to undo the damage. Contact your financial institution, credit bureau, credit card issuers, utility companies and other businesses you deal with and advise them that someone using your name could try to open new accounts.

Identity criminals are counting on the you not protecting yourself from this type of personal invasion. Your awareness will greatly assist in the battle against these criminals.

In order to protect your identity and your money, ensure that you and your family follow these simple steps.

A well informed public is the best defense of all.