5 Practical Tips to Prevent Identity Theft Online 

More than one million identity theft reports were made in a single year, with losses experienced totaling more than $10 billion according to the FTC. It is all too easy for most people to fall victim to identity theft, but there are ways to protect against it. The following are a few tips anyone can use to help protect themselves from identity theft online.  

Improve Passwords – And Keep Them Different 

Strong passwords help with preventing identity theft by making it much harder for someone to break into an account and steal information or money. Even passwords that might not seem to matter as much, like social media passwords, are easily hacked and can provide hackers with more information than most people realize. Instead, it’s recommended to use different passwords for every site and to use strong passwords to minimize the potential for someone to guess it.  

Don’t Offer Up Too Much Information 

Social media sites offer up tons of information about many different people, and most people don’t realize that the information they post can be used by someone who wants to steal their identity. It is crucial to use privacy settings to minimize who can see posts and to be aware of what is being posted online and how it can be used. The less information strangers can see, the less likely it is the information can be used to steal someone’s identity.  

Be Aware Before Clicking on Websites 

Websites are not all safe. When checking an email or a text, be cautious before clicking on any links, as they might just be looking for a way to steal the person’s identity or to download software in the background to make it easy to get all of the person’s information. Only click on links that are known to be safe or that have https. It is recommended to type the website into the address bar instead of clicking on it to prevent it from redirecting to a spam site.  

Don’t Fall for Phishing Scams 

Phishing scams are prevalent today because they work. The way they work varies, but a common one is someone will receive an email claiming there is a problem and asking them to log into a site. They click, and the site looks real, so they try to log in. The site isn’t actually real and the person has just given away their username and password to the scam site. Always avoid giving out personal information or passwords and check website addresses carefully to make sure it is the correct site.  

Be Cautious About Downloads 

Downloading anything can end up causing a person to download malware, which runs in the background of the computer and is used to steal personal information. When downloading something on a computer, only do so from a trusted website. If possible, scan the download before installing it to make sure it is what is expected and not a software program that could be malware.  

Taking precautions is necessary today to help prevent becoming a victim of identity theft. If you’re worried about this or you would like to make sure you’re protected, start by following the tips here. By being aware of what happens and how to prevent it, you can keep your identity safe and prevent it from being stolen by someone else.