Protecting Yourself

The only part of your computer system that needs protection more than your data is you. Remember that if an identity thief strikes or a malicious Webmaster gets hold of your personal information, your computer will keep right on working, but other aspects of your life will be affected. The following sections revisit some of the threats that computer users face and tell you how to prevent them from becoming a reality.

Avoiding identity Theft

Victims of identity theft stand to lose large sums of money, suffer damage to their credit and reputation, and can possibly even possessions if the situation is not handled properly, It's important to remember that even if you don't make transactions yourself, you may still be held responsible for them unless you take action quickly.

Recall that ID thieves mainly use non-technical methods to get the information they need to impersonate someone. Likewise, most of the precautions you can take against ID theft are "low-tech." Further, they all are masters of common sense; you should do these things anyway, even if ID theft were not even possible.

Managing Your Papers

From the moment they enter your mailbox until they reach the landfill, many of your most valuable documents are vulnerable. These include account statements, financial records, bills, credit card applications, and other documents that you receive and handle every week. By handling them wisely, you can keep them out of the hands of an ID this

• Guard Your Mail, Pick up your mail as soon as possible after it arrives. Never allow mail to sit for a time in your mailbox. If ID theft is a problem in your area, get a P.C. and hove sensitive delivered there. Also, put important outgoing mail in a public mailbox or take it to the post office, where no one can steal it,

• Check Your Statements Immediately. Open and check your bank and credit card statements as soon as you get them. Look for suspicious charges, ATM transactions, or checks you did not write; if you find one, report it immediately. The sooner you report suspicious activity, the greater the chance that the company will be able to help you. Some financial institutions place a time limit on reporting unauthorized transactions; after the time limit, your bank or credit card company may ask you to pay for the charge.

• Discard Important Documents Wisely, Some documents need to be kept on file for some time. For example, you should keep pay stubs and credit card statements for at least three years, in case you need them for tax purposes. But when you are ready to get rid of any important document, do it right. Shred any document that contains sensitive information such as your Social Security number, account numbers, or passwords 

Guarding Personal information

In the course of a normal week, you probably give away all sorts of information

about yourself without even thinking about it. It pays to be careful when sharing information, to make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands:

• Never give anyone an account number over the phone unless you are sure he or she is a legitimate agent. Remember, a bank or legitimate business will never call you and ask for an account. number. They should already have this information; if they need it, they will notify you by mail.

• Never give out account numbers, passwords, or other personal information via c-mail, E-mail is not a secure way to transmit data, can be intercepted, or the recipient can forward it to someone else. Banks and legitimate businesses won't ask you to provide such information via email.

• When buying something online, make sure the Web site is secure before entering any personal information into a form. (For more information on secure online shopping, 

Looking At The Big Picture

You can take additional steps to protect your credit as well as your personal information:

• Check Your Credit Report at least Once a Year, A credit report is a document that lists all your financial accounts that can be a source of credit or that you can use for making purchases or for other transactions. This includes bank accounts, mortgages, credit cards, and others. Under certain circumstances, you may be entitled to get a free copy of your credit report one or more times a year. Even if you need to pay for a copy of your credit report, you should get one from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) at least once each year. Check each report not just to learn your overall credit and report any errors they may contain.

•  Maintain a Good Filing System. Carefully fill all important papers and keep them for at least three years. You may need them to dispute errors on Protecting Your Privacy, Your credit report,  or when reporting unauthorized activity to your credit card company or bank.

• Check with your bank and Credit Card Company. Make sure you are protected against unauthorized charges. In most states, your liability is limited if someone else accesses your bank account or uses your credit card without your knowledge. But you may be required to report the incident quickly, Contact these agencies and ask what protections they offer against fraud and ID theft.