Lions, Tigers and Identity Theft -- Oh my!

Lions, Tigers and Identity Theft -- Oh my!

Security is not a new idea, as - in truth - most of us want to keep things in our lives safe. We want our homes safe, our vehicles safe, our families safe, financial security, health and sanity!

But as our lives continue to become more involved with online activities and computers, security of our private information becomes a more difficult prospect. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes - and it covers far more abuses than simply affecting your credit rating - your entire reputation can be at stake. Here are a few simple tips to help keep you safe:

• Never give out your private information if you don't have to do so. This includes email addresses, full name, postal address, phone numbers - and more importantly: any passwords, credit card information or your social security number.
• ALWAYS check any web address that is sent to you in an email - especially if you're not sure who the sender is, or if it takes you to a website that asks you to supply login information (eg username / password). There are many "spoofing" websites that look and work exactly like the real thing - except for the web address in the browser address bar. For example: bank websites, PayPal, Ebay, etc - these types of companies will never send you an email with a web address to a login page in the email. When faced with such a situation - instead, either copy / paste the web address into your browser - or better yet, hand-type the web address into your browser's address field, or follow a bookmark that you've previously made -- just to be sure you're going to the correct website and server.
• Never leave password information on paper lying around in an unsecured location (such as on a sticky note next to your monitor). And never throw out passwords on a piece of paper (shred or rip it up instead before disposing of it). You'd be suprised how often people find passwords by looking underneath a keyboard or mousepad, when visiting someone else's house. If you prefer to keep your passwords written down on paper, be sure to keep those sheets in a proper and secured place when you're not using them.
• Always question the source and content of an email attachment before you open it on your computer. Just because a friend you know forwarded it from some chain email that they received does not mean it's safe. It may be fun to see an elf throw a penguin in a video - but is it really worth chancing the security of your computer?  Don't be afraid to ask the sender if they're sure the file is safe - who knows? The sender may thank you for making them aware of a potential problem!
• Beware of false authority syndrome - If Bob's son, who loves to play on computers, forwards you an email from some 3rd party source - stating that you must take some immediate action or all is lost for your computer - beware!  Just because someone is familiar with computers, doesn't mean that the email from the unknown 3rd party is valid.  Check with your friend to be sure, or ask another computer professional if it's appropriate - which leads to the next issue:
• Watch out for those chain emails - If you see an email that warns of some dire consequence for not taking some immediate action (usually making a change on your computer, downloading some patch update file, or logging into some website), and then asks you to forward it on to everyone you know - that's a fairly sure sign that the email is not from a valid source and should be deleted w/out further action.  Keep in mind that no respectable company (eg Microsoft, Dell, HP, EBay, etc.) will disseminate important information via a chain email. When in doubt, check with a computer professional before you take action - this will save you much grief in the long run!

These few, simple steps will greatly enhance the security of your online life, as well as keep your computer happy and safe. Remember - your online accounts and passwords can cause as much trouble for you as a lost credit card, so be sure to protect them as you would your wallet!

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