10 Tips to Protect Yourself from On-line Scams During this Holiday Season

News Channel 10 Has Put Out a Holiday Alert:
“ONLINE HOLIDAY SHOPPERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF SCAMS”
Online shopping has become a lot more popular with working people and those who do not like to fight the crowds. More than half the consumers are expected to shop online for holiday gifts. This year 26% more folks will be shopping online than last year. However, online shoppers are at risk for scams and identity theft during this holiday season. Internet fraud cost about $340 million last year.
e.Week.com reports that online fraud depends on an offline component – people who launder money. National and International Cybercriminals first use online Trojan Horse Viruses to gain access to your bank account and credit card numbers and passwords. A Trojan Horse Virus works by hiding in a seemingly acceptable program and makes you think that there is nothing wrong with it. It will then steal your personal information and send it to an internet server designed by the cybercriminal, thereby gaining control over your computer which will eventually crash. Trojan Horse Viruses are difficult to remove.
After your information is stolen, Money Mules, people who think they have legitimate jobs as salesmen, private financial receivers, or shipping managers, are recruited. Their job is to transfer illegal funds from your credit card and bank accounts to websites or wholesale product distribution services owned by the criminals. In this way anti-fraud systems are avoided.
10 Steps to Protect Yourself from Online Scams:
1. Don’t let your guard down when shopping online. Do business with companies you know.
2. Make sure the company is secure by noting whether the Web address starts with http://.
3. Check for the padlock icon on the bottom of the browser. Click on the icon and you should see the site address. It should match the address on the top of the page. If they don’t match, it could be a fraudulent website.
4. Avoid shopping on sites that don’t have a bright green banner in the address bar when you are checking out. The green banner indicates that the site meets the industry standard for online safety.
5. Keep printouts of the web page describing the item you ordered, the price you paid, any email messages, and the page that shows the seller’s name, address, and telephone number.
6. Make sure all your security software is updated before you do shopping online. These include antivirus software, antispyware, and firewalls.
7. Be proactive in looking for the best kinds of computer protection. You need industrial grade security software rather than over-the-counter or freeware products to block the Trojan Horse Virus before it can steal your personal information.
8. Most of the common hassles and headaches that come with being infected with Trojan Horse Viruses are eliminated.
9. A personal computer service will make your experience on the computer fun, productive and hassle-free.

10. You should seriously consider considering having industrial grade software and a personal computer service where a team of trained professionals constantly keep your computer protected and manage everything for you. The service includes security checkups, system cleanups, and online repair. Freeware and traditional over-the-counter computer protection products do not provide this type of service.

When you have industrial grade software that bypasses the Windows’ operating system and blocks trojan horses, viruses, spyware, and malware from entering your computer along with a personal computer service, you can safely shop online and enjoy this holiday season.

10 Tips to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft During the Holidays

10 Tips to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft During The Holidays

The Identity Theft Resource Center has put out a Holiday Alert:
“IDENTITY THIEVES DON’T TAKE A HOLIDAY”

The ITRC reports that the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is the biggest shopping season of the year. They remind us to take extra precautions against identity theft. Credit card companies offer us new cards. We get mail from stores with discounted products. Charities are asking for donations. Shopping environments are crowded, and conditions are ripe for thieves to steal our identities. No one is immune-from birth to beyond death. About 10 million people have their identities stolen each year.

Follow these 10 Steps to Safeguard Your Identity:

1. Guard Your Social Security Number as if it were cash. If it is lost, contact the Social Security Administration at www.ssa.gov or 1-800-772-1213 to get a new one. However, reporting a lost card will not prevent misuse.
2. You will need a service that monitors your social security number daily to check if an identity thief is using it, contacts the necessary agencies, and fills out all the paperwork to help you restore your identity to pre theft status.
3. Check your bank and credit card accounts. If you notice something suspicious, contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately.
4. Never give personal or financial information over the telephone.
5. Leave your checkbook at home as it has information identity thieves want, e.g. name, address, telephone number, and routing and account numbers on it.
6. Carry your money and credit cards securely. Women should not leave their purses open or unattended, and men should not carry their wallets in their back pockets.
7. Be aware of your surroundings. Go to a brightly lit ATM, shield your transactions with your body, and if you see an odd looking gadget attached to the ATM use another machine.
8. Protect your credit card receipts. Don’t let store clerks staple them to bags, rip up carbon copies, and don’t put them in trash cans for identity thieves to get.
9. Protect yourself against credit card skimming when a store clerk or waitress slides your credit card through a second machine and downloads it onto a counterfeit card.
10. Be extra careful when it comes to mail. Lock your mailbox. If monthly bills haven’t arrived on time, contact the issuer and the post office. Mail bills at the post office at the end of the day. When you go away, hold your mail at the post office, and shred any credit card offers that aren’t wanted.
Following these simple tips can help you avoid being a victim of Identity Theft this holiday season. Being safe and secure helps ensure a stress free holiday.