Stop Identity Theft - 6 Tips to Protect Yourself and Your Family

<h1>Stop Identity Theft - 6 Tips to Protect Yourself and Your Family</h1>Author: <a title="Bob Walker" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/bob-walker/214121.htm">Bob Walker</a> The explosion of the internet has put Americans at a risk of Identity Theft unlike any previous generation. Identity theft is a crime involving the theft of your private information which can include your Social Security number, a credit card or debit card, or other sensitive information that you'd prefer to keep private. The General Accounting Office report says that approximately 750,000 Americans are victims of identity theft every year. This number is a low estimate. Most of the help that I give my clients is safeguarding themselves when they are using their computers, but first I will give you a couple of general tips if you haven't heard of them already. 1. Secure your mailbox. Don't ever leave mail lying around where a thief can steal it. Ideally your mail should be hand delivered or locked in a P.O. box so that criminals don't have a window of opportunity to rip into your mail and extract letters such as credit card offers. Make sure to never mail checks and bill payments from your home, instead go to the post office. 2. Protect your Social Security number. Don't carry your SS# card with you, don't write it on checks, and don't carry around other cards or documents that have the number. This is the primary way to become a victim of identity theft because with someone's social security number, one can look up their credit report and bank accounts. 3. ATM, Credit Card, Bank Receipts Don't leave them around. Rip them up. The last 2 tips are geared to your online safety. 4. Use a firewall When you use a firewall it will help protect outsiders from gaining access to your internet network, keeping away hackers and thieves. 5. Use a robust scanner when surfing the internet A scanner will alert you when you're downloading an attachment containing a virus or surfing a questionable website that may install malware on your computer. Without a scanner, you are at a major risk. 6. Scan your computer with trusted anti-virus and anti-spyware software. You must protect yourself against current and future virus threats. The only way to do so is to use trusted software. I prefer paid software over free options, because of the customer support and future protection that I need to keep my family safe. If you are tired of worrying about spyware and viruses, then take a look at <a href="http://spyware-review.net/">reviewed antivirus programs</a> that will stop identity theft in its tracks. About the Author: Bob Walker is a veteran IT consultant with over twenty years of experience in the industry. He's helped clean up the computers of everyone from fortune 500 organizations to individual users and families. His website is dedicated to anti-spyware and virus removal research, where he ranks the most efficient anti-spyware and anti-virus programs currently available.

<a href="http://www.spyware-review.net"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.spyware-review.net">http://www.spyware-review.net</a></a>Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/security-articles/stop-identity-theft-6-tips-to-protect-yourself-and-your-family-1141374.html" title="Stop Identity Theft - 6 Tips to Protect Yourself and Your Family">Stop Identity Theft - 6 Tips to Protect Yourself and Your Family</a>

The explosion of the internet has put Americans at a risk of Identity Theft unlike any previous generation. Identity theft is a crime involving the theft of your private information which can include your Social Security number, a credit card or debit card, or other sensitive information that you'd prefer to keep private. The General Accounting Office report says that approximately 750,000 Americans are victims of identity theft every year. This number is a low estimate.

Most of the help that I give my clients is safeguarding themselves when they are using their computers, but first I will give you a couple of general tips if you haven't heard of them already.

1. Secure your mailbox. Don't ever leave mail lying around where a thief can steal it. Ideally your mail should be hand delivered or locked in a P.O. box so that criminals don't have a window of opportunity to rip into your mail and extract letters such as credit card offers. Make sure to never mail checks and bill payments from your home, instead go to the post office.

2. Protect your Social Security number. Don't carry your SS# card with you, don't write it on checks, and don't carry around other cards or documents that have the number. This is the primary way to become a victim of identity theft because with someone's social security number, one can look up their credit report and bank accounts.

3. ATM, Credit Card, Bank Receipts Don't leave them around. Rip them up.

The last 2 tips are geared to your online safety.

4. Use a firewall When you use a firewall it will help protect outsiders from gaining access to your internet network, keeping away hackers and thieves.

5. Use a robust scanner when surfing the internet A scanner will alert you when you're downloading an attachment containing a virus or surfing a questionable website that may install malware on your computer. Without a scanner, you are at a major risk.

6. Scan your computer with trusted anti-virus and anti-spyware software. You must protect yourself against current and future virus threats. The only way to do so is to use trusted software. I prefer paid software over free options, because of the customer support and future protection that I need to keep my family safe.

If you are tired of worrying about spyware and viruses, then take a look at reviewed antivirus programs that will stop identity theft in its tracks.

Bob Walker is a veteran IT consultant with over twenty years of experience in the industry. He's helped clean up the computers of everyone from fortune 500 organizations to individual users and families. His website is dedicated to anti-spyware and virus removal research, where he ranks the most efficient anti-spyware and anti-virus programs currently available. http://www.spyware-review.net

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Article Tags: Identity Theft Tips, How To Stop Identity Theft, How To Protect Against Identity Theft, Can A Virus Steal My Identity

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