How to Prevent Identity Theft

Written by John Mussi


Continued from page 1

•Use a firewall program, especially if you use a high-speed Internet connection that leaves your computer connected torepparttar Internet 24 hours a day. The firewall program will allow you to stop uninvited access to your computer. Without it, hackers can take over your computer, accessrepparttar 135013 personal information stored on it, or use it to commit other crimes.

•Use a secure browser - software that encrypts or scrambles information you send overrepparttar 135014 Internet -to guard your online transactions. When submitting information, look forrepparttar 135015 "lock" icon onrepparttar 135016 browser's status bar to be sure your information is secure during transmission.

•Try not to store financial information on your laptop unless absolutely necessary. If you do, use a strong password a combination of letters (upper and lower case), numbers and symbols. Don't use an automatic log-in feature that saves your user name and password, and always log off when you're finished. That way, if your laptop is stolen, it's harder for a thief to access your personal information.

•Before you dispose of a computer, delete allrepparttar 135017 personal information it stored. Deleting files usingrepparttar 135018 keyboard or mouse commands or reformatting your hard drive may not be enough becauserepparttar 135019 files may stay onrepparttar 135020 computer's hard drive, where they may be retrieved easily. Use a "wipe" utility program to overwriterepparttar 135021 entire hard drive.

You may freely reprint this article providedrepparttar 135022 author's biography remains intact:

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.


How Identity Theft Occurs

Written by John Mussi


Continued from page 1

•They may steal your wallet or purse.

•They may complete a "change of address form" to divert your mail to another location.

•They may steal personal information they find in your home.

•They may steal personal information from you through email or phone by posing as legitimate companies and claiming that you have a problem with your account.

How identity thieves use your personal information:

•They may call your credit card issuer to changerepparttar billing address on your credit card account. The imposter then runs up charges on your account. Because your bills are being sent to a different address, it may be some time before you realise there's a problem.

•They may open new credit card accounts in your name. When they userepparttar 135012 credit cards and don't payrepparttar 135013 bills,repparttar 135014 overdue accounts are reported on your credit report.

•They may establish phone or wireless service in your name.

•They may open a bank account in your name and write bad cheques on that account. •They may issue counterfeit cheques or credit or debit cards, or authorize electronic transfers in your name, and drain your bank account.

•They may buy a car by taking out a car loan in your name.

•They may get identification such as a driver's license issued with their picture, in your name.

•They may get a job or file fraudulent tax returns in your name.

You may freely reprint this article providedrepparttar 135015 author's biography remains intact:

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.


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