20/05/2014
Keeping your identity safe while you buy online – article on MSN.UK
It doesn’t take much to get hold of enough information to steal your identity. A stray envelope, an old catalogue, a bank statement or the contents of your wallet provide vital information that a criminal can use to pose as you and commit identity fraud, by borrowing money and potentially running up debts in your name.
It’s important that we keep a close eye on our personal credit information and take steps to avoid becoming a victim to identity theft. Spending much of our lives online that is something many of us are used to, but it’s important that this doesn’t give us a false sense of security.
With new figures suggest that ticketing fraud cost victims over £3.7m last year, there’s ever more reason to see how simple it can be for scammers to set up a fake website that may look genuine, even down to real-looking URLs.
Flights and concerts top the list of ticket types sold fraudulently, the need to compete for limited availability often leading buyers to take risks with websites without checking its validity – which can lead to tickets being fake or not arriving at all, and your personal and financial details open to potential misuse.
It’s best to use websites that you know and trust, Always look for a security padlock icon in the top left hand corner of a page before you register financial or personal information on a website. If an online deal sounds too good to be true, it quite probably is.
With Experian CreditExpert* membership you can get unlimited views of your Experian credit report, which
There are a number of other simple things we can all do to help protect our identities online:
Secure your device- Make sure you are using the built-in security tools and settings on your device. And if possible, install the latest anti-virus and firewall software.
Keep pins and passwords private - Protect your devices with strong passwords, especially if you have stored payment details. Use longer words with a mix of upper and lower case letters and incorporate numbers, special characters – @£%^&* – or accents as well. Also, avoid using obvious words and dates such as your birthday, pets’ or children’s names, and try to have different passwords for all your accounts. It’s best to memorise details rather than noting them down and never give account details to anyone else.
Don’t reveal too much on social networking sites - Fraudsters can use personal details like date of birth, age, maiden names or pets’ names to guess private passwords.
Be aware of your surroundings - Make sure you can’t be overlooked when you make a mobile payment; it’s much like using a cash machine or entering your PIN in a shop. Be especially careful around wi-fi – once you’ve joined a public network, your device can be seen electronically by anyone else on the network, so avoid using any password-protected sites or information.
Be smart with your smartphone - Be careful what information you have stored on your phone – including emails that can be accessed without a password. Think about what you’re looking at online if accessed via open, public Wi-Fi hotspots, particularly online banking. It’s best to do key tasks such as that at home, using a secure home network.
Always tell the police, your bank, credit card issuers and anybody else who might be affected if you suffer a theft. That way, your loss is on the record and organisations that might be approached by the thieves will be forewarned. If you think you have become a victim of identity fraud, notify the police and contact your bank.
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