Cyberattacks are a real threat these days. They compromise entire companies, put people’s lives at stake, and can suck out your hard-earned cash in just a few seconds.
Well, that’s not the worse of it, as the aforementioned are just some of the things that can happen to you. Who’s to blame? Identity thieves, being one of them.
Here, we’re going to talk all about identity theft, what it is, what are the different types, as well as some of the best ways to avoid it.
Knowing More About Identity Theft
Identity theft is a type of crime where someone obtains personal information from another person without their consent, and with the purpose of using that person’s identity to make illicit purchases and transactions.
Usual methods involve hacking company database to steal client information, with the hopes of hacking onto their bank accounts and using it to make purchases without the knowledge of the owner.
This is very disastrous to the owner as their credit rating can be ruined as well as damaging their reputation and financial status.
How Identity Theft Happens
Stealing
Stealing is one of the most common ways where identity theft happens. It’s very simple and rampant these days.
Never leave your wallet inside your car, especially if it can be seen from the windows. A grab-and-go incident can happen in just a few seconds, so you have to be aware of it and cautious at all times.
Dumpster Search
Though this might sound a bit awkward, these do happen, in fact, most of the time. It’s very simple because thieves just have to go through garbage and trash cans to find valuable information, just like those coming from an unopened and pre-approved credit card.
There are also some instances where ATM withdrawal receipts are used to hack onto bank accounts.
Credit Card Cloning
Credit card cloning happens when an employee of a store, such as a restaurant, boutique, or gas station swipes your credit card on a device that copies its magnetic information strip.
The copied strip can then be integrated into a counterfeit credit card, which can then make purchases.
Best Tips to Prevent Identity Theft
Avoid strange requests.
Do not respond to any unsolicited inquiries that ask for personal information such as full name, birthday, bank account, or social security number. These requests can come from hackers that can use your inputted information to carry on their cybercrime.
Have an up-to-date anti-virus app.
You don’t just need to have anti-virus software, but you need to have one that’s up-to-date with the latest patches and updates.
This way, it can better protect you from the latest cyber threats, knowing that hackers and identity thieves are always coming up with new ways of doing cybercrime.
Avoid public Wi-Fi.
Many might see public Wi-Fi as a convenient way to use the internet free-of-charge. Well, it might be so, and it’s fast, but using it also means that you’re risking yourself from being hacked, especially that the server is connected to lots of people.
Conclusion
Identity theft is a real threat we all need to be aware of as millions of people around the globe has already fallen prey to it.
Be cautious when using the internet, have an up-to-date antivirus app, and avoid public Wi-Fi hotspots to fend off identity thieves. It’s not really that hard to do, as long as you know what they are, what they do, and how you can stop these threats from further menacing society.
