5 Tips for Prevent Internet Identity Theft

Internet identity theft is a growing problem. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), more than 16 million Americans have been victims of this crime.

The Internet has made it easier for thieves to go undetected, so this is important to always look for professional cyber security experts in Sydney. In the past, identity thieves had to steal your paper documents, like your Social Security card and birth certificate, and then create new ones with your information. Now they can just use the Internet to access all of your personal information in one place. Internet identity theft is a growing problem. For example, the Identity Theft Resource Center reported that 1.3 million victims of identity fraud were reported in the United States in 2016. In addition to financial losses and damage to your credit score, identity theft can leave you feeling vulnerable and violated.

Here are five tips for preventing internet identity theft:

Use complex passwords 

The first line of defense against hackers is a strong password. If your password is simple enough for you to remember, it’s probably too simple for hackers to crack. Instead of using common words or phrases, use passwords that are long and include numbers, symbols and capital letters. This will make it harder for hackers to guess your password.

Make sure your home Wi-Fi network is secure 

Hackers can access unprotected home Wi-Fi networks from outside your home by using keystroke logging software or hidden cameras planted near wireless routers. To protect yourself, make sure your wireless router has a password set up by default and change it when you set up your internet service provider account so that no one else can access it if they gain access to your home network via other means (such as social engineering).

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Use a Password Manager

This is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself from hackers. A password manager generates unique passwords for all your accounts and automatically logs in when needed, so even if someone gets a hold of one password, they won’t be able to access all your other accounts.

Turn On Two-Factor Authentication

This is another way to keep hackers out of your online accounts, but it can also help prevent identity theft if someone already has access to your account. Two-factor authentication requires an additional step after entering your password before being allowed into an account or accessing sensitive information; generally, this involves sending a text message or phone call with a code that must be entered before gaining access.

Keep your personal information secure

The best way to protect your identity is to keep your personal information safe. That means that you should be careful with any documents that contain your name, address, Social Security number and other sensitive information. Thieves can use this information to open accounts in your name or create scams using your personal information. A weak password can be cracked in seconds by an experienced hacker using software programs designed for this purpose. Using a combination of letters and numbers makes it much harder for someone to guess your password, even if they have access to online databases containing millions of stolen passwords from hacked websites and email servers around the world. The longer and more complex the password, the better — but don’t make it so long that you can’t remember it!

You should also be careful when using public computers or Wi-Fi hotspots. Never enter passwords or other private data unless you are sure that the connection is secure.