Online Identity Theft – How To Protect Yourself

You're at the airport waiting for check-in to begin, and decide to pass the time by browsing Amazon. A few days later, you receive a bill from the online merchant for several thousand dollars. But you didn't order anything, and there's neither hide nor hair of the goods on the invoice. What might sound like a scene from a movie is distressingly real for thousands of people every day.

Cybercriminals gain access to their victims' information and assume their digital identity – with devastating consequences. In addition to the financial damage that is wrought, the misuse of someone's identity can also have legal ramifications for the individual affected. In this article, you'll learn what precautions you can take to protect yourself and what to do if you've already been victimized.

"Identity Theft" refers to a variety of scenarios in which one individual pretends to be someone they're not. Generally speaking, there are two different kinds of identity theft:

The following table lists the most common types of identity theft:

Tip: A good way to find out if someone is using your data online is to set up a Google Alert for your name. You'll automatically receive an email every time a search hit on your name is registered (albeit only on public websites). It isn't necessary to sign up with Google to create such an alert.

It's always better to be safe than sorry, but in the case of identity fraud, prevention is easier said than done. The most extreme preventive measure you can take is complete "Internet abstinence", however, that's a very difficult thing to do in our day and age. Plus, identity theft isn't an "online problem" – it's been committed "offline" for centuries.

Regularly change your passwords and use a unique password for each account you have. A secure password contains upper- and lowercase letters, at least one digit, and a special character.

When signing up for online shops or social media platforms, try using different email addresses and passwords. This prevents criminals from gaining direct access to your personal information, should they manage to break into one of your accounts. Use the EXPERTE.com Password Check to see if your password has been affected by a data leak in the past.

Always log out completely from your accounts when finished using a computer, especially if you've been surfing on a public one, i.e. in a library or an internet café.

Always use a secure SSL connection or a VPN connection when active on a public network, such as those at a hotel or airport.

Encrypt your email correspondence and hard drive with special software (i.e. BitLocker). This way, your information is secure in the event of theft.

Make sure that you're using the latest version of whatever antivirus software is installed on any devices you surf the Internet with. Regularly scan for malware.

Regularly update your operating system and your computer's software to close any security exploits before hackers can make use of them.

Never blindly accept friend requests from people you don't know on social media.

Be suspicious of emails that ask for personal information such as your username or password. Cybercriminals use a tactic known as phishing to query people for account information and passwords.

Regularly check your bank account and credit card statements for suspicious activity. Pay attention to any unknown transactions, even if the amounts are small, and alert your service providers.

Always use a nickname or a pseudonym when surfing the Web. Only use your real name if it's absolutely necessary.

In most cases, people only notice that they've fallen victim to identity theft after the damage has been done. Even then, it's important to keep a cool head and take the right measures.

Below is a checklist for victims of identity theft: