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Identity Theft Labs

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Grinch-Blocking Tips for Procrastinating Purchasers

Christmas at the end of the week and so many people are doing last minute shopping online. Online shopping is great for procrastinators to quickly get the item they want bought, wrapped, and shipped with just a few key strokes. However, this is a prime time for hackers because many shoppers leave their guards down in pursuit of the last-minute gift.

Don’t become prey for those meddlesome hackers. If you make an eBay purchase, only buy from sellers that accept PayPal or credit cards. If you see a deal that is too good to be true, use common sense: it probably is. Lastly, make sure that the website is HTTPS in order to make your transactions over a secure connection For more online holiday shopping safety tips, click here:: Don’t let the Grinch steal Christmas: how to avoid festive fraudsters
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Where Did Your Bank Account Go?

Nowadays more and more people are doing their banking online. The obvious convenience of making transaction with a few clicks over waiting in a line is apparent. However, what would you do if you log into your account and see that it no longer exists?

Well, this can happen for a myriad of reasons. There is a chance that the bank’s website is being updated and your account is secure, but just doesn’t appear online yet. However, it might be that your account or the account’s card had been compromised. Contact the bank or visit a branch in order to find out whether your card needs to be canceled or your account frozen due to fraud. For more thorough information and tips, please click here:: Account Disappeared
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700 Million and Counting Are Trying to Shy Away From NSA

A new survey revealed that 39% internet users in 24 countries, including Australia, Germany, Japan, Mexico, England, and the United States, are taking steps to protect their online privacy from the NSA as a result of the current Edward Snowden debacle. Multiplying that out, it appears that 706 million people are changing their online behavior due to the actions of the NSA and GCHQ.

This really shows how disturbed and concerned the general populace is regarding the NSA. Privacy has become a scarce resource and the paranoia/Big Brother fear is becoming a bit more than real now more than ever. The best bet is for policy makers to take notice and for citizens to write to their representatives about their privacy concerns. For more on this topic, please click here:: Over 700 Million People Taking Steps to Avoid NSA Surveillance
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The Holiday Lowers Guards, Raises Security Risks

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, but not in the way the song suggests. As the holidays approach many companies and businesses are loosening their ties and trying to enjoy the last few days before the New Year. However, many executives and other employees are letting their workaholic nature trump their company’s security.

By working or emailing out of the home as their kids unwrap presents, many people are compromising their company’s data. They expose their company’s network by using their own or a friend’s mobile device or computer to connect to it. In fact, 38% of users weren’t even asked for extra levels of authentication when connecting to their company’s network from their unregistered device. So unless your company has thought ahead to allow you to connect to your company’s network from home safely, it might be best to hold off on company business until the New Year. For a full article on this topic, click here:: Holiday Downtime Brings Big Risk for Enterprises
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Holiday Tips for Secure Online Shopping

Christmas is a week away and many folks are doing last minute shopping and having gifts shipped to loved ones. However, the hustle and bustle of the season might cost you dearly. Too many people have had their credit card information stolen because they had been careless when shopping online.

There are some steps to ensure you’re protected. First, be sure the website itself has an HTTPS connection in order to know that your information is locked and secured. Also, make sure you are making your purchase over a secure WiFi connection and have strong random passwords in order to put up more roadblocks for hackers. Lastly, if you have the option to sign in as a “guest,” do it. You won’t have your personal info saved on their site. The less personal information a company has, the better off you’ll be. For additional details and tips for safer online transactions, click here:: Online Shopping Security Tips
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