Danger Zone:  The Internet 

The Internet is a great place to browse and do business. But it can also be a Danger Zone for identity theft if you don’t know what to watch for or how to protect yourself.

You can encounter spyware and other forms of malware in many ways, including:

• Downloading files or software
• Opening email attachments or clicking pop-ups
• Visiting devious websites

Learn how to practice safe surfing

Whether you want to learn how to prevent online identity theft, to improve your online privacy or enhance your security on the Internet, the same golden principles apply.

• Keep track of your Internet-connected devices and always format them before selling or giving them away
• Maintain a list of online accounts you signed up for - this is much easier to do with a password manager!
• Use strong, unique passwords for these accounts and turn on two-factor authentication for them
• Monitor your bank statements for changes each month or set up SMS alerts for transactions over a certain amount - if your bank offers the option
• Adjust the privacy and security settings for your most important accounts (Google, Facebook etc.)
• Periodically remove all unnecessary applications from your devices and never install apps outside the official app stores
• Back up all your important assets on an external hard drive or in the cloud (encrypted) or, ideally, both
• Update all software applications across your devices (from laptops to smartphones and the apps on it to your internet-connected TV)
• Install a security solution on all the devices that support it and set regular scans to run automatically
• Keep reading about online security and privacy on the internet to strengthen your digital savviness!

Following these steps will help protect you from the most common forms of identity theft while surfing the Internet.