Stop Online Identity Thieves before they can even Get Started

One of the biggest fears about the Internet is how much easier it seems for identity thieves to gain access to your information. A common fallacy is that most identity thieves get your personal information from the World Wide Web.

This is a myth, of course; identity thieves can just as easily get your information offline and most often do. However, there are identity thieves that work to get your personal information from online sources. And it's your need for online protection from these thieves that we recommend and provide you with the tools you need to protect your computer and online activities.

For more protection while you're online, keep these tips in mind:

• Always keep your Internet Browser up to date with the latest versions available. There are several web browsers available and each has technicians and software developers working hard to find, fix, and remedy any security breaches and weaknesses. By making sure your browser is up to date, you can always be sure that you have the latest in their security technology working for you.
• Never download anything from an unknown source - even if the link was sent to you from a friend's email account. If a link looks suspicious or asks you to download new software, close your browser window.
• Use passwords that you can remember easily but will not be easy to guess or hack. The safest passwords use a combination of capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters such as !, #, @, $, etc. Never keep your password written down or share your password with anyone else.
• Whenever you're asked to enter personal information online, such as when you're shopping online, always double check the browser's address to make sure that the web page is secure. Address bars starting with "https://" are secure while addresses starting with "http://" are not secure.