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Identity theft is any deception, scam, or crime that leads to the loss of personal data, such as usernames, passwords, banking information, credit card numbers, Social Security Numbers, and health IDs, which are then used without your permission to commit fraud and other crimes.

How are identities stolen?

Consumers fall prey to identity theft through a variety of methods. This can occur when fraudsters (even family members) steal mail from your mailbox, dig through your garbage for bills and bank statements, steal wallets and purses, or make an extra copy of your credit card after the waiter or clerk leaves to complete your payment.

Online identity theft happens when people fall for tricks like phishing and confidence scams, download malware on to the their computers or phones that steals their information, use unsecured wireless networks, take money out of an ATM that has been set up with a skimming device that collects your information, share their passwords with people they don't trust, or have their information stolen when companies, the government, or other organizations have their data records hacked.

How can I keep my privacy online?

Here are a few important steps you can take to prevent identity theft online:

  1. Strong, up-to-date security software will protect your computer and smartphone.
  2. Learn to recognize spam and scams.
  3. Use secure passwords.
  4. Check and see how your credit score is doing.
  5. Stop using credit.
  6. When shopping online, only use websites that are known to be trustworthy.
  7. Keep your eyes and ears open. Watch out for these common signs of identity theft:
  • False information on your credit reports, such as your Social Security number, address(es), name, or employer's name.
  • Bills or other mail goes missing.
  • Getting new credit cards that you didn't apply for.
  • Getting denied credit or paying high interest rates for no apparent reason.
  • Getting calls or letters about overdue bills for products or services you didn't buy.
  • Be careful using public WiFi, and think twice before joining an unsecure network. Virtual private networks, or VPNs, are tools that can help you keep prying eyes away when you're using public WiFi.

Using these seven measures to preserve and monitor your credit score can decrease the risk of identity theft and alert you immediately if it occurs. Cyber security solutions or cyber security professionals that protect against identity theft can stop malware that is designed to steal personal information by keeping track of your keystrokes or spying on your browsing sessions. Protect your usernames, account numbers, and other personal information from spyware and other online threats that go after valuable personal data.

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