Protecting Against Identity Theft

Identity theft is a popular buzz word that many use. But I do not feel is taken as seriously as it should be. The 2017 Identity Fraud Study, written by Javelin Strategy & Research, found that $16 billion was stolen from 15.4 million U.S. consumers in 2016. 
If you do not think you are at risk think again. Identity theft is rising and it will continue to rise until we can learn how to protect ourselves. 
Hear are four proactive ways to begin protecting yourself. 

1. Monitor your credit 

This is a fairly common buzz word. However its true. You can get your credit report for free at annualcreditreport.com . I recommend a proactive approach by purchasing an identity theft insurance and monitoring product. It's simple and most banks and insurance companies carry this product.

2. Lock your phone and computers

To often I see my friends and families phones without a pass-code on their devices. I have even done some experiments with their phones or computers to see how quickly I can find personal information. For someone who is familiar with computer systems it only takes seconds to find enough to begin the identity theft process. 

3.Get an anti virus software

For a long time I have been a proponent of the free anti virus platforms. Unfortunately those days are behind us. Free anti virus is reactive, you can only attempt to fix an issue once it has already started. You need to get an antivirus anti malware software with real time scans that is updated on the go. Things are changing so fast you must have proactive protection in place. 

4. Setup 2 Factor Authentication

I still have an old Yahoo email that I barely use. Over 20 times last year someone tried to hack it! However I have 2 factor authentication setup on this account. If someone logs in from an unknown account I am notified on my phone. It has happened while I am out at dinner, one time while hiking, all times I was not near a computer. Google and Microsoft both have 2 factor authentication, it is important to use to protect your identity. What would a thief find when sifting through your inbox? 

It is important to stay safe from the thieves that are out there. No time has digital crime been higher. More and more data is stored on computers. Just like you lock your house or your car it's time to lock your digital life. 

-Nate

Nate Sheen is a cyber security expert he owns DataCom Technologies. He specializes in proactive approaches in security. More information www.datacomtechnologies.net