Issue 157

Identity Theft: Top Ten Preventative Tips

08th October 2007

There are several things that you can do to protect yourself; we've compiled our own top ten tips to stop all of those undesirables!

1. Safely dispose of all paper with your information on. If you consider the amount of correspondence you get from your bank, letters from credit card companies, even till receipts, there is an awful lot of paper with your personal information on it. The best way to get rid of it is to shred it! Investing in a shredder with your housemates should only cost you £5 each and could save you a lot of hassle in the long run!
2. Get organised. As dull as it sounds, keeping all of your personal information organised will help you notice if your finances are going astray and by keeping them together in a secure file or draw, will also help to prevent your information from being stolen by anyone else.
3. Be careful on social networking sites. This is just simple common sense; don't give out any of your details, whether it is phone numbers, addresses or account details! This also applies to things like blogging, when you can often give away more information than you realise. Some experts have suggested that you should only use your first name on these sites.
4. Be suspicious of anything that asks for your account details. A relatively new way of stealing people information is through Phishing on the internet. Despite its technologically advanced method of identity theft it is easily spotted. By hovering the cursor over a hyperlink whilst looking at the bottom of the browser you can see the URL, if the display seems long it is probably a fraud. The general rule of thumb is that if you're not sure about a site then don't use it.
5. Internet security. One of the easiest things you can do is to regularly update your online security. If you have internet security software, make sure you download the updates and don't keep putting them off, also remember to renew your subscription when it runs out. If you can't afford the renewal there are some really good free anti-spyware/anti-virus programs to download on the internet.
6. Passwords are there for a reason. Avoid sharing your passwords or writing them down. Anyone who has your internet access or e-mail passwords can easily pretend they're you and engage in illegal activities online.
7. Be cautious of online queries. Seemingly harmless things like chain letters and online quizzes that get you to answer questions like favourite colour, your pet's name or your star sign can in fact have ulterior motives. By answering these questions you could be giving away vital clues about your passwords, and the more astute criminal could easily use this simple information.
8. Wireless networks. These are now becoming common in public places and all have varying degrees of security. On campus at Swansea you should have little to worry about. But at other locations like coffee shops, you shouldn't send any sensitive data. Make sure that if you have wireless in your house that the network is secure, preventing anyone from stealing your connection and hacking into your information.
9. Protect your computer. By this I don't mean wrap it in bubble wrap before you go to bed every night, just take a few measures to stop any unwanted users. Turn on the feature that prompts you to enter a password when exiting a screen saver, which can be done through the control panel, this can be especially helpful when a housemate invites around a stranger. The best passwords are alpha and numeric and have both upper and lower case in them. If you're really concerned about the security of your computer than there are some funky gadgets on the market, like finger print scanners which require a swipe from the computer's owner before it will start.
10. Finally, downloading. Again this is obvious; don't download anything that isn't from a reputable site. Various unwanted programmes are often hidden on sites that offer free downloads, like screen savers. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. There, you have it, the most important thing is common sense, don't leave sensitive information lying around and be cautious on the internet. If you suspect any sites or emails that you receive then don't give them any information. It's better to be safe than sorry, as my mum always says!

Dawn Lewis