A common way for internet thieves to gather personal information for identity theft is through fraudulent emails. Sometimes referred to as phishing, these emails are designed to get victims to enter personal information like usernames, passwords, financial information, and social security numbers into misleading forms. Dealing with identity theft after it happens is much harder than preventing it, so don’t fall victim to these email scams.
If you receive an email the looks suspicious do not respond to it. Report it to the company or organization it is supposed to be from by contacting them directly by phone or their website, not through the email you received. You should also report the email to the authorities including the FBI and Federal Trade Commission. It may seem like drastic measures but the more fraudulent activity that is reported means less victims of identity theft. Never click any links contained in suspicious emails as they will take you to fake sites that look like the real thing. There you will be prompted to enter personal information that can be used for identity theft.
If you do need to update account information, always go directly to the site by typing the site’s address in your browser window and no by following links form an email. Before entering personal information on any site check that the site is secure by locating the closed lock on the status bar in Internet Explorer. Never enter information in a pop up window that may accompany suspicious emails as well. Be sure to close them with the x in the corner and not by clicking any buttons in the window its self, even the cancel button.
To further prevent the possibility of identity theft, make sure your anti virus software is set to scan all incoming emails and attachments. You can purchase separate phishing filters that will warn you of suspicious activity on your computer. Keep your anti virus software up to date as new virus threats emerge every day. Protecting your identity is important; nothing can ruin a life faster that identity theft so protecting yourself from suspicious emails designed to collect personal information is important.