How can I protect my Identity on the web, and who can i trust?
Asked by an anonymous Tumblr user.
Scammers, hackers, and identity thieves are looking to steal your personal information and money. But there are steps you can take to protect yourself.
- Use security software that updates automatically. This will make sure your protected against the latest threats.
- Treat your personal information like cash. Every time you are asked for your personal information, think about whether you can really trust the request
- Check out companies to find out who you’re really dealing with. If you see an ad or an offer that looks good to you, take a moment to check out the company behind it.
- Give personal information over encrypted websites only. To determine if a website is encrypted, look for https at the beginning of the web address (the “s” is for secure).
- Protect your passwords. Create strong passwords and keep them in a secure place, out of plain sight.
- Back up your files. Copy important files onto a removable disc or an external hard drive, and store it in a safe place.
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