Learning Commons
In a world where people are increasingly living their lives online, privacy in the digital world is becoming one of the most important issues of modern life. Stories of identity theft, ruined careers, and fraud abound. How well protected are you against these very real threats?
Is someone harvesting and selling your information right now? Hacking into your bank account? Taking our credit in your name?
Is your online persona going to prevent you from landing that great job?
Are you letting it all hang out on 
or 
or 
to the detriment of your future?
There is big business in stealing your credit card information - are you making sure that you are protecting yourself as much as possible?
Lawyers.com suggests taking the following actions to secure your credit rating and your cash:
- Make sure you have a secure internet
connection, by checking for the unbroken key or closed lock icon in your
browser, before you enter any personal information onto a webpage
- Only give a credit card number when buying
something and try to use a landline for purchases
- Register your credit cards with your card provider's online security services, such as Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode
- Use just one credit card for online purchases; if possible, use an account with a low spending limit or small available balance
- Don't use a debit card for your online purchases.
Credit cards are better because bank-provided security guarantees apply to
credit cards, so an unauthorized charge is limited to $50
- Don't select the "remember my password"
option when registering online
- Change your passwords every 60 to 90 days and don't
use personal information as your password, instead use a string of at least
five letters, numbers and punctuation marks
- Check out online retailers' ratings at BizRate and the Better Business Bureau before buying
More Consumer Fraud Resources
Better Business Bureau’s Safe Shopping Site
Better Business Bureau – Consumer Scam Prevention Tips
TRUSTe Consumer Privacy Tips
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