| There is no doubt about the fact that identity theft | | | | Other techniques you can use to protect yourself |
| is on the increase. More and more people are losing | | | | while banking online is to use passwords that are |
| their identities and money each year due to the | | | | extremely secure. The safest passwords should be |
| efforts of a select few individuals who know how to | | | | at least six characters long and include both numbers |
| use the Internet to their advantage. Does that mean; | | | | and letters. Never duplicate passwords and try not to |
| however, that you shouldn't use online banking at all | | | | use numbers and letters that would be easy to figure |
| in order to avoid running the risk? | | | | out, such as numbers from important dates like |
| By knowing how to protect yourself while banking on | | | | birthdays, anniversaries, etc. or names of your |
| the Internet you can reduce your risk of identity | | | | children, pets, etc. Usernames should be likewise |
| theft while still taking advantage of the numerous | | | | secure. |
| advantages and conveniences. | | | | Keystroke collector programs work to collect |
| It is important to understand that financial institutions | | | | important information such as passwords and |
| take every available effort to keep the transactions | | | | usernames that can then be used by a criminal to |
| of their customers safe and secure. After all, they | | | | hack into your online bank account information. To |
| wouldn't be in business for very long if they didn't. Of | | | | protect yourself from this threat, it is important to |
| course, it would seem that crooks and criminals get | | | | check your computer on a regular basis to make |
| more and more creative every year in order to | | | | sure you do not have any spyware, such as a |
| circumvent those security efforts. Just a few of the | | | | keystroke collector, installed on your system. This |
| techniques they use include keystroke collection and | | | | type of program can be installed on your system |
| phishing activities. | | | | without you even knowing it and many people are |
| Phishing involves the use of trick emails and even | | | | often surprised to find out the amount of spyware |
| some websites to collect personal information from | | | | that is on their system without their knowledge. |
| individuals such as bank account numbers, credit card | | | | Spyware can be detected and removed with |
| numbers, passwords, etc. With this information, | | | | spyware blockers. |
| criminals can then steal your money. So, it is incredibly | | | | Finally, don't forget to store all of your banking |
| important to be sure that whatever site you enter | | | | information in a very secure location. Never keep the |
| such information into or whoever you share such | | | | passwords and usernames on your computer itself or |
| information with is secure and legitimate. In some | | | | even near it for that matter. If you forget your own |
| cases phishing emails can look quite legitimate, as if | | | | password or username it's a lot easier to change it |
| they are indeed coming from your bank. Before | | | | than to worry about losing your money to a |
| responding such an email it's a good idea to always | | | | computer hacker. |
| contact your financial institution to verify they | | | | Joe Kenny writes for Card Guide, offering the latest |
| actually sent the email. If they can't confirm it, don't | | | | information on credit cards in the UK, apply for a |
| respond and certainly do not share any sensitive | | | | balance transfer credit card and start clearing credit |
| information. | | | | card debt today. |