- Practice unsafe surfing. When you purchase a new computer, go online
without activating the firewall, or purchasing protective software.
Further expose yourself digitally by sharing a wireless connection with
the entire neighborhood. Without digital encryption, you can share the
contents of your hard drive with anyone on the street. For maximum risk,
do some online banking on a public computer -- like the one at the
library or a public cafe. Bonus points are added if your Social Security
number is your user ID for any transactions.
- Skimp on anti-virus and anti-spyware protection. Courting disaster
online is easy. Invite malicious code to attack your computer simply by
doing nothing. Antivirus programs can be pricey, and the maintenance of
constantly downloading updates is time-consuming. Combine that with the
security updates from Microsoft or Apple and it's enough to seriously
annoy anyone.
- Passwords are a pain! Make life easy for yourself by using the same
password for EVERYTHING, and make it something easy to remember, like
your first name or 'password'. Just in case, make sure you write it down
on a yellow sticky and put it somewhere easy to see.
And don't forget to have your browser set to 'remember password' to make
life easy for you - and the cyberthief.
- Peek at junk email and open attachments from unknown sources. Open
attachments from strangers, secret crushes, long-lost friends saying
"what's up," or strangers hawking cheap drugs -- you'll never know
unless you peek at that email. One of the many fun things that can
happen when you open an attachment containing malicious code is
infecting your computer with a Trojan horse or virus, which can easily
lead to identity theft.
- Stuff your wallet with juicy identifying tidbits. Wallets and purses
are more than just handy cash-carrying devices. They often have credit
cards, identification, insurance information and even Social Security
cards. Obviously, more is better if you'd like to become the prey of
fraudsters. Losing or misplacing a wallet or purse can cause more
problems than just the hassle of replacing all those cards and buying a
new bag. Armed with your date of birth, Social Security number and
mailing address, there's no limit to the damage thieves could cause.
- Make your checks payable to criminals. If you're like most people, you
wouldn't post your checking account information on your front door,
though you should if you'd like to be a victim of fraud. Similarly,
checks reflecting the same information can be dropped casually into
unsecured mailboxes. Statistically the chances of your mailbox being
targeted by criminal elements are low, but not that low. According to
the 2008 Identity Fraud Survey Report from Javelin Strategy and
Research, almost 1 in 10 victims of identity theft who can pinpoint the
scene of the crime say that it happened at the mailbox.
- Opt out? Opt in! While you're mailing checks from the unlocked
mailbox, go ahead and get credit card companies to send you all the
pre-approved offers that the postman can cram into the box. Similarly,
don't get credit card statements online; leave them on the side of the
road so that they're more convenient for fraudsters who lack the
technical knowledge or follow-through to launch complicated hacking
schemes.
- Nothing is too good to be true. Everyone wants to feel special and
maybe more importantly, filthy rich. When reading an emailed proposition
from an African business tycoon, an imperiled prince or downtrodden
heiress offering millions of dollars in exchange for some small measure
of assistance, it's difficult not to wish it were true. Falling for the
story will undoubtedly lead to unpleasantness.
More information see 7 Surefire Ways to Become an ID Theft Victim (Sheyna Steiner, 21-Apr-2008, Bankrate.com).
