In this day in time your personal information such as your address, credit card number, checking account number, and even your telephone number, is at an all time high of theft. Telemarketing companies and marketing companies will pay top dollar for your personal information depending on the type of information collected. Identity theft and other related crimes are also at an all time high.
There are a couple things that you can do to help reduce the risk of having your phone constantly ringing day in and day out with a telemarketer on the other end and to keep your personal information secure from theft.
1) The number one mistake and the easiest way for a person to steal your information is actually in a very accessible place known as your trash. Most criminals of identity theft find your bills, check stubs and other personal info in your trash. Make sure you discard your personal info in a proper way, shredding is one way to cut down on this.
2) The internet is the number one source of information distribution in the world. When buying, applying, or signing up for something on the internet make sure it is a reputable company and they have a secure online certificate, otherwise known as a SSL cert. This scrambles all the information on the page into a code so others cannot see what is being typed into the screen.
3) Beware of scams either via phone or on the internet. If you haven’t heard of the company before or are unsure of what they are telling you don’t give them any information.
4) Never give your credit card information to companies that call you asking you to pay a bill. Most of the time they are legit companies but the other half are scams. Ask them to send you a bill in the mail.
It is a fact that in this modern world, around ninety percent of personal computers are infected by spyware. This makes it one of the biggest internet threats that can stealthily wreak havoc on your computer while collecting all of your personal data. These malicious programs are written to silently bypass your anti-virus programs and firewalls. Fortunately, these spyware programs don’t replicate themselves as do viruses and worms.
In most cases, spyware is installed by the user when they install a freeware or shareware program. Once it is downloaded, the program begins collecting information for the spyware writer’s use or for him to sell to a third party. P2P programs are renowned for downloads that possess spyware.
Whenever you download a program, you should always pay attention to the small print. Often, the publisher states that a spyware program is included and there are also some that carry an opt-out box that you can tick to stop the spyware from being included in your download.
Sometimes, spyware can access your computer through the practice of manipulating security features that prevent unwanted downloads. These programs are designed so that even if you choose the button to stop the download, the spyware program will start.
The third common method of spyware infection is through attacking security holes in the browser or other software programs. When you go to a webpage that is controlled by a spyware writer, there is code that attacks the browser and forces the installation of spyware.
Spyware is malicious and can perform a number of tasks on your computer, ranging from annoying to aggressive in nature. Spyware can:
•Scan your hard drive for files •Monitor keystrokes for reporting •Look through applications on your desktop •Read your cookies •Steal credit card and other personal information •Deliver pop up advertisements •Change default settings •Mutate into second generation of spyware •Slow down your computer
to prevent your computer from being attacked by spyware, there are a couple of steps you can take.
Buy a reliable anti-spyware program such as AdAware or Windows Antispyware. Alternatively, use the antispyware software as part of an antivirus package such as Norton, McAfee, or Symantec.
Anti-spyware software provides real-time protection, scanning and removal of any spyware that is found on your computer. Make sure you update your antivirus software regularly.
Internet Explorer itself is often to blame for the spyware problem because the spyware programs often attach to it through its weaknesses. This has led to many users switching to other browsers but if you are continuing to use Internet Explorer, then you need to update the security patches on a regular basis. Also, when downloading programs, only download from a reputable source.
If however, your computer has been infected with a lot of spyware, you may have no alternative but to backup your data and completely reinstall the operating system.
Anne is the owner of two websites http://www.ebooksbargains.com which has a huge range of books on a variety of subjects and http://www.therepairables.com that is a site which can help you in times of financial problems.
Both Richard Gilliland & Anne Wolski are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Richard Gilliland has sinced written about articles on various topics from Phone Cards, Credit Cards and Free Credit Report Score. For more information like this you can visit us at . Richard Gilliland's top article generates over 5400 views. to your Favourites.
Anne Wolski has sinced written about articles on various topics from Anger Control, Cure Anxiety and Health. Anne is the owner of two websites which has a huge range of books on a variety of subjects and. Anne Wolski's top article generates over 6600 views. to your Favourites.