It Could Happen to You

Identity Theft. It’s a scary thought. 17.6 million US Residents experienced identity theft in 2014 according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Have you ever thought about what you are doing to prevent identity theft? You might be unintentionally leaving yourself vulnerable. Don’t become another statistic; protect yourself and your identity now.

TD Bank and Google recommend several ways to prevent identity theft online. Below is the best advice from both of them. Protect your identity online now.

Protect your password. Never share your password with anyone, don’t send your password through email or enter your password into a site you don’t trust. Use complex passwords, and change your password often. Read more about protecting your password in this article: http://groups.etown.edu/its/2016/01/29/will-your-password-be-unbroken/.

Look for the lock. When browsing online, and especially when providing financial information or purchasing something online, look for the “closed padlock” next to the address bar and make sure that the web address starts with http://. If not, your information and identity could be at risk.

Install anti-virus software. Make sure that you have anti-virus and malware protection software installed and up-to-date on your personal computer. The college requires all computers connected to Jaynet Login Wi-Fi to have Symantec installed. Read more about malware and anti-virus in this article: http://groups.etown.edu/its/?p=2528&preview=true.

Beware of email scams. Emails are common ways that identity thieves try to trick users into clicking harmful links or inputting passwords into bad sites. Never send passwords or personally identifying information via e-mail. If something looks suspicious, forward the email to mailcop@etown.edu. Google provides Gmail users a way to report suspicious emails or phishing attempts here: http://support.google.com/mail/answer/184963?hl=en&ref_topic=3406179.

You can check for signs of identity theft by checking your credit score. You can check once yearly for free at annualcreditreport.com. If you think you may have been the victim of identity theft, contact your financial institution as soon as possible to discuss recommended next steps.