8 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT
IDENTITY THEFT
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission estimates that more than 10
million people were victims of identity fraud in 2009, which according
to Javelin Strategy and Research, amounted to $54 billion stolen by
identity thieves.* Sadly, those numbers will only go up as the data from
2010 and 2011 is collected.
We're sending you this email because, as your hosting provider, we want
you to be safe. We do sell several security-related services, and we'll
certainly tell you all about them, but there are also things you can do
to protect yourself that don't cost a thing.
Please review the following checklist and safeguard yourself against
possible identity theft:
8 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT IDENTITY THEFT
- Enroll All Your Domains in Domain
Privacy
Our records indicate that one or more of your domains aren't
enrolled in our domain privacy service. "Domain privacy" may
actually be a misnomer -- it's not the domain itself that's
in need of protection; it's your personal information that's
publicly available whenever someone does a "whois" lookup online.
Harvesting "whois" information is an easy way for identity thieves
to impersonate you. We've temporarily enrolled one or more of your
domains in our privacy service for free, but that free trial
will expire in a few weeks. We encourage you to
upgrade all your domains to be permanently enrolled in
domain privacy.
- Protect Yourself Against Spyware
Spyware is malware downloaded to your computer or website, without
your knowledge or consent, that runs in the background and collects
information about you:
- Make sure whatever anti-virus program you're running on your
personal computers includes spyware protection, as well. Some
companies, such as
Lavasoft or
STOPzilla, will offer a basic anti-spyware service for free,
while charging for advanced protection.
- Add SiteLock to your account to protect
your website from being compromised by spyware and other
kinds of malware.
- Use Caution When Entering Information
Online
When providing personal or financial information online, be certain
that you have a secure connection. The URL in the address bar should
change from "http" to "https" or "shttp." A closed padlock symbol
also often indicates that the connection is secure. (If you want to
make your own website secure in this way, you may want to look into
purchasing an SSL certificate.)
- Create Strong Passwords
We realize that generating strong passwords, not to mention keeping
track of them all, can be a hassle, but it's critical that you have
strong passwords for every site you use.
You may also want to check out
pwdhash.com. When you visit a site that requires you to create a
password, enter a simple password you'll remember, but before you
submit it, run the PwdHash browser extension (Firefox or Chrome),
and it will invisibly generate a custom, strong password for that
site. In the end, you only need to remember one password, which your
browser is able to securely transform into a different, strong
password for each site you use.
- Use Discretion When Sharing Information
Use discretion when updating social media websites. Even if you
limit the number of people who have access to your profile, tweets,
etc., keep in mind that the information is still published online
and can be copied and pasted elsewhere. If anyone asks you for
personal information, make sure they are who they claim to be and
that there is a legitimate reason for the request.
- Stop Unsolicited, "Pre-Approved" Credit
Offers
Opt out of pre-screened credit/insurance offers to prevent potential
thieves from intercepting and accepting the offers in your name.
Opting out doesn't affect your eligibility for credit or insurance;
visit OptOutPrescreen.com
for more information.
You should also limit the amount of unsolicited emails you
receive by customizing your spam filter settings.
- Shred Confidential Information
When disposing of papers with account numbers or other identifying
information, shred them. This includes convenience checks that come
with your credit card statement, as well as unsolicited credit card
offers.
- Remain Vigilant: Review Your Accounts
Regularly
Monitor your accounts online frequently, so you can discover
potential issues without having to wait for bills or statements to
come by mail. You also may want to check out
MyIDScore.com; it's a free
service that reviews how likely it is your identity is being misused
and provides ways you can reduce that risk.
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All rights reserved.
FatCow, 70 Blanchard Road, Burlington, MA 01803
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