Page 74 - Winning The Credit Game Bundle (CK Patrick)

62 THE CREDIT GAME

Look the number up yourself from a reliable independent source
instead of calling the number listed in a suspicious email or unsolicited
phone message to make sure you are getting through to the real orga-
nization and not a scammer posing as them.
Unfamiliar websites should never ask for your Social Security
number, and “harmless” questions in online quizzes about matters like
your childhood pet or the street you grew up on can sometimes be
masks for the collection of data to be used in identity theft.
If a website asks for any of this information and you are not sure
about its security, it is a good idea to use a search engine to research
the organization for any reports of scams, or to call the organization on
the phone if you know the company is legit but are not sure that this
website is secure.
Arguably one of the most important ways to prevent identity theft
in the modern era is simply to avoid transmitting data over public wifi
networks.
These are the kinds of networks you run into at airports, coffee
shops, and other public spaces. They are accessed by many people, and
may appear free to access without the necessity for a password.
The problem is, this freedom of access makes it easier for hackers to
steal your data from them. Hackers may even set up their own wireless
networks in public spaces which look like they are being offered by a
local organization, but which may actually be run by an individual
who harvests all the data transmitted over the network.
One of the best identity defenses out there is a VPN—a virtual
private network which masks and encrypts your data. These are often
very affordable, and are growing increasingly popular as they offer
many benefits including enhanced privacy and security, and other
features.
Another useful tool is your phone’s wifi hotspot. A growing
number of smartphones have the ability to create their own wireless
Internet connection which your computer can use anywhere your
phone is present. These wifi hotspots have the same level of security as
your cell phone data network, making them safer to use to transmit
sensitive data than unsecured networks in public spaces.