However, these conveniences often come at a cost - the cost of exposing your data to hackers

and whatnot, one of the most common ones is identity theft. Identity theft is characterized by one

person using another’s personal or financial data for their benefit. Cybercriminals may take information

like a person’s name, birthday, Social Security number, driver’s license number, home address, and

bank account information and use it for their benefit. A name and matching financial information, for

instance, can be used to apply for credit cards or open new accounts. 

But there are a couple of ways in which you can safeguard your personal information and data from the prying eyes of hackers and cybercriminals.

Cybertech presents some of the best ways to protect your identity with ease:

• Keep an eye on your mail.

Believe it or not, most privacy breaches trace back to your mail inbox. Be it your contact number or date of birth, all most everything can be scrounged up via it. So, it’s essential to keep an eye on your mail inbox. In case you receive suspicious e-mails, just read their subject but don’t open them and label them as “spam”. 

Read More: How to Identify Malicious Links On Internet

Apart from that, your normal mail can be a threat too. So, keep your mail in a locked mailbox or consider using a PO Box at the post office.  Put a stop order on mail delivery when you are traveling.

• Check your bank records carefully.

Each month open all of your statements for bank accounts, credit cards, etc. to check for purchases that you do not recognize. Or better yet, set up your account on the company's secure website and check your account there every few days.

• Look carefully into your credit score reports and details.

Usually, credit agencies render the service of sending your credit history or credit score to your e-mail address. So, it is of utmost importance that you carefully go through it. Read them completely and look for errors in your personal information or accounts you need to recognize. In case you spot a suspicious transaction or auto-deduction, report it to your bank immediately. 

• Shred those bills and ATM receipts.

One of the most heinous ways of accessing somebody’s personal information is via that garbage can in which you often duck your ATM receipts and bills in a crumpled ball. These balls can be straightened up and your personal information can still be legible. Not kidding, some thieves have been known to go through garbage cans and dumpsters looking for your financial information. So, it is recommended that once you are finished with a financial document, use a crosscut shredder to dispose of it.

• Don’t keep everything in one place. Make copies.

Some people like all of their important things in one place like in their purse or wallet. But this can be disastrous if that purse or wallet is stolen or lost.  So, make sure that you do not keep everything in one place. Leave your PAN card and any credit cards that you don't use on a regular basis, at home.  Keep important documents, as well as birth certificates, domicile immigration documents, insurance policy information, and bank account information in a fireproof lockbox or another secure location. Make sure that you keep copies of your Aadhaar card, PAN card, passport, etc. in order to protect your identity.

Read More: 5 signs of an Insecure website

• Don’t answer unknown phone calls or reply to suspicious e-mails.

Never give out personal information via phone or email even if they claim to be your bank. Unsolicited

phone calls and emails could be scams, so watch out for them.  You can stop phone calls through

the National Do Not Call Registry at https://www.donotcall.gov/. Never click on links within emails whose

addresses you do not recognize.  Some are "phishing" scams that are trying to access

personal information on your computer. As mentioned, just dump them into the spam folder.

• Set up passwords that are difficult to crack.

Identity thieves can access your information by hacking into your computer by decoding your passwords

.  Keep your passwords safe by avoiding family names, important dates, or any words that can be found

in a dictionary; keep them long; use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols; and change them

monthly.  Also avoid using obvious keyboard patterns for your passwords: 1qazxsw2 or qwerty,

for example. Do not store your passwords on your computer. The same applies to your cell phone.

While it is a pain to enter a password every time you open your phone, this will provide you with some

security in the event that your phone is lost or stolen.  Also, take advantage of system updates to make

sure your phone has the latest security systems.

• Use one credit card for online shopping.

Believe it or not but once a hacker is successful, he or she can start making use of credit cards that you use for online purchases. To reduce this risk, kindly designate one credit card for all your online purchases. Never ever use a debit card online.

No matter what you use the internet for, just remember these tips and remain safe. 

For more insightful content, visit us at https://www.itscybertech.com/.