| This part would still discuss the many facts about | | | | your personal information. They can also get this from |
| identity theft and a couple of guides will also be | | | | your mailbox, trash bins and even from your school or |
| provided to help prevent individual consumers from | | | | university. |
| becoming victims of the fastest growing identity theft | | | | 3. Identity thieves are also computer hackers. |
| crime in the United States. | | | | With the advent of technology and the internet, most |
| 1. The internet perpetuated identity theft. | | | | identity thieves have now channeled their energy into |
| Technology played a lot of part in the perpetuation of | | | | accessing personal information that are exchanged |
| identity theft. The internet made a lot of things possible | | | | online since these are done randomly and millions of |
| for every individual. It has afforded flexibility, | | | | transactions transpire everyday. The identity thieves |
| accessibility and mobility to most of its consumers | | | | train themselves to be computer hackers or they seek |
| which made internet a common household name. | | | | the help of computer hackers, either way, there is no |
| Online shopping, online banking, e-commerce-everything | | | | doubt that identity thieves have now taken a different |
| is now internet or electronically available. | | | | face. This is a new one as it can only be used online. |
| Since more and more transactions are being done | | | | 4. Connecting to a public Wi-Fi hot spot zone can |
| online, it cannot be helped when you have to give out | | | | make you prone to identity theft. |
| your personal information. For instance, in making online | | | | If you think, as an internet user, that hot spots are |
| purchases, you need to give out your credit card | | | | great ideas as they offer free unlimited internet |
| number to secure the purchase. After doing so, you | | | | access to individuals like you, then do not discount the |
| need to give out your name and address for the | | | | fact that computer hackers are also ecstatic about |
| delivery of your merchandise. This information, when | | | | the idea. Not because they can go online for free but |
| they fell in malicious hands, can be used by other | | | | because they can easily hack the wireless network |
| people for their own financial and material rewards. | | | | and see what everyone is doing in their computer. |
| 2. Despite the many security programs that are | | | | Most wi-fi hot spots are have no passwords or any |
| developed, identity theft is still growing. | | | | form of security for their networks, which makes it |
| Installing good and reliable anti-virus programs cannot | | | | more prone to computer hacking. |
| prevent identity theft but it can seriously make you | | | | If you are fond of connecting to wi-fi hot spots, think |
| less attractive to identity thieves because it can | | | | again. Or if ever you do, do not perform any |
| protect your computer system from intruder attacks. | | | | confidential transactions online. Only do so when you |
| Then again, that does not guarantee that you will | | | | are using a secure network like in your home or in |
| never be a victim of identity theft. For one reason, | | | | your office. |
| identity thieves do not only access your computer for | | | | |