The Lottery Winner

In this scam you will either receive a phone call or a letter telling you that you have won some foreign lottery that you do not even remember entering.  This should be the first red flag.  They then proceed to tell you that all they need is your address and name to make the check out too and for tax purposes they are going to need your Social Security number.  What this identity theft scammer is hoping is that the person they contacted is greedy enough to let them in the front door, so to speak and be able to steal your personal information.
You are Hired

You know that you have put your resume on various online job-seeking websites but have not been interviewed nor offered a job so how can you be ready to be hired.  When the company calls you to let you know that they would love to hire you for a fabulous position.  They fax you tax forms and a job application and all you have to do is fill them, return them, and you get the job.  Unfortunately this company is also asking you for personal information.  This should give you some indication that it is very possible that this is a scammer or identity thief and you should not give them any personal information.
You are an Heir or Heiress

You get a call that someone has left you some a million dollars but you do not know this person who has died.  In order to get this inheritance you need to give the caller your Social Security number plus the account and routing number of your bank account.  With this scam the only one that is getting any money is the identity theft scammer plus they are getting your personal information if you gave them any of the information that they asked for.

You should always know who you are buying from and if it is a store that you have not shopped at before make sure that you take some time to research the store to see what other customers have to say about their experience shopping at this store.  You can even call the number for customer service and ask about their guarantees and policies.  If you cannot find a phone number send them an email and ask them these questions and any others you might have before you buy anything from them.

Make sure that the store’s website is encrypted so any personal and financial information is secure before it is sent over the internet.  One way to make sure that the site is encrypted is to make sure that the website address begins with “https” and not “http” before you hit the send button.  The “S” on the end of “http” means that the site is secure and it is safe to send your personal and financial information.
You should also review the store’s policies about returning things purchased from the store and make sure that the store’s commitment to customer service is what you would expect if you shopped at a brick and mortar store.  You also need to make sure that your computer security is current and not out of date.  You should be using a comprehensive anti virus software to make sure that it will help to prevent fraud, identity theft, and viruses.  You should also check for any updates on a regular basis and if possible enroll with a identity theft protection companies such as Lifelock.

If you have any doubts about the store, their security, their policies, and their guarantees, do not order from the and check out another store.  A good warning sign that this site may not be legitimate is the lack of contact information.  Also deals that sound too good to be true may also be a sign that the company might not be on the up and up.  In this situation it might be better to find another store.

You should also make sure that you review your credit card statement each month when it comes in to see if there are any discrepancies.

Overwriting Viruses

There are some viruses that can cause certain file to be deleted and even the whole drive contents.  If a user acts fast enough the deleted files may be able to be recovered.  What an overwriting virus does is to use malicious code and over write the original file using the code.  When this happens, the file cannot be recovered because it was replaced or modified.

Ramsomware Trojans

This type of malicious malware will encrypt files on your infected computer and then ask for money in exchange for the decryption key.  The victim is affected in two different ways.  They cannot access their important files and they are a victim of extortion.

Password Stealers

These are Trojan malware that steal login information for networks, systems, email, FTP, games, ecommerce and banking sites.  The attackers can custom configure password stealers after they have infected the system to steal from the email system, and then reconfigure it to steal from an online site.  Although games are the most talked about target they are not the most common target.

Backdoors

This type of malware Trojans provide surreptitious and remote access to an infected system which is like having the hacker sitting at your computer keyboard.  This type of Trojan can let the attacker do any action that you do.  In addition, the attacker can install other malware on your computer.

Rookits and Bookits

The attacker will have full access to your computer system with a rootkit and will usually hide in registry edits, files, folders, and any other components it uses.  It can also hide other malicious malware in addition to hiding itself.  With a bookit malware it will infect flash BIOs.  When you combine it with a rootkit functionality it becomes a hybrid and is hard to detect and remove.

Keyloggers

This is a malicious Trojan malware that monitors your keystrokes.  The attacker takes this information and puts them into a file and then sends this file off to remote attackers.  You can even purchase keylogger software which parents can use to record their children’s online activities.  With keylogger malware it can monitor all keystrokes or it can be set up to monitor a specific activity.

One of the biggest reasons this is the first choice for some is that it reduces the amount of paper that is being used every day. Going green is a great reason. When you add up all of the different accounts you have and then multiply that by how many sheets of paper each saves by doing business electronically, the number is amazing.

If you are one of the many people who find that online banking is the best choice for you, then you may already know what measures the financial institutions are taking to ensure that you are safely using their websites. One thing that these sites have in common with other sites is that they require you to log into their system to access your information. This is just the first step in a sometimes long process.

Remember when you are answering the security questions to gain access to your account that there is good reason for such drastic measures. A site that does not require you to answer questions, at least on your first visit, is not doing all they can to keep you safe. You should also remember that you need to take some steps you keep your personal information safe as well.

Where you check your account information is just as important as the security of the site. Using public computers increasing the chances that other can see the information you type into the machine. If at all possible, avoid public computers, at least when you are online accessing personal information.

To avoid being a victim of identity theft protection coverage is a good idea. Credit protection is a service offered by the different reporting agencies and is something everyone should be aware of. A quick search online will get you started on researching what company fits your needs the best.

But what most people seek when choosing the internet over other retailers is to save money on their purchases. This is a great reason to at least search online for items before heading out to the store. Why not, when you can get what you need without having to leave home. Many times you may also get great deals on shipping which means even more money in your pocket.

No matter how much time you spend on your computer shopping you need to be aware of the risks of id theft when you buy items online. Though websites have come a long way from the first days of internet shopping and security, there will always be someone trying to make a buck of off someone who does not have id theft protection. Taking steps to make sure you are shopping as safely as possible is the only way to go.

Always question how secure your information is on a site. If you want to purchase items from a site, but are not sure if they are protecting your information, contact the site administrator. They should be able to tell you what precautions they have taken to make sure you are not showing the world your personal or financial information.

One way to make sure that you are staying safe is to avoid sites that ask for too much information. Never trust a site that needs your social security number for any reason. On the other hand you do not want to buy items at a site where you do not have to log in. A site that asks only for your name and credit card number is likely a scam.

Online auction sites or classified listings are other sites where you will need to be cautious. If you frequent these types of sites be sure you use a third party for payment so that both you and the seller are protected. Id theft protection is very important for any type of transaction, but is especially important when you are online.