In today’s dynamic digital world, protecting your identity has become more critical than ever. Identity theft points to incidents where malicious characters use your sensitive data to pose as you or steal from you. In addition to draining your bank and investment accounts, identity thieves may also create new credit accounts, obtain utility service, steal your tax refund, use your insurance information to obtain medical care, or provide the police with your name and address when they are apprehended. That’s why it is crucial to be proactive to stop criminals from abusing your personal information.
How Can Your Identity Be Stolen
Scammers use various methods to steal your identity. They may:
- Install skimmers at ATM machines, cash registers, and fuel pumps to digitally steal information from your bank card.
- Get personal information from your phone when you use public Wi-Fi.
- Use ‘phishing’ to get information from you through fraudulent emails, texts, or phone calls.
- Look through your social media accounts to find identifying information in posts or photos. Or they may ask you for information in online quizzes and surveys.
- Use malicious software like keyloggers or spyware to infect your devices, monitoring your online activities and steal sensitive data.
How To Keep Your Devices Safe
Protecting your devices is a key step in preventing identity theft. Here are some practical tips to help you maintain your devices security:
- Using Strong Passwords: Create complex, unique passwords for each of your online accounts and consider using a reliable password manager to keep track of them.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Use of Two-Factor Authentication adds an extra layer of security by requiring a secondary verification method, such as a one-time code sent to your phone.
- Install Security Software: Use reputable antivirus and anti-malware software like Norton Identity Advisor Plus to scan for and remove threats.
- Regularly Update your Software: Keep your operating system and all software up to date to patch security vulnerabilities.
- Beware of Phishing: Be cautious when clicking links or downloading attachments in emails, especially from unknown sources.
Advantages of Using Norton Identity Advisor Plus
This security solution offers comprehensive protection and valuable features to help safeguard your digital identity:
- Identity Monitoring: It continuously monitors the dark web for your personal information, alerting you if any of your data appears in suspicious places.
- Dark Web Monitoring: It continuously searches the dark web and private forums probing for personal information and sends you notifications in case there’s a security issue.
- Social Media Monitoring: It monitors your accounts on popular social media sites and notify you of suspicious activity.
- Password Manager: It easily generates and manages strong, unique passwords for your online accounts.
- Identity Theft Insurance: It provides coverage for specific losses and expenses stemming from identity theft linked to your name. Such expenses comprise legal expense refund plus lost income for the duration you’re away from work to rectify financial records.
Conclusion
Your digital identity is precious, and with the right precautions in place, you can navigate the online world with confidence, knowing that your personal information is safe and secure. Be sure to stay vigilant, adhere to best practices linked to device security, and enlist the support of robust cybersecurity tools like Norton Identity Advisor Plus
Don’t wait for a breach to happen; take control of your digital security today and enjoy peace of mind in an increasingly connected world.
