We are coming into the shopping frenzy months. This is the time of year people do a lot of shopping. It is also the time of year that crime is at an all time high. The most easiest crime to commit is online. This is where someone can steal your identity. This is very scary and if someone has stolen your identity you know what a mess it can cause. It also can take years to get it back. So, it's best to prevent this from happening the best way that you can. Doing business online is a convenience and you shouldn't be afraid to do your shopping or anything else that you do online. Here are some ways that you can protect yourself.

 

Always make sure to look at your bill carefully. This will help you know if there are some purchases on your account that you didn't make. If you see any purchases that are not from you immediately take action. Do not delay one second. This way you can nip it in the bud before it gets any worse.

 

Shred anything with your name on it. Catalogs, old bills, old credit cards, magazines or any kind of junk mail. If it has your name on it make sure it's shredded. This way thieves cannot get a hold of your name and use it for criminal purposes.

 

Do not share too much information online. You don't have to fill out all the details on different forums and your social media accounts. Such as your birthday, your mother's maiden name, where you were born or who your spouse is, etc. It's easy to pretend to be you when have given someone all the information that need to know about you.

 

Don't respond to email solicitors. Many times these are people with foul intentions. If you get a bunch of spam just delete it and do not ever give out any personal information. No business would ever ask you for any personal information in an email. Also, don't click on any shady looking links. If you're not sure what it is and who it is from. Just delete it. It's better safe than sorry. Many times they could contain viruses and spyware. 

 

Have virus protection installed on your computer. There are many kinds you can get. Mcafee, Norton, Avg are just a few you can purchase for your computer. They cover the basics such as your email, web browsers and also when you visit different websites.

 

Avoid shopping at shady looking websites. If they don't have any kind of way that you can contact them. That is definitely a red flag. Don't use too many credit cards when you are shopping. Have a designated one you use. This way if someone does make unauthorized purchases on it you can easily pin point which one it is. Remember, time is of the essence when someone gets a hold of your credit card information.

 

Make sure that you use different passwords for different sites online. Never use the same password especially for any bank or credit card account. Use letters, numbers, symbols, capitol and lower case letters.

 

Your identity belongs to you and you do not deserve to have it stolen. Thieves do not have the right to steal it and ruin your good name and credit. Plus, just make life miserable for you. While they get to spend the hard earned money that you have spent your entire life saving. Why become a victim of identity theft when you can protect yourself? Click Here to see how you can get more protection for yourself from these cyber criminals.

 

You can have fun and be safe online. You shouldn't have to worry about your identity being stolen and now you don't have to. Take care of your business, surf and shop online with security.