Computerized Credit Theft

How To Block Computerized Credit Theft

Thanks to modern technology, more people than ever have home computers, or have easy access to computers at school or work. 

The computer age is here to stay, and unfortunately, the computer era ushered in a whole new genre of credit card thieves. 

.........Once upon a time, credit thieves had to break into your mailbox or steal your wallet to get access to your credit information. 

Today, credit thieves don't even have to go outside to rook you out of your money.

Though many of us use computers at home, school, or work every day, a surprisingly large number of computer users do not recognize the signs of a credit card thief at work.  Here are a few things to look for so that you can protect yourself from being victimized:

Learn to spot "phishing":  This new-age slang term refers to the act of sending out a fake email, in the hope of luring you into divulging your personal information.  These emails have appeared in many forms, but they almost always read as an urgent message that the recipient needs to act upon immediately. 

It may state that your credit card company has detected unauthorized activity, or that there is some type of error with your account, and you need to click on a link which will take you to the credit card company's website so that you can fix the problem, usually by giving out your personal information.

Never click on a link that you did not request:  Credit thieves count on the fact that many people do click on those links found in "phishing" emails.  The link usually takes you to a website that is an exact copy of a particular credit company's website. 

In reality, the thieves are sitting at the other end waiting for you to enter your personal information, such as your credit card number, social security number, etc.&nb

Once they have that information, they are free to spend your money, or steal your identity. 
Most often, these sites are based in foreign countries, and are very difficult to trace.  If you want to see the web address associated with a particular link, hover your mouse over the link and right click, then select "view source". 

If the web address is unfamiliar, contains a lot of characters, or doesn't look right, it's pretty safe to assume that it's a fake.

Even if you click on a link, but don't enter any personal information, you still put yourself at risk of having spyware installed on your computer, or having your computer become infected with a virus.  It is in your best interest to avoid clicking on these links altogether.

This is not to say that you should never do business over the Internet, or give out personal information via computer.   Rather, only divulge personal information when the computer contact was initiated by you. 

And remember, credit card companies NEVER send out emails asking for your personal information.  Credit card companies go to great lengths to protect its customers, and to ensure that any computer transactions that you initiate are secure. 

As long as you keep these tips in mind, you are less likely to become a victim of credit theft.     

Computerized Credit Theft