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CREDIT FRAUD: Identity thief - consider your computerYour computer can be a goldmine of personal information to an identity thief. Here's how you can safeguard your computer and the personal information it stores: Update your virus protection software regularly. Computer viruses can have damaging effects, including introducing program code that causes your computer to send out files or other stored information. Look for security repairs and patches you can download from your operating system's Web site. Don't download files from strangers or click on hyperlinks from people you don't know. Opening a file could expose your system to a computer virus or a program that could hijack your modem. Use a firewall, especially if you have a high-speed or "always on" connection to the Internet. The firewall allows you to limit uninvited access to your computer. Without a firewall, hackers can take over your computer and access sensitive information. Use a secure browser - software that encrypts or scrambles information you send over the Internet - to guard the safety of your online transactions. When you're submitting information, look for the "lock" icon on the status bar. It's a symbol that your information is secure during transmission. Try not to store financial information on your laptop unless absolutely necessary. If you do, use a "strong" password - that is, a combination of letters (upper and lower case), numbers and symbols. Avoid using an automatic log-in feature that saves your user name and password; and always log off when you're finished. If your laptop gets stolen, the thief will have a hard time accessing sensitive information. Delete any personal information stored on your computer before you dispose of it. Use a "wipe" utility program, which overwrites the entire hard drive and makes the files unrecoverable. Read Web site privacy policies. They should answer questions about the access to and accuracy, security and control of personal information the site collects, as well as how sensitive information will be used, and whether it will be provided to third parties. ADDITIONAL CREDIT FRAUD RELATED FACTS Identity Thief - How Identity Theft Occurs Identity Thief - Managing Your Personal Information Fdic Consumer Alerts - Phishing Scam Identity Thief - How Can I Tell If I'm A Victim Of Identity Theft? What Is The Ftc Doing To Reduce Identity Theft? Avoiding Scams - Protecting Yourself Don't Fall For Credit-Related Scams |
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