Five easy ways to protect your identity online
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Today, I had a fascinating chat with Colin Holder, a founder of Lucid Intelligence, a website that tracks identity theft. Holder told me that there are many companies in the business of being paid to protect your identity. However, quite a few of them just do things you could easily do yourself. For free.
Here they are, from Lucid:
1. Free free to be vain! Google yourself frequently. I know of at least one person who discovered her social security number on a spreadsheet in cyberspace after doing a self-Google. She then contacted the site owner and had it taken down.
2. Feel free to make being vain easy. Set up a Google Alert for your name. I do this not for identity theft reasons, but to see when my articles are cited by other news sources and bloggers. Google sends me a daily e-mail with a list of sites mentioning my name. Of course, I often get stray results for the “famous Kashmir Hill,” located in Asia and known for the world’s highest golf course. I’m glad that Kashmir Hill is once again attracting tourists.
3. Get a free credit report. Congress passed the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act) entitling us to a free annual credit report. Take advantage of it and get yours at AnnualCreditReport.com.
4. Get Identity Theft protection from your card issuer or insurer. Check to see if your credit card offers free protection. If it doesn’t, think about getting a credit card that does offer this perk. Be sure to use the credit card with protection when traveling, at home and abroad.
5. Computers are the gateways to our identities. Protect yours. Here are some suggestions as to how from Lucid:
For free protection from viruses consider these options:
To find and remove Spyware:
Tomorrow Next week, I’ll have more on the Lucid Intelligence site and the at least 40 million Americans whose data are being traded by criminals.
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