Best Identity Theft Prevention Tactics to Beat Online Hackers

In this cyber age, we cannot do away with smart devices, which are an indispensable part of our life be it day-to-day office work or leisure activities like online shopping, chatting via social platforms etc. Surfing the internet via these devices can make your digital life vulnerable to hackers, so it is prudent to take care of certain elements.

Online Hack Prevention

Here are a few security tips you should follow in order to protect yourself from the latest cyber-attacks. Validation of URL while entering your personal or sensitive information on any website is crucial. Check if the URL begins with ‘https’. Also, make sure a lock icon is visible on the top left, indicating that the connection is completely safe and secure.

Keep Strong Passwords

Passwords are your first line of defense in this digital war with hackers. Hence, it is important to create a long, unique and hard to guess password. Keeping different passwords for separate accounts is considered to be an added advantage. The passwords should not be saved on notepads or mobile phones.

Beware of Pop-up Messages

Abstain from clicking on any pop-up messages that you may have often come across while surfing the internet. Pop-ups can be a form of malware or may lead you to infected sites in order to capture your sensitive and private data.

Check Before Downloading Random Software

Some popular software with high download intensity such as movie downloader, PDF editor, etc. are targeted by hackers to intrude into PC or mobile devices. A wise way is to download these software from legitimate sites.

Stay Alert when Shopping Online

Browsing and buying things from e-commerce portals is easy and fun. However, when it comes to making online payments, it is crucial to ensure the reliability of the payment channel. Only choose well-known online wallets like PayPal to stay safe from credit card frauds.

Don’t Befriend Everyone on Social Media

There’s no guarantee that a profile with a picture and name identical/similar to one of your friends/relative is really theirs. It could be a hacker impersonating your friend in order to get your personal information. So don’t just hit the “Accept” button unless and until you are sure about the profile.

Do Online Business Carefully

Online business is now a popular trend. It is now easy to display your products on online marketplaces to reach more customers. However, keep this in mind that not all e-commerce companies are reliable and they might cheat you. It is better to go with big brands like Amazon to sell your products. Check the business policy of the company to ensure that you are in safe hands.

Fraudulent Emails and Calls

Users should not click on any random links which appear in the mask of Banking institutions, or any offer of a million dollar fortune. Apart from fraudulent emails, you should also abstain from sharing any of your financial details via phone calls.

Install Antivirus Software

The best way to remain protected is to have an antivirus online that offers multi-layered protection. Choosing the right antivirus software is important according to your specific needs as there are many software floating in the market.

Ensure Safety of your Home WiFi

An open wireless router is a golden opportunity for hackers to access and take control of your data and system. It also makes it easy for others to use your connection for free. Make sure that the default settings are replaced and your WiFi is protected with a new password.

Carry with caution

Your credit cards, debit cards, identification cards, etc. should be kept carefully while travelling. Misplacement of any of these can put your personal information at risk.

Shut Down Unused/Old Accounts

Email accounts, credit & debit cards, etc. that are unused and not monitored shall be closed so that there is no misuse.

Delete Everything before Disposing 

Whenever you are disposing of a computer system, mobile, tablet, etc. make sure to wipe out all the data present in the system. This way you can remain tension free about leakage of your personal data.

Play Online Carefully

Whenever you play online games or participate in online quizzes, surveys, etc., always remember NOT to give any kind of personal information. It’s a common tactic used by hackers to create online challenges for users where they have to answer a series of questions.

So, with these best identity theft prevention tactics, you can prevent becoming a victim of online hacking attempts.

This post has been updated with latest facts.