Antivirus for Windows 8.1 to Preventing Identity Theft
Have you ever received an unfamiliar bill or a sudden call from your bank asking about unknown charges? What about getting surprised because you were turned down for a loan or an apartment because of red flags in your credit check you never knew about? We hope you never have because these are signs that your identity may have been stolen.
What is identity theft?
Identity theft is when cybercriminals take advantage of your personal information and pretend to be you for their scamming tricks. There are more and more ways a scammer can get your information given today's digital age, especially when you aren’t using antivirus for Windows 8.1. Identity theft includes using stolen payment-card information to make a purchase, taking control of your existing accounts in banks and online payment platforms or opening new ones with online sites, such as Amazon, mobile carriers or utilities.Your identity can be stolen in both physical and digital means so we prepared a few tips on how you can prevent this kind of attack at all times.
8 Tips to Prevent Identity Theft Using Windows 8.1 Antivirus
#1 Be savvy about emails
Open every email you get with extra caution, especially when they came from an unfamiliar source. Treat them as a potential data breach or warning about potential fraud. Never click on an unsuspicious link or open an unknown attachment.
#2 Don’t overshare on social networks
This advice is probably the most basic and no-brainer of all. Modern identity thieves will often scan social networks for personal information to piece together identities. As such, avoid posting any personal information, location data, as well as items with sensitive information in pictures that you share. Consider configuring your social media accounts like Facebook to be not viewable by people you don't know.
#3 Never use your Social Security number as ID
Instead of instantly handing over our SSN when it's asked for, ask why such information is necessary and if there is an alternative form of ID you can use. Additionally, notify your bank that you will only use your account number and never your SSN to access your account so they will know when somebody else is trying to open it.
#4 Only make a purchase from reputable and verified websites
Make sure that you see the Hypertext transfer protocol Secure (https) in a website's URL whenever it asks for personal or financial information as it's a more secure variant of the older Hypertext transfer protocol (http). If you're unfamiliar with a website you need to make a purchase from, don't hesitate to search the web for further information, such as how are they reviewed by other users or whether they have a strong rating with the Better Business Bureau. If none of these are looking good, close the page and bring your business elsewhere.
#5 Monitor your credit report regularly
Check each of your credit reports at least every four months to make sure that all the data is accurate and that nobody has opened up accounts under your name. If you notice a problem, dispute it with the lender and the bureau right away.
#6 Sign up for alerts and monitoring
It's always a good idea to get a notification whenever there's an activity in your payment modes or accounts so you can take action immediately if it's something you didn't do yourself.
#7 Protect your personal data
Change your passwords frequently on all accounts, use a password manager and enable two-factor authentication wherever possible. Regularly check any account that involves money, such as statements from your mobile carrier to ensure additional devices or services haven't been added.
#8 Protect your devices
Apart from using the latest version of your operating system, make sure that you install a dependable antivirus for Windows 8.1, like Comodo Internet Security (CIS). This will prevent any type of malware from breaching your network and will allow you to continue online shopping or banking without a sweat. It also has an auto-sandbox technology that can safely execute unknown executables and other suspicious files.
Takeaways
When it comes to identity theft, there is no single group that is more or less susceptible to being victimized. For some, this can only be an incident that results in an annoying inconvenience and eventually gets back their identity but identity theft can lead to tremendous damage in financial and reputational aspects for others.
Don't let this happen to you and take proactive actions as simple as installing a reliable antivirus for Windows 8.1. Take note of the simple tips stated above and avoid becoming the next victim.
