Identity Fraud – Don’t Make It Easy
With the shopping season in full swing even though we are experiencing a difficult time across all industry sectors there is one business that is surpassing even the mighty retail giants in full Christmas swing when it comes to growth, sadly though for many victims the particular industry in question is identity theft.
So how do you overcome the potential vagaries of Identity theft and what is it. Identity theft is not just somebody copying your dress sense or sense of style, identity theft is something far more sinister and involves the theft of your very existence right down to banking details, credit cards and even your medical history.
Many people are blissfully unaware of how simple it is to get somebody else’s personal information without too much effort. It is probably far too easy for example do you shred you paperwork or destroy expired credit cards?
Basic precautions are easy to put in place and on the most part they should be simple common sense. If you are like most households you probably receive far too much junk mail and possibly put it straight into the bin with out prior thought, even pre–completed credit card applications!
If you bank online and don’t consider any of the above a risk then, you still need to consider your internet usage habits. We have all been educated to not use the same passwords and serial numbers for all our accounts and transaction, but living in the real world we all struggle to remember numerous password and user combinations and tend to use the same one leaving ourselves wide open.
Is your antivirus updated regularly, do you always download the updates as they come in, will LATER be soon enough, or will it be too late? When you upgrade your computer systems, a new laptop for Xmas a bargain in the sales or maybe an online auction purchase, how do you dispose of your old system, in particular your hard drive?
You need to take sensible precaution when disposing of old or unused computers and laptops (or hard drives). Selling them on one of the many auction sites may earn yourself a little extra pocket money, but are you aware that even if you have formatted the drive you have just given away all your personal data. Hard drive recovery experts are only limited to professional companies, the criminal element have access to this capability as well.
If you are concerned with digital theft or the possibility of identity theft then you can arranged to have your drive shredded by a certified contractor or securely wiped which is much more environmentally friendly as it allows for the re-use of the none data holding components. Secure destruction or wiping ensures you get a certificate showing when, where and by whom the drive was rendered beyond recovery and have peace of mind.
To find out more about secure data disposal and hard drive disposal call or speak to your local data recovery company . Or visit here for more great Pc, computer and laptop repair help.