{"id":15771,"date":"2011-09-20T15:47:09","date_gmt":"2011-09-20T05:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/power-up.space\/?p=15771"},"modified":"2011-09-20T15:47:09","modified_gmt":"2011-09-20T05:47:09","slug":"don%e2%80%99t-give-your-identity-away-tips-from-avg-aunz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/?p=15771","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t give your identity away: Tips from AVG (AU\/NZ)"},"content":{"rendered":"

You can save yourself hours of wasted time cancelling cards and chasing up your bank to reclaim stolen cash by being vigilant and following these simple steps from AVG (AU\/NZ) Pty Ltd<\/a>, the distributor of the award-winning AVG Internet and mobile security software in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific.<\/p>\n

Lloyd Borrett, Security Evangelist<\/a> at AVG (AU\/NZ), says: \u201cPeople are giving away their personal information and opening themselves to identity fraud by failing to be alert to the ramifications of their online activities.\u201d<\/p>\n

In today\u2019s digitally connected world, having your identity stolen is all too easy and the consequences of losing your identity are all too serious.<\/p>\n

Identity fraud sees criminals clone your identity for monetary gain such as opening bank accounts in your name, redirecting your post to another address, or even securing a passport using your details.<\/p>\n

So what can you do to prevent the fraudsters getting enough of your personal details to wreak havoc with your finances and your life? AVG (AU\/NZ) has compiled a list of tips to help you keep the cyber criminals at bay.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t throw away anything that contains personal identification information<\/strong> \u2014 shred or rip up all \u00a0bank statements, utility bills, application forms, chequebook stubs, card receipts and letters carrying personal details.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Be aware of phishing phone calls<\/strong> \u2014 where you\u2019re conned into giving away personal information over the phone \u2014 get a return phone number, check it is a legitimate organisation and call them back.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Be very alert online<\/strong> \u2014 phishing attacks are a growing problem. Don\u2019t respond to emails asking for personal information such as account details, usernames, passwords or credit card details.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Set strong passwords<\/strong> \u2014 When 20,000 Yahoo, AOL and Hotmail passwords were hacked into last year, it was found that the most popular password was 123456. Cyber criminals have sophisticated hacking technology so it is vital to set long passwords with illogical combinations of letters, numbers and symbols. And change them regularly. Social networking sites can be an open conduit to your data. Always log out at the end of each session.<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Monitor your credit status regularly<\/strong> \u2014 Then you\u2019ll be aware of who is doing credit searches on you and if any new accounts have been set up in your name.<\/p>\n

Borrett says, \u201cIf you suspect fraudulent activity then act fast and contact your bank, credit card, store card merchandiser, utility and phone companies so they can monitor irregular activity. Other businesses such as Secure Sentinel<\/a> offer loss assistance and identity theft detection services.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keep in touch with AVG (AU\/NZ)<\/strong><\/p>\n