Delta, PA -- (SBWire) -- 12/23/2013 --These days one can do everything online- from paying bills to shopping. This puts people at risk to be hacked by thieves. There are ways to protect yourself. Legal-Yogi.com can show people how to avoid identity theft online.

1. Don’t Give Out Personal Information
2. Anti-Virus Software
3. Password Protection

Don’t Give Out Personal Information

The best solution for how to avoid identity theft online is to be vigilant. Personal information is just that—personal. Be wary of any website that asks for a Social Security number or credit card information. Some websites, such as government agencies and reputable online retailers may legitimately need such information, but continue to be cautious. Phishing websites are a popular scam to get people to give out their personal information. Phishing websites tend to masquerade as a well-known or professional-seeming site, and coerce people into entering personal information. They then take what is entered and use it to steal an identity. Also be wary if someone is asked to type in a driver’s license number, health insurance information, home address, etc. There are relatively few reasons that any company should need that information.

Don’t put personal information on social media either. The more information people make available about themselves, such as an address or phone number, the more ammunition they give a potential hacker. The more they know about a person, the easier their job is.

Anti-Virus Software

Phishing websites and other harmful viruses that are trained to tap into personal information can be difficult to identify. By installing anti-virus software, One can make your identity a little bit safer. People will also want to install anti-malware for extra protection. Most software providers offer anti-virus and anti-malware as a complete package. Once they’ve installed the software, they have protection from viruses and hackers, and they will be alerted to dangerous websites.

Password Protection

People conduct most of their day-to-day business online. For their protection, each online account often requires username and password identification. A great idea for how to avoid identity theft is to use a different username and password for each account. It can get confusing, but it will keep personal information safe. Keep a written list of each account, username and password, and be sure to keep it in a safe place. Do not type these passwords in a document on the computer—a hacker may be able to access them, despite any software protection they may have.

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