People across the globe are experiencing a relentless barrage of attacks impacting their personal privacy and security. If you have never received a notice in the mail stating that your personal information has been compromised, consider yourself one of the lucky few. Protecting against data breaches, identity theft, and even physical threats against you or your family should be a top priority for everyone. While no one can completely escape these threats, this web site puts forth steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of them happening to you. Sorted by category, the content below is routinely updated so check back often. It's a dangerous world out there, follow these steps and don't become the next victim!
By filing your taxes as soon as possible, you are limiting the amount of time that a criminal can file a return using your information. Remember that the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers electronically to requires personal or financial information. A common scam is for a criminal to impersonate the IRS in an attempt to get sensitive information from you.
Instead of paying with a traditional credit card, use Apple Pay or an Android equivalent everywhere you can. The app generates a one-use authentication code, good for the current transaction only. Even if someone stole that code, it wouldn't do them any good. And paying with a smartphone app eliminates the possibility of data theft by a credit card skimmer.
Some criminals place QR codes in public places to lure you to a malicious website, which they then use to steal your money or your payment information. Often, they'll place a fraudulent QR code over a legitimate one at a location like a parking lot. Examine the QR code for tampering before using it.
Check if your personal information has been compromised by visiting Have I Been Pwned. This service collects and analyzes data from data breaches and allows users to search for their own information by entering a username or email address. You can also sign up to be notified if your email address appears in future dumps. Read more
Donate to charities anonymously using a service like Silent Donor. It is legal for charities to share a donor’s personal information with other groups, which means one donation can quickly lead to unwanted solicitations from other charity groups.