So you got yourself a shredder, and you shred all documents bearing your personal or financial information before you throw them out. Good for you. Think you’re doing all you can to protect your identity? Think again.
Every time you turn on your computer, you put your personal and financial information at risk. Cybercriminals are working harder every day to find new and innovative ways to get at your information online, and they’re getting better at it minute by minute.
Most people have heard of hacking and phishing, and they understand how these techniques work. But many people don’t know about the black market, and how criminals use it to commit crime.
The black market is an online place where criminals can literally purchase parts of your identity or the whole ball of wax. They can then sell the information they’ve purchased to criminals all over the world. The buying and selling of personal and financial information is big business, and millions of identities are stolen each year to fuel the fire.
One of the hottest tickets on the black market is Social Security numbers. It’s crucial that you protect yours. Don’t carry it with you – keep it stored in a safe place, and only carry it when you need it for a specific purpose.
If you are asked to provide your SSN, find out why it’s needed and how it will be handled after you have given it. If you are uncomfortable with what you hear, ask if an alternative form of identification can be used.
When online, never enter your SSN in response to an unsolicited e-mail. If a site requires your SSN, don’t give it unless the site is secured.
