Good Lifestyle

Identity flight is more common That you might think: when criminals can hide behind computer screens, they become much more cheeky. According to a 2021 study by cybersecurity company NordVPN, around 29% of Americans compromised their bank accounts last year, and 28% were victims of identity theft. And although there are ways to prevent online identity theft, these figures continue to climb.

"Year after year, we see the growth of cybersecurity incidents in the United States in fact, there was an increase of 27% in 2021 compared to 2020. With these increasingly increased figures will be affected By these cybersecurity problems, even if 50% of our respondents think they are well prepared, " Daniel Markuson , An expert in cybersecurity in NordVPN, said in a press release describing the results.

But what is identity theft, really? On the one hand, it is distinct from credit card fraud, although both are often confused. Nathaniel Cole ,, Director of Information Security and security advisor for the insured network, says Better life This identity flight involves a bad actor to obtain "enough personal information to successfully apply and reach articles such as credit cards, state identification or even medical care".

As the security expert notes, "identity theft can be more nuanced and include the management of accounts to be installed like you for harmful reasons, but it is often motivated by financial gains thanks to the realization of credit".

Cole says that a way to protect yourself in the digital age is to adopt a "hermit life" and completely eliminate your online presence. This is probably not a realistic option for most Americans, however, you will therefore have to remain vigilant and proactive as to the protection of your personal information. It may seem overwhelming, but experts say that there are some key methods to keep you safe.

Read the rest for five quick and easy ways to protect your identity online.

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Do you have trouble remembering all your passwords? Would it not be practical to store them in a single place - as opposed to written on pieces of paper scattered throughout the house? This is where a password manager comes into play.

"Password managers facilitate the use of solid passwords for your accounts and keep them safe," Michael Xavier ,, cybersecurity expert And the founder of Insiderchechie, said. "Instead of having to remember all your passwords, the password manager will remember for you."

This can also help differentiate your passwords, rather than always reuse the same. "It is easier to have separate passwords for your accounts because you don't have to worry about remembering it, everything is saved in your password manager," Cathy Pedrayes , Digital creator of content on cybersecurity and data , said. "They also generally have a feature to inform you if a password has been compromised, and they will help you create solid passwords."

Different browsers are equipped with this feature, but Pedrayes confirms that you can also use a third -party manager if you prefer. Still not convinced? A study carried out by Security.com found that people without Password managers were three times more likely to have their identities stolen from those who use them correctly.

In addition to using a password manager, you must always activate two -factor authentication, according to experts. You will be happy to have done it if someone gets a property of your passwords.

"If your username and password are compromised, having two factors authentication offers an additional protection layer," explains Pedrayes. "If someone tries to connect, he will be invited to enter a code generated in a random manner, which is generally sent to you by SMS or generated via an authentic application. If he does not have your device, he will not be able to enter this code and it will be more difficult to access your account. "

Authentication with two factors also allows you to save the hassles of having to constantly keep an eye on your accounts, because you will get these texts if you - or someone with bad intentions - try to connect to your profile .

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Pedrayes also recommends locking your credit to prevent the opening of fraudulent accounts. According to Credit Karma, new creditors I will not be able to access your credit reports when locked, which is to say that the locking of your credit offers more protection and control than a credit gel.

"Unless you buy a house, a car or a credit card request, it is not necessary to leave your credit unlocked," explains Pedrayes. "Call credit offices and lock your credit."

If you need a new credit card while your credit is locked, you can expect an additional verification process, but it should not hinder your request. And while you are on the phone with the main credit offices, also lock your children's credit.

"Children can also be victims of identity theft and experts believe that the more we share online on our children, the more current it will become," she explains. You can lock your children for free credit with Transunion and Equifax, but Experian can be expensive, by Karma credit.

With the boom in social media, a large part of our lives is now online. Even if you don't have Facebook or Instagram, you would probably be surprised by the amount of information that appears when looking for your name. Unfortunately, the more details available, the more the chances of falling victims of identity fraud are high. Even things that seem innocent can put you in danger.

"An excellent first step is not to share online things like your boarding pass or your restaurant receipt", " Grant Andreas ,, network security engineer and founder of Networks Hardware, says Better life . "Although it may seem harmless, there are ways to extract personal information from these photos. This includes, but without limiting themselves to it but are enough to make attempts at social engineering or phishing."

Pedrayes says you should be less confident on the Internet as a whole. "The victim of cybercrime is generally due to a human error," she said. "We trusted what we published was private, we have confidence in the new call or by e-mail or by e-mail, we trusted this application that we downloaded-attacking us less."

These stratagems are particularly delicate when they instill a feeling of emergency - a current phishing tactic - but Pedrayes urges you to take a moment and to think.

"As far as possible, before taking measures on something, check yourself," she said. "If you want to download an application, take a look at the criticism, access a search engine and search if someone has reported it as a scam. If you receive an incoming message that seems urgent, call the person to check. Overall, overall, taking a few seconds to deal with and checking is a huge step to protect you from identity theft (among other cybercrimes). "

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As Pedrayes points out, we are only humans. We cannot expect us to grasp all the threats that arise - and this is where the security software comes into play.

"Many of our applications, software, browsers, etc., include security features. Allow," recommends Pedrayes. "A few minutes to tampen in your settings or even search for an online tutorial will do the job."

It points to Microsoft 365, which includes Microsoft Defender for free with a subscription. The only step you need to take is to download a separate application.

In that spirit, always keep your software up to date. This includes your operating system, your internet browsers and other applications, says Xavier. "The update will help you protect yourself from the latest threats," he explains.