How to Prevent Being a Victim of Idenity Theft

Unfortunately, identity theft is too common in today's world. It's hard to trust anyone nowadays. According to Javelin Strategy and Research, 9.3 million people were victims of identity theft in just one year. Don't let yourself be included in this statistic. Prevent ID theft by following these recommendations.

Never use the same password for more than one site. Once a thief gets one password, they might try to use it for all of your accounts. Unfortunately, if you use the same password for all of your accounts and websites, the thief is going to gain access to your information.

Don't use your main e-mail address or user ID in any blog, chat room, forum or group. This is a good way for scammers to get your e-mail address and send you spoof e-mails. Use an alternate e-mail, or just make up another name for these situations.

Always look for the gold padlock in the lower right hand corner of your browser window, and/or in the URL address bar. Most times, the address will be highlighted in yellow as well. All banks and legitimate websites asking for information will have this padlock icon. This means that the website is secure and private. If ever you come across a website asking for information without that padlock, I would question its security and privacy.

Disable Javascript when on bank websites or other personal account sites, like PayPal, Ebay or your e-mail. Also, never stay logged in to any website that includes your personal information. It's not necessary to remain logged into your PNC Bank account for 4 hours at a time. Make sure you sign out when you leave the site.

Shred any unwanted credit offers or bank statements that you receive in the mail before throwing them away. "Dumpster diving" is a popular way for ID thieves to get your personal information.