Identity Fraud An How To Avoid It

I’m sure you’ll all be pleased to know that even during these times of the credit crunch there is still one industry enjoying a growth period, unfortunately, it’s Identity Theft … the easiest way for fraudsters to blight your life and stress you still further!

So how do you combat the risks of having your identity stolen? This is not just people copying your clothes and hairstyle, they want a quick and easy way to profit from your financial and business data, your NHS number, your Passport details, your bank account and savings information, even your pension plan.

Do you know how easy it is to get a copy of your own or somebody else’s birth certificate? TOO easy!!! Do you routinely shred your bank and credit card statements after processing them?

Basic precautions are easy to put in place and on the most part they should be simple common sense. If you are like most households you probably receive far too much junk mail and possibly put it straight into the bin with out prior thought, even pre–completed credit card applications!

If you bank online and don’t consider any of the above a risk then, you still need to consider your internet usage habits. We have all been educated to not use the same passwords and serial numbers for all our accounts and transaction, but living in the real world we all struggle to remember numerous password and user combinations and tend to use the same one leaving ourselves wide open.

Is your antivirus updated regularly, do you always download the updates as they come in, will LATER be soon enough, or will it be too late? When you upgrade your computer systems, a new laptop for Xmas a bargain in the sales or maybe an online auction purchase, how do you dispose of your old system, in particular your hard drive?

You need to take sensible precaution when disposing of old or unused computers and laptops (or hard drives). Selling them on one of the many auction sites may earn yourself a little extra pocket money, but are you aware that even if you have formatted the drive you have just given away all your personal data. Hard drive recovery experts are only limited to professional companies, the criminal element have access to this capability as well.

If you are concerned with digital theft or the possibility of identity theft then you can arranged to have your drive shredded by a certified contractor or securely wiped which is much more environmentally friendly as it allows for the re-use of the none data holding components. Secure destruction or wiping ensures you get a certificate showing when, where and by whom the drive was rendered beyond recovery and have peace of mind.

To find out more about secure data wiping and hard drive disposal call or speak to your local data recovery services company. For visit here for more great computer and Pc help help.

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