Identity theft when online shopping
In the virtual world, you won’t get your wallet stolen. However, the information that’s in your wallet can slip away if you’re not careful!
Modern day thieves aren’t interested in your cash or physical possessions. What they’re looking for is to get your personal information in order to steal the identities of people.
Once they snatch your credit card information, address, date of birth, social insurance number and other details, they can not only shop to their hearts’ content, but also get additional credit, open new accounts, new phone lines, rent equipment or vehicles, etc. If the scam lasts long enough, the victim can quickly face a mountain of debt.
Identity theft is such a common problem that the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre has made it their major preoccupation.
The best way to protect information is through information. Here are simple precautions you can take to avoid providing too much personal information online:
Do you know the website?
Experience counts for a lot when it comes to online security. When you’re providing personal information and shopping at legitimate online retailers, you’re reducing the risk of that information going where it shouldn’t go. If the site includes comments and ratings from other online shoppers, that’s a good sign because an online community has already been developed.. But be sure to check the web address: some defrauders use addresses similar to well -known names by changing, for example, the top level domain suffix (.net, .com, etc.).
Is the data locked?
For a data pirate, there’s nothing simpler than capturing your data when you send it unencrypted to an online retailer. SSL encryption, symbolized by a padlock icon that appears in the search engine address bar, is indispensible in protecting electronic transactions. Some sites offer even more protection. For example, belairdirect.com is entrust certified and performs regular security audits to ensure protection is solid.
Is the information relevant?
Some retailers are hungry for information and ask for data they don’t necessarily need to process your transaction. For example, this may include asking for your date of birth, postal code, or social insurance number. While this information may help them to improve their operating processes and their marketing campaigns, but it’s not useful from the consumer’s point of view and the request can be refused according to the The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.
What payment methods are being used?
To avoid trouble if something does go wrong, it’s better to use one credit card just for online purchases and to limit the credit available on that card. Some financial institutions offer cards with fraud protection. Prepaid retailer gift cards are also a secure option. In all cases, it’s essential to check transaction receipts and keep them.
Is the computer protected?
When we download applications or files, we’re exposing ourselves to malware designed to go trolling for personal information. All savvy Internet surfers keep their systems and software up to date and run regular diagnostics to detect viruses and spyware. Mobile devices are also subject to risk when we download applications from unauthorized sources besides iTunes, Google Play and others.
Do you have a strong password?
It’s the oldest rule in the book, but it needs repeating: others should never be able to guess your password, including people and equipment that facilitates fraud by testing all sorts of combinations and permutations. The best password won’t be in the dictionary and will have capital letters, lower-case letters, numbers and special characters.
What protection is there if theft occurs?
Because it is impossible to reduce risk completely, online shoppers can obtain insurance against online identity theft. belairdirect offers S.O.S. Identity that covers up to $25,000 for reimbursement of identity restoration expenses incurred as a result of identity theft and up to $5,000 for lost income. There are no deductibles and no claim is attached to your home insurance. It’s a simple way to protect against a complicated and costly worry. If your identity gets stolen, you don’t want it to steal your peace of mind!
