Being a victim of an identity theft can be more than an unpleasant experience. No matter the scale, if you are a victim, long and tiresome road is ahead of you.
First Steps
Once you’ve noticed something is not alright you have to act fast. First and foremost, freeze all of your accounts. Inform your bank, credit card company and every service you think is endangered. By doing this you’ll prevent criminals of taking more than they already have. Review closely your credit report and your bank statements in order to determine the damage caused.
Next, address to the authorities. Report identity theft to your local police department and the Federal Trade Commission. Depending on the scale of theft you’ll probably have to contact IC3 as well. Every official is well informed about what you can do next. While they are occupied with the investigation you can start dealing with paperwork. Sooner you start, sooner you’ll be through with it. Be sure to prepare your nerves, volume of files and forms you’re about to fill is enormous.
Since your identity was stolen through the internet, pay close attention to every online account you have. Be sure to change every credential you are using. Don’t focus only on bank and credit card accounts, but all of them. Start from your email and then move on to all social media and online retail websites you are frequently using. Don’t just do it to get it over with, but try to come up with the most complex passwords you can.
When you’ve done all of this, revisit your PC protection. Make sure your antivirus is up-to-date, your license is still valid, and set your protection level to a maximum. If you don’t own a protections system start considering buying one. Forget about using free software because they don’t give you the security you need. Since you’re trying to be safe, do it right!
Steps Ahead
The entire process of reporting, investigating, etc. is over. What now? Learn from your mistakes and do whatever it takes to evade repetition. Keeping a close eye on your credit/bank report won’t make much difference. When you notice something is not right it usually means you’re already hacked/conned. The key to staying safe is prevention!
The best way to stay under the radar of hackers is by protecting yourself locally. PC Privacy Shield is the only application that can guarantee complete safety. Armed with deep scans, real-time alerts, detailed reports and means to wipe all the data that might cause you harm.
Private PCs are the main targets for hackers. Our online usage leaves traces in a form of digital footprint which can be traced back to us – our private information to be precise.
By following our activity, profiles and even chat history, hackers find their way in. The same way PC Privacy Shield finds the way to keep us safe from any possible attack. Upon a first run, you’ll see how many information you’ve actually left behind. With this in hands, you’ll be able to perform a detailed cleanup. This way, the chances of a privacy breach are minimal.
What is also interesting about this app is its setup. Everything is simple, created for common users (which are the most endangered), with some advanced additions. Even this “advanced” options are easily utilized. The combination of simplicity and efficiency is what defines this privacy protection program.
People have used to learn from their mistakes, and so should you. Now when you know what are the dangers and consequences you’ll probably think twice before you use the internet. The reality is, you have to keep your own back. The way to do it is by precaution and prevention. When you’ve been through hell once, there’s no need for a second round.