How much is your identity really worth to you?

Identity is Everything!

I’ve been talking about this my whole life about security and you but it seems it might of happened to me.   I am sending off my information snail mail to Equifax to get my mail version of the Credit report!

If it wasn’t for Lastpass and their Free Credit Monitoring that you get with your 12$ a month subscription to their lastpass Mobile service.  I was alerted earlier than I ever thought possible.   Almost as soon as it hit the credit monitoring services.  I am so glad I took the option of having them monitor my credit report for me.   It reminded me through pop ups and push notifications on my phone and tablet.

Identity theft and you!

It can happen to anyone and at any time.   I found out that I might be a victim and I put a Credit Reporting Freeze on my account on Equifax, Experian, and Transunion.   It only cost me 15$ on all three credit bureaus that prevent it from going any further than that!  I also went with LifeLock (affiliate link) to help protect my identity for 10$ a month.   Currently I am going to offer peope a 30-Day Free Trial + 15% Off 6 Months LifeLock Service with code SHAREASALE15S30 (affiliate link) to encourage you to keep your identity safe.

I will be talking more in depth on what to do if your identity is stolen, but first I have to fix the problems I have and see if I can make it even better for myself.   This post will not be long but the ones that come up with be more in depth on how to avoid this misfurtune fro yourself!

Protect Your Consoles From Hacks and Phishing

Only a few years ago, the largest threat to a gamer involved having to blow the dust out of their cartridges. Today, Hacking NetFlix reports that three out of four current-generation console owners utilize an Internet connection for gaming and streaming, making them vulnerable to identity thieves who prey on gamers. Today’s consoles provide an all-in-one entertainment device, but this makes them vulnerable to all the safety hazards of online play and communication. How can you protect yourself when playing online?

Xbox Live

Due to the necessity of using a credit card to access Xbox Live, Microsoft’s gaming console has proven a prime target for hackers. BehindTheGames reported in May of this year that a particularly effective hacking protocol left nearly fifty million users exposed to identity theft. Turning off Xbox Live will prevent digital identity theft, but makes you unable to enjoy your games online. Instead of cutting yourself off, you can get a Hard Drive Transfer Kit (this comes standard on new 120 GB Xbox 360 units) that transfers information from one hard drive to another, so that your information remains backed up and you can swap out the sensitive data when you want to play online.

Playstation Network

Since Playstation offers its online services for free, fewer hackers try to break into the console digitally. Keep in mind, “fewer” does not mean “none”, and Sony made headlines in 2011 when their online breach put millions of customers at risk. Ars Technica reported that they were fined just under half a million dollars for the security fault. The good news is that all of your information on a Playstation can be protected by simply placing all data onto one of the removable ports, loading it onto a USB drive, and taking the drive out. While your information remains digitally stored, hackers have a very long way to go before they find out how to remotely hack an unconnected USB drive.

Wii

With only about fifty percent of Wii users logging onto the Internet to play, Nintendo has avoided the data breach scandals of its competitors. In fact, their biggest brush with hacking comes from the pirates who try to “crack” or “brick” units to play modified games. Nintendo Life reports that the company has tested its new Wii-U against external hacks and found it to be “uncompromised”. What’s more, their data protection service is easier than any other. Simply go into the Wii shop channel and choose “remove account” in settings and features. This wipes your credit card and identity information, which you can simply re-enter whenever you want to make an online purchase.

Online Accounts

Credit card fraud and identity theft becomes common when a person fails to wipe their console of information, but console hacking can be prevented rather than retroactively dealt with. You can protect yourself by using LifeLock services against all-purpose identity theft, whether it stems from bogus emails or hackers. Lifelock advice applies to consoles, as well, according to its website. It’s recommended to use pre-paid credit cards for online purchases, so that a hacker who does get hold of a credit card number has stolen only chump change.

Julius Ballard

Julius is a blogger skilled in speaking technobabble to describe his two loves: gadgets and computers. LifeLock is a Sponsor to my webpage and anything you buy with that link will give me a commission so feel free to support my site!

If You Cherish Your Identity, Start Paying Attention...

Identity theft is a growing concern for many consumers, especially we increasingly conduct business online and share our personal information on social media. Pittsburgh’s WPXI reports that identity theft occurs at the whopping rate of once per every three seconds. Even for people who keep much of their personal information as private as possible, recent security breaches at several major organizations show that no individual is safe from a loss of personal data, regardless of their personal habits.

For example, a security breach at the national payroll company ADP recently exposed the names and social security numbers of nearly 5,000 Houston government employees, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recently settled a case in which the names, social security numbers and dates of birth of 26.5 million veterans and their families were stolen. Situations such as these are, unfortunately, out of consumers’ hands.

However, there are ways people can protect themselves and their family members from identity theft, even if their personal data is somehow compromised. Several companies are rolling out additional identity theft protection services every day.

Banking Trends

One industry implementing its own identity theft precautions is banking. Most banks offer customizable account alerts, but many consumers may never look into the advanced area of their control panels. Consumers who do want to take advantage of account alerts may be surprised to see what they can control. Account holders can get texts, emails or even calls in the event of suspicious activity or low account balances. Many banks can also alert clients if there are transactions larger than specific amounts on their accounts.

Credit Reports

The three major credit reporting bureaus all offer credit score and credit report monitoring services. These agencies can alert you to any inquiries to your credit reports or any adverse actions noted on their credit reports. Consumers can also freeze their reports in events they believe their personal information has already been compromised. Credit reports should be requested on an annual basis from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, to make sure there is no suspicious activity.

Options for High-Risk Consumers

Certain consumers may be at higher risks of identity theft. These consumers include those who do a lot of transactions online or otherwise have high levels of exposure. If this is you, consider using an identity theft protection service such as LifeLock for added security. This protection service detects any threats on an individual’s identity and sends alerts if anything suspicious occurs. It also helps consumers track their credit scores and allows them to view their reports at any time.

Do you use any identity theft protection yourself? Tell us your preferred services in the comments.

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Heidi Diamond

Heidi is a grad student working on a Ph.D in linguistics and communication. When she’s not studying and blogging, you can find her jogging on the beach with her beloved golden retrievers.