fraud, How do you prevent it?

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A

AnandaHya

Guest
#1
mmmm all this internet thing and people ordering things off the internet and steal other people's identity.

how do you prevent identity theft and fraud?

anyway prayers and some practical advice would be nice.
 
U

Ugly

Guest
#2
Simple, don't order off the internet. If you have credit/debit cards use them sparingly, pay cash instead. Limit what information you give to any website or person. If you are inputting information on a site, make the efforts to ensure you're on the correct site. Triple check the URL. If something doesn't look right with it, don't proceed. Avoid purchasing anything off a site you aren't familiar with, or don't have good recommendations from reliable sources.

I'd say that's a pretty good start.
 

shemaiah

Senior Member
Jan 28, 2011
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#3
^what he said. But the main point is never give away any of your information on the net to just anyone, even if a website may be 'trusted' by someone or an organization you know. Limit the information you put on any website to a minimum! God bless
 
Aug 2, 2009
24,584
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#4
1. Have a good anti-virus and anti-spyware program/s on your computer and keep them updated and run them often. I use Avast and Ad-Aware (both are free). I run them every few days just to keep my system clean of malware (viruses and spyware).

2. Make sure the site you are entering your card info on is secure. There should be a closed padlock symbol in the lower right corner. If the padlock is open, its not a secure site.

3. Always check your statement/s for strange charges.

4. My cousin is a computer programmer who sets up pay sites for some of his customers and he said you are actually safer using your credit card on the internet than you are using it at a store or a restaurant because your information online is encrypted.


You can download Avast free antivirus here:
http://download.cnet.com/Avast-Free-Antivirus/3000-2239_4-10019223.html

You can download Ad-Aware free anti-spyware program here:
http://download.cnet.com/Ad-Aware-Free-Internet-Security/3000-8022_4-10045910.html
 
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J

jimsun

Guest
#5
As a Fiscal Prosecutor, I unfortunately see way too many end results of acts of fraud & deception.
I'm not saying don't order off the Internet. We use it regularly in our house but only order from reputable companies, those who have a checkable customer relations history & those you have confidence in. It's scary how little information a scammer needs to get into your a/c's. eg think about the personal info. wev'e all exchanged on CC!!
Deal only with 'reputations'
Get a good anti virus programme & run it, additionally, @ each week end
Shred everything from which your details can be retrieved - Dustbins are stolen regularly for the info in discarded statements, letters, invoices, delivery notes, etc.
Think - You can create a new identity for yourself beginning only with a name on a gravestone in the cemetery.
+ Armed only with an invoice stolen from your bin, I can order 'tons' of stuff in your name & have it sent to a delivery address of my choice!

"Be careful ou there"!!
J.
 
Aug 2, 2009
24,584
4,271
113
#6
As a Fiscal Prosecutor, I unfortunately see way too many end results of acts of fraud & deception.
I'm not saying don't order off the Internet. We use it regularly in our house but only order from reputable companies, those who have a checkable customer relations history & those you have confidence in. It's scary how little information a scammer needs to get into your a/c's. eg think about the personal info. wev'e all exchanged on CC!!
Deal only with 'reputations'
Get a good anti virus programme & run it, additionally, @ each week end
Shred everything from which your details can be retrieved - Dustbins are stolen regularly for the info in discarded statements, letters, invoices, delivery notes, etc.
Think - You can create a new identity for yourself beginning only with a name on a gravestone in the cemetery.
+ Armed only with an invoice stolen from your bin, I can order 'tons' of stuff in your name & have it sent to a delivery address of my choice!

"Be careful ou there"!!
J.
Very good information!
 

G4JC

Senior Member
Feb 9, 2011
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#7
J

jimmydiggs

Guest
#8
Kaspersky.
 

niceguyJ

Senior Member
Feb 5, 2011
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#9
I feel much safer using my credit card on a site I trust and have ordered from before, as opposed to handing it to someone in person. I've done plenty of shopping online without issue. As Zero mentioned already, there is encryption there. I know it's not perfect,but it's harder for someone to steal your info that way than it is for a person taking your credit card in person and stealing your number in various ways (simply remembering the number, writing it down, making a quick impression, scanners, etc.).
Even walking around with your cards in your pocket, you are putting your info out there. There are scanners out there that can pick up your card and steal the info if you're in the right proximity of the person operating it. If you want to deal with that, you have to get one of those wallets that blocks such scanning. They're listed as RFID blocking billfolds and similar names.

One thing I do online is try to us Paypal as much as possible for payment. A lot of sites accept Paypal as payment. Which means, they don't get your credit card information, the deal is handled by Paypal. It's free to use Paypal to buy. However, if you accept payments from someone using Paypal you will be charged a fee. Anyone who has ever sold anything on eBay is familiar with that already I'm sure. So the seller gets the fee, not the buyer.

NEVER give out any info over the phone or through email regardless of who the people say they are or how official it looks. Just don't do it.

Anytime you see something pop up on your screen that says you have a virus, etc. etc. and wants you to click something make SURE it's your anti-virus software telling you that. I say this because many viruses load onto your computer pretending to be ant-virus programs showing up some phony threat. Then you click it and it gives you the virus. Sometimes the only way to get out of these is to shut the computer off immediately.

Another really good free program to help protect your computer is Malwarebytes. A search should pop it up. After some glowing recommendations I decided to try it out and have been using it for a while.
 
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Jul 25, 2005
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#10
I rigged my email box and social security number to explode upon unauthorized access. I've been responsible for 5 deaths and 21 hospitalizations. So far the courts have upheld my legal right to do so.
 

jamie26301

Senior Member
May 14, 2011
1,154
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#11
I rigged my email box and social security number to explode upon unauthorized access. I've been responsible for 5 deaths and 21 hospitalizations. So far the courts have upheld my legal right to do so.
Laughing out loud (because "lol" is too short to post :p)
 
J

jimsun

Guest
#12
Like it Ritter. - Problem in my case such measures would be deemed a 'conflict of interest'!!
J.
 
J

jimsun

Guest
#13
Very pragmatic input,nice Guy'.
I never even now take cash with me if I'm travelling to my wife's parents in Germany. I always transferr it on using Paypaal - Not our banks.
Also, if your using an ATM to withdraw cash, tun your hand under & around the slot before inserting your card. We are receiving more & more theft reports from a/c's where card details have been obtained using a camera attachment.
J.