Prevent problems before they start

Shop Shield® is the best way to protect your personal information, when you're online. Here are a few things you can do to ensure your good name stays that way.

1. Always use Shop Shield^® for every online transaction, whether it’s simply registering at a web site or to make a purchase. Shop Shield^® is the most effective online identity protection tool available, but it can’t help you if you don’t use it. You can’t be taken advantage of, if you don’t leave a trace.
2. Never give out your real email address to someone you don’t know well. When you’re required to give an email address, always use the anonymous, disposable versions available at Shop Shield^®.
3. Never give out your credit card information over the Internet. Instead, use the anonymous virtual cards that Shop Shield^® creates. They become useless after the purchase and cannot be traced to you – so you're protected.
4. Don’t assume a certified site is safe. It’s important to know you are using a secure connection when sending personal information online. Look for the https in front of the web site address and the security padlock before you fill in the checkout fields. Certification symbols from Verisign or the Better Business Bureau also provide some reassurance. However, there is no guarantee the site won’t sell your information or the database containing your information won’t be breached, usually by those on the inside who have access to them. It happens every day. The safest approach is to use Shop Shield^® each and every time because your personal information never gets into those databases in the first place.

Here are some other important points on online identity protection, published by Consumer Reports

1. Activate protection. If your operating system or software has a firewall, spam blocker, or other built-in security application, make sure it’s turned on. Search for the operating system security application at www.download.com. Also activate spam filtering and other online protection provided by your ISP or email service.
2. Update and renew. Set your operating system and security software to update automatically. Spam, spyware, and virus-detection programs incorporate “rules” or “definition” files that must be updated regularly to catch the latest threats. If your computer remains disconnected from the Internet for long periods, you should ensure that automatic updates to your operating system security are occurring, or update manually. And when your software warns you to renew your service, be sure to do so, ensuring that protection doesn’t lapse.
   
3. Upgrade your computer and browser. If you’re running Windows XP or earlier Windows versions, consider upgrading to the more secure Windows Vista, which lets you surf in a protected environment that prevents online threats from damaging your operating system and contains a two-way firewall that blocks both incoming and outgoing threats. At a minimum, upgrade your browser to the Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox 2. Both notify you about known forged, or “phished,” web sites.
4. Shut off your computer. Turning off your computer when not using it for long periods (or at least disconnecting the Internet cable) can reduce the chance that a malicious remote computer will penetrate your operating system security and access it. And you’ll save energy.
5. Use public computers with care. Avoid using computers at libraries, hotels, or airports for conducting financial or other personal business. The same goes for using your own computer on a public wireless network, especially if you’re not on a secured web page or haven’t disabled your system’s computer-to-computer connections.
6. Watch what you download. The myriad of free utilities, games, and other software on the Internet can be useful, but many are laden with viruses and spyware. Try to download only from well-known manufacturers or trusted sites such as those at www.download.com, www.snapfiles.com, and www.tucows.com.
7. Consider a suite. For a simple route to broad operating system security, select a complete security suite, rather than buying the components from different companies. You might be paying a premium to duplicate some components already on your machine or available free, but it will offer comprehensive protection. Ensure you have at least a gigabyte of memory to prevent the suite from slowing down your computer.
8. Run antivirus software. It actually works and you need it. Even Apple computers which have much less to fear from viruses and spyware, aren’t immune to them. And an antivirus program will prevent virus-laden files from being transferred from Macs to PCs.
9. Run two antispyware programs. Spyware is so insidious, and sometimes difficult to detect, that it warrants double protection. Set the better of the two programs to block spyware in real time. Use the other to scan whenever you suspect something might have escaped the first program.
10. Don’t assume a certified site is safe. Although it’s vital to have a secure connection when sending personal information online (indicated by “https” before the Web address and a padlock or other icon on your browser), it’s no guarantee the Web site is reputable. Similarly, certification symbols from the Better Business Bureau, TRUSTe, and similar organizations provide some reassurance (assuming they’re being used with authorization). But they’re no substitute for reading the fine print and researching a site by talking to friends and checking online reviews before turning over credit card or other information.
11. Guard personal information. Never respond to email requesting your passwords, user names, Social Security number, or other personal information, no matter how official it looks. If you’re asked to call a telephone number, verify it independently.
12. Avoid using hyperlinks in email. Hyperlinks can show one address but take you to another. Before clicking on links in Web pages, hover your cursor over the URL and see whether the address that appears at the bottom of your browser looks as if it’s related to a page or site you expect to visit. When you arrive at the site, verify that the URL shown in your browser’s address bar is the correct one. Pay attention to the part of the URL between “http://” (or https://) and the next slash. Look for tricks such as the use of a zero where the letter O should be. Verify the address and then type it into your browser. Or use a favorite or bookmark you’ve already stored in your browser.
13. Be wary of typing errors. Tricksters sometimes create look-alike sites that use common mistypings of popular URL's.
14. Report phishing. If you receive a phishing email, forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (reportphishing@antiphishing.org), the Federal Trade Commission (spam@uce.gov), and the company or organization that is being impersonated. You also can file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. If your antiphishing toolbar doesn’t recognize a fraudulent Web site, report the site to the toolbar provider.
15. Review your accounts regularly. Review your credit card and bank statements as soon as you receive them. Report suspicious charges or withdrawals immediately.