How to Stay Safe with Online Finances

July 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Many companies and consumers now handle a large part of their finances online through banking institutions and shopping portals. While this new way to handle money is convenient and efficient, it can carry some dangers with it.

Identity theft, fraud and related crimes are often committed through online financial transactions. Criminals may gain illegal access to your computer or through records from a company or institution. Consumers and businesses need should be aware of the safety precautions that need to be taken to prevent these things from happening. This is especially important when you doing online investments with companies such as UFX Markets Trading.

The first step to take is to make sure that the company you are doing business with has adequate security on their site to protect personal information. This includes your address, email address and credit card information. Check the site’s security measures and policy for handling personal information before ordering with them. Online companies should have a professional shopping cart that comes with strong security to make your information safe while a transaction is processed.

Your home computer is another spot that are vulnerable to attack and needs to be secured. You should install good anti-virus and anti-spyware software that updates often to protect your saved information. There are various software on the market that designed for home or business use and are well worth investing in. These steps will help you to take advantage of online financing with safety and peace of mind.

Filed Under: Business, Corruption, Financial Tagged With: , ,

How to Avoid Credit Card Fraud

January 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Long gone all the days where the only images of thieves are those who would break into a residential area to steal whatever is hidden inside. Crimes like breaking and entering still exist but stealing in the new millennium is now a white collar crime. Online hackers and credit card thieves uses high-end technology to steal credit card information unsuspectingly from innocent victims everyday. These days thieves can steal your credit card information straight from the comfort of your own home. They can send malicious viruses and spyware through your computer and logged any information you are typing while shopping online for designer jewelry without you even realizing it. They can also send fake emails straight to your inbox imitating actual business in an attempt to dupe the innocent victim into giving them their credit card information because of misguided trust. What is scarier are the reports of these thieves installing hacking technology where you least suspect it. News report have shown thieves installing hacking information into gas pumps and ATM machines stealing victim’s information right on the spot. However there are numerous ways you can avoid their corruption and save your credit card information from falling into the wrong hands.

1) Regularly monitoring your credit report. Your credit score is your financial health so by routinely checking your credit score you are able to fix any fraudulent activities.

2) Remove any malware, spyware, or viruses you may have on your computer. Thieves can use this to monitor and log your activities online. There are many online softwares that will remove the viruses for free.

3) Check your credit card balance daily. Be sure the charges that shows up in your statement were made by you.

4) Beware of suspicious emails designed to look like ones sent by real companies. An email should never ask for your credit card or social security number. Call the institution to verify any suspicious emails.

Filed Under: Fraud Awarness Tagged With: ,

Preventing Identity Theft

December 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment
LA CANADA, CA - AUGUST 05: Customers shop at ...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Don’t let yourself become a victim of one of the fastest growing crimes today — identity theft. So how do you protect yourself? First, understand what it is, as well as understanding the type of information you need to protect.

It is acknowledged that some information will be public such as name, address and perhaps your phone number. However, other information such as your birthplace, mother’s maiden name, social security number, credit card number and so on, needs to be protected.

How does your identity get stolen? Here are few ways, along with tips to help prevent identity theft.

• Your identity can be stolen through the mail. Make sure you don’t leave your mail in an unsecured mailbox — especially for long periods of time. If you go out of town, have your mail put on a vacation hold at the post office. Purchase a locking mailbox. Deposit mail only in postal service collection boxes.

• Your laptop or computer is a prime location for having your identity stolen. Many of us do not realize how dangerous an unsecured computer is for our personal information. Make sure you install anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, as well as firewalls and security software. You don’t want people looking at your tax calculator and tax returns. Be cautious when shopping online. Shop on secure sites only. If you are using a wireless connection, make sure it is encrypted. If you decide to sell your computer, erase or better yet, replace the hard drive.

• Believe it or not, your trash can be used to steal your identity. Don’t discard any type of personal document that includes bank account information, social security numbers, credit card information and so on. Shred these documents before discarding them, and don’t go cheap on the shredder — get one that crosscuts.

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Filed Under: Fraud Awarness, General Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Credit Card Fraud is a Common Offense

November 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Credit card fraud, often associated with identity theft, is committed with the intention of obtaining merchandise or goods without proper payment, or done to acquire unauthorized funds from a credit card account. Unfortunately, credit card fraud is a common offense that many people have fallen victim to. It is the kind of crime that may go unnoticed for a long period of time and can make people feel uneasy and stressed once they find out that their credit card account has been compromised.

Fraud of this nature often begins when a physical credit card is lost or stolen. If a card is not reported lost or stolen, the account is still considered active. A thief may use the credit card for days, weeks or even months before a cardholder knows what has happened. Various purchases can be made–perhaps a pair of running shoes at a sporting goods store, or a five-course meal at a fancy restaurant–and a cardholder may not know of any fraudulent use until he or she receives their billing statement.

Credit card fraud can also occur when any information associated with a credit card account has been illegally obtained. For example, important and sensitive credit card data can be stolen from old receipts or paper billing statements that have not been disposed of properly. Credit card information can also be intercepted when cardholders make purchases from online sources that do not have optimal security. In the latter example, failure in online database security may cost multiple accounts to be compromised.

There are many ways to avoid credit card fraud. People should sign their cards as soon as they receive them. They should also void receipts that are incorrect and destroy carbon copies. It’s important to promptly notify credit card companies of questionable account activity. Also, people should reconcile accounts periodically and compare receipts with billing statements. It is smart to only supply card information to companies that you believe take high security measures.

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Filed Under: Corruption, Fraud Awarness Tagged With: , ,