One Easy and Inexpensive Way to Prevent Identity Theft
Is Your Laptop Breeding Grounds for Identity Theft?
If you watched the season premiere of Ghost Whisperer last week, you might remember the scene where the reporter went to visit Melinda’s professor-friend at the university. When the professor went to get a book on the other side of the room, his view was obstructed by the bookcases. The reporter took advantage of this, inserted a USB stick into the professor’s computer, and copied files. What does that have to do with identity theft? You're about to find out.
Ghosts and Goblins
Our laptops usually contain important personal information and if you’re one of those individuals who stores passwords, personal information and account numbers on your computer, you’re putting yourself at risk.
Now, on Ghost Whisperer no personal information was stolen since the reporter was just interested in copying some photos of Melinda that showed a ghostly image in the background. But what if the motives had been darker in nature?
Espresso and Identity Theft
Just think about how many times you might have made yourself victim to identity theft. Do you leave your laptop behind when you get up to go to the bathroom at your local coffee shop? This is something that many coffee shop patrons are guilty of. It’s a bad habit to get into no matter how convenient it might seem.
Be Vigilant
Can you imagine walking into your coffee shop and ordering a double latte with an extra shot of espresso and a bit of identity theft on the side? That’s essentially what you’re doing when you leave your laptop out of your possession. So whether you’re at the local café, the doctor’s office, or waiting for your child at dance lessons, protect yourself by keeping tabs on your laptop.
Less Is NOT More When It Comes to Identity Theft
For added protection, you should consider installing security software onto your laptop. This will require you to enter a password before using your laptop, so it will keep others out. This way if your laptop is stolen, an identity theft criminal will have difficulty accessing your files. After all, it's better to be safe than sorry when it comes to identity theft prevention.