As all too many women know, raising a family is a full-time job itself.
When you throw in the fact that many moms also have careers; essentially you have two full-time gigs.
Now, imagine the idea of adding a third full-time responsibility to that list. The job of making sure identity theft doesn’t strike your home.
While that may be a bit of a stretch, it really isn’t that far off.
Keeping identity theft thieves at bay is not something one can take lightly, especially moms with enough on their plates as it is.
In today’s Internet world, online thieves are just waiting for the opportunity to strike.
The question then becomes, can you keep identity theft out of your home?
Be the Aggressor and Fight Back
So that your home can receive the best layers of protection possible against identity theft thieves, remember these pointers:
- Find the right level of security – Before you do anything else, be sure to have as much security as possible in place. That security means your online activities are much less likely to be tampered with, even compromised. Many identity theft thieves rely on the fact that computer owners will at some point and time let their security software lapse. In doing so, they open themselves and oftentimes their families to immeasurable harm. If you don’t have the time or want to make the time to find the best layer of online security, there are services out there that will do just that for you. Giving you a means to rate each of the security software providers, your job is simply then to review the information, and then choose which provider you feel best suits your needs. Doesn’t that sound like a much better way to go about things than hoping your online footprints are not being traced?
- Don’t volunteer information – Just about everyone who has ever been online has said or done something silly at one time or another. That said the last thing you want to do is volunteer personal information that is for your ears and eyes only. Making such a mistake online can have major negative ramifications, things like someone tapping into your bank account, someone getting the ability to use your credit or debit cards, perhaps someone being able to use your Social Security I.D. as a means to get money that was ultimately meant for you. Be very careful that you do not make a mistake when it comes to what you say online, something you could very well end up regretting;
- Keeping your kids safe – As bad as having some personal financial information compromised online is what would happen if your child made a big gaffe while they’re online? They could make mistakes such as telling a stranger where they live, when the family will be away from home, where one or both of their parents work etc. While many adults can be tough to trip up, kids are oftentimes viewed by identity theft thieves as the perfect target. You get them talking up a storm online, next thing you know, they’ve volunteered some critical personal information. Educate your children on what is and is not allowed when they’re online. Many parents have monitors in place to keep their children from going on certain websites etc. While you do not have to rule with an iron fist, you should lay the ground rules of computer do’s and don’ts early on. Just as you raise your kids to eat healthy, a healthy disposition when online is critical too;
- Avoid being overly social – Lastly, social media sees millions and millions of users daily, some of whom are identity theft thieves. So that you can be productive and still safe on social networking sites. Be a smart social media user. Never volunteer information you would not want strangers to know. If you’re on sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, you can make your respective accounts private; meaning only those you know and feel comfortable in talking with can learn personal details about you. Always err on the side of caution to reduce the threat from identity theft thieves.
When personal financial details are supposed to be guarded, you start the process in your home by making your online world as safe as can be.