Scams: How to Protect Your Identity

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Scams -- How to Protect Your Identity (continued)

(4) Develop good security habits. You should never click on a link in an email you receive from an unknown person period. It doesn't matter what the message says. Thieves can make the email appear to come from a large, well known bank or a private individual. If you click on the link, they are likely to download malware to your computer that could steal all of your passwords and personal information. Or, if you click on a link and submit your personal financial information to win a prize or claim a lottery, etc., they will likely clean out your bank account or make unauthorized charges on your credit card. If you think your bank or a company with whom you do business has sent you an email, type in the URL address on your device and visit their website instead of clicking on a link in an email. If you receive a robocall (automated voice), do not respond to it, just hang up, because these calls are illegal, so you're dealing with dishonest people. They will ask you to press a certain button to opt out of future calls, but what they are really doing is confirming that your phone number is valid. As to your mobile phone, do not store credit card and bank account log-in information in emails and notes, and set your phone to time out and lock up after a short period of time so that if it is stolen thieves can't access your information. Lastly, make sure that your computer and cell phone have the latest security updates to protect you from new computer viruses and malware.

(5) Public Wi-Fi Networks. Do not use public Wi-Fi networks located at many restaurants, airports, hotels, libraries and coffee shops without taking the precautions listed below. Hackers can very easily; using software they can download for free on the Internet, set up a fake Wi-Fi spot. You, sitting there drinking your latte at the coffee shop, think that the Wi-Fi you are using is provided by the coffee shop, but actually it was set up by the thief sitting at the next table. If you’re using your cell phone, stick to the built-in 3G or 4G network rather than switching over to Wi-Fi. If you’re on a laptop, take these steps to thwart thieves and hackers before using a Wi-Fi spot: (a) set your computer or phone to require you to manually select a Wi-Fi network and be sure that you know the name of the establishment's Wi-Fi network beforehand; (b) always check your device to make sure it says the Wi-Fi is secured -- just because it requires a password doesn't mean it is secure; (c) Make sure the site has the correct encryption -- If it says WPA2 it has the latest encryption (as of Sept. 2011), although WPA is acceptable. If it says WEP, that means it is a very old, outdated network and should not be used; (d) do not key in your personal information, log-ins or passwords at any website whose URL doesn't begin with https. The "s" on the end stands for "secure", and there should also be a lock icon somewhere on the web page, which means it is secure; and (e) turn off the Wi-Fi when you're not using it. Of course, you can always install software designed to secure public Wi-Fi spots, such as Firefox's Force-TLS or HTTPS-Everywhere. You can subscribe to a virtual private network (VPN), such as HotSpotVPN, to protect yourself when using free Wi-Fi spots for under $10 a month.

(6) Hiring Contractors. There are more complaints against contractors than almost any other profession because there are so many scammers and unlicensed, incompetent people working in this field. Many of them go door-to-door soliciting roof repairs, driveway repairs, etc. They come out of the woodwork after a hurricane promising to fix thousands of damaged homes quickly and cheaply and they routinely offer discounted rates for routine home improvement projects. Before you hire a contractor, make sure that he is licensed by your state and/or local authorities if required. Ask to see his license and business card (you can check at nascla.org). If he doesn't have both, he isn't legitimate. His company name and contact information should be on his truck. Is he listed in the Yellow Pages? Check with the Better Business bureau for any complaints, as well as Yelp.com. Google him to see if customers are complaining about him. Also, keep the following in mind: (a) good contractors don't have to solicit for new business since they find enough customers from word of mouth; (b) insurance companies often won't pay for unauthorized or fraudulent repair projects, so make sure that you get permission from your insurance company beforehand; (c) never let a contractor begin work without getting a signed contract on the company's business letterhead, with all the terms and conditions written out -- all estimates, cost of materials and estimated date of completion -- anything said orally is not enforceable; (d) make sure you know the contractor's business address and drive past it to make sure it is legitimate -- no post office boxes are acceptable; (e) verify that he has workers compensation insurance; and (f) do not give him more than 25 percent of the estimate upfront as a deposit.

The Federal Trade Commission tries to keep consumers up-to-date about new scams. You can sign up to receive email scam alerts at consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts.org. Visit our Identity Theft Section for more tips on protecting yourself from thieves and scammers.

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