Vigilance to who you give your credit card numbers and personal information should be taken very seriously when making a purchase on any website. Things to look for are the lock and key located in the bottom right-hand corner of the web page. Have you ever notices that some web addresses have https at the beginning? This “s” represents a secure website that uses encryption, much like the lock and key, but with added security.

If you see neither of these indicators, use much caution with the information they request. The form you are filling out is a guaranteed leak thieves are capable of using. You might think this won’t happen to you but there are thousands of people who would beg to differ. They are the actual victims of identity theft whose identities have been robbed. Although law enforcement agencies and the government are working hard and spending billions in fighting this crime, most criminals get away.

There are ways to protect yourself, like with any crime. You lock the doors and windows of your house to keep burglars out. You stand attentive when your children are playing outside to prevent them being harmed or kidnapped. You keep you purse zipped and close to you so you’re not mugged. You should also keep your social security number, credit card numbers, banking information, and other personal information locked away, safe from predators.

New websites pop up daily on the World Wide Web so even if a site offers security, checking the validity of a site, with the Better Business Bureau in the state where the site is based out of, is a measure you should consider.

A site’s policy in sharing your information with other companies can produce unsolicited e-mails, bulk mail and again, theft. Just because the company you are making a purchase through is safe, there is no way to be sure these companies use encrypted security systems. This “sharing” is yet another way personal information can be placed in the wanting hands of predators.

Prevention is always the best means of protection, but if you do find out someone has obtained identifying information and/or is using it, contact authorities immediately. Call and mail via certified mail the three major credit card bureaus, TransUnion, Equifax and Experian, to put a freeze on your accounts. Contact your banks, credit card companies and investment agencies to close any checking, saving, debit cards, credit cards and/or market accounts.

Some others you may want to call are your mortgage company, utilities, and home owner association. Notify them of what is going on and the measures you’ve already taken. Notes can be posted on your account, requesting you be notified and to block information, if anyone tries to make any changes, asks for personal information or make a request to verify information.

You will want to open new accounts and you can ask your bank to put a watch on any unusual activity. That does not free you of taking responsibility of doing the same. Maintaining good records of spending, hanging on to receipts, and filing statements from your various service providers should be done on a regular basis.

Any unusual or questionable activity needs to be reported immediately. If your thief is not caught, which is highly probable, and you do note your thief’s activity, open several accounts at different banks, closing and reopening new accounts to keep this person busy before they can get to them.

After you are stripped of your identity, your life will most definitely be stressful. Join a support group, ask law enforcement agencies for help, hire an advocate or service that deals with this and if need be, get a lawyer to help you with the legal part of any outstanding debts or loans taken out. Your mental health depends on good counseling in this matter. Bear in mind, prevention is the best method to protecting yourself.

Internet mail is a primary source for the perpetrators of identity theft to gain access to personal information. Spam or Phishing emails, linked to identity thieves, arrive daily in millions of mailboxes worldwide.

Identity thieves don’t single out their victims. They focus on gaining access to as many identities as possible, regardless of whose, in order to steal them. They are motivated by pure greed.

E-mails sent by identity thieves use deception to gain personal information such as bank routing, account and PIN numbers, passwords, and Social Security Numbers.

Spam emails often assert that you have won large amounts of money, urging you to “act now” to receive your prize. Logic should tell you that if you have not joined a contest you probably have not won a prize. I recently received an email claiming that I’d won $32,000. I was asked to pay the tax on the winning and, of course, to “respond now” to receive my prize. Delete.

Another email offered me a scholarship or grant to attend such and such college. I was to “act now” by providing personal information. Delete.

In one scam, customers of FDIC received e-mails, ostensibly from their bank, requesting that they provide personal information to avoid closure of their accounts. Banks clearly state in their Terms & Conditions that they will not send electronic mail requesting information from the recipient at any time. Your bank already has your personal information and responding to such an email is only asking for trouble.

Thieves also targeted Microsoft. Emails were distributed requesting receivers to download patches to protect their computers. Once the receivers downloaded the attachment a dangerous virus quickly took control of their computers, leaving them riddled with open spaces where thieves could access private information.

Another group of Internet thieves did their work through Ebay. They bought items and sent the sellers checks amounting to more than the purchase price. They then requested that the sellers return the excess amounts electronically, or through Western Union. The checks were found to be copies.

The Internet may not always be a secure environment, but following these helpful tips can help prevent you from falling victim to identity theft:

• Never open emails that you do not trust.
• Do not give out personal information over the Internet unless you know the company can be trusted. Ensure that they use encryption to secure their site. When possible, consider ordering from the company directly by postal mail.
• Do a background check on any site you consider disclosing personal information to.
  If possible send money orders to pay bills, and pay for products offline.
• Never disclose personal information over the phone or in online forums, bulletin boards or discussion boards.
• Conceal your personal information at all times, including at home.
  When using ATMs or other machines make sure nobody observes as you enter your PIN number.
• Choose PIN numbers and passwords in a random manner and change them frequently.