Tips to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft WCBI Interview

by Mike Allen on 26-Jan-12 · 0 comments

in Media Coverage

Following an earlier WCBI MidMorning with Aundrea interview about password safety, I discussed several ways you can protect yourself from identity theft. This interview aired on the January 18, 2012 edition of this same program.

Identity theft can occur when someone acts in your name as you by having access to your Social Security number and other personal data. With this critical information and access, they can spend your money and ruin your credit rating. You can view this segment below and learn some things you can do now to protect yourself.

 In summary, there are several things you can do to protect yourself from identity theft. Here are a few quick suggestions:

• Don’t mail important things from an unsecured mailbox (instead, drop them off at the post office or another secure location).
• Be careful at restaurants where you often hand over your credit card to the waiter.
• Verify the security of online shopping sites before checking out.
• Check out an online retailer’s reputation with the BBBonline and other third-party sources.
• Use a credit card instead of a debit card when buying online. This can provide additional protections to your checking account.
• Regularly check your credit report. Here’s a free way: [click to continue…]

Password Safety Tips Interview on WCBI

by Mike Allen on 25-Jan-12 · 0 comments

in Media Coverage

Want to learn more about password safety and how to create good, strong passwords? Well, that was the topics of my January 4, 2012 interview on WCBI’s MidMorning with Aundrea program.

Learn more about password security with this almost 5 minute WCBI interview:

To summarize this interview, a secure password should have at least 8 characters (use the whole keyboard — uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, punctuation, and symbols) and be random. Your password should not be something personally identifiable to you (like your pet’s name or your favorite color). It should not even be a word in the dictionary in any language. Also, you should use different passwords for each account and, if you cannot remember them all, store them in a password safe like KeePass (it’s a free software application — you memorize the master password to it and it securely stores all your passwords within its encrypted and secure index).

Here are some tools and resources I recommend for creating secure passwords and/or testing the strength of your existing passwords:

• Free online secure password generator tool from PC Tools.
• Free tool to check your password — courtesy of the Microsoft Safety & Security Center.
• Examples of good passwords — article from MailerMailer.
• Article with 9 password safety tips — from the Shopping-Bargains Help Center.

Do you have any password safety tips [click to continue…]