
Whether you realize it or not, information is floating around us constantly. It could be news or it could be the credit card number of a person in the coffee shop with you. Every time we log in to a website, or sign up for a newsletter, we are sending information. Information can fall into the wrong hands. You may accidentally provide it to a scammer, someone might steal it or someone might buy it from the dark web. If you use the internet as much as most Americans, chances are your personal information has been exposed.
You may have heard the term “data breach” or “data leak” on the news. You may have even heard about a significant one, such as the Capital One, Equifax or Marriott breaches. Unfortunately, these information leaks or hacks are becoming all too common. All of us have a credit file with Equifax and most of us have stayed at a Marriott property (they own much more than just the Marriott brand). So, there’s a very good chance that our information was leaked in one of these breaches. Maybe you got lucky and you weren’t a victim of these two leaks, but what about all of the others and the others to come? Eventually it will happen (if it hasn’t already) and most everyone will become a victim of identity theft.
Due to the likeliness that your personal information has been exposed, you need to be proactive in searching for possible fraudulent activity. Here are some tips on what to look for and what to do if you find something.
The internet is great, but it also has its downsides. You have the world’s information at your fingertips, but also your personal information has been exposed. Your information and your safety is important. Use these tips to your advantage for the inevitable day you will need them.