Now days, it seems like everything we do is done online. We talk to Grandma in Colorado, we send flowers to our pregnant sister, check our bank balance and pay our bills all via the world wide net. Sooner or later, a "big, bad wolf" will try to come along and put a damper on your life by hacking into one of your accounts and obtaining access to everything simply by figuring out your password and log in.
There are several ways that you can protect yourself from this happening to you. Here are just a few:
1. Use different user names and passwords for each account. Could you imagine if someone got a hold of the log in that you use for all of your accounts? I know, it's tough to remember each log in for each site, that's why I have a spreadsheet with all the information stashed away securely in my home. If someone breaks in, well, that's a whole other story.....
2. Change your passwords often. This should be done every couple months.
3. Obtain a credit card that you use just for making online purchases. This way, if that card is compromised, you can shut it down quickly.
4. Check your credit report often. This will give you an idea if anyone is using your identity. There are even some credit reporting companies that offer a free credit report.
5. Secure your computer with updated virus protection, firewalls and all that "techy" stuff. You never know when someone is trying to get in....
