…Protect your personal information

By Levi Sumagaysay

Conducting your life’s transactions online is convenient, but it can come with a steep price tag if you’re not careful. Take these precautions:

1. Lock down your computer Make sure you have a firewall installed, especially if you have an always-on Internet connection. Also, keep your antivirus software updated. Stay current with your operating system's updates. Even if nobody else uses your home computer, use passwords for files that contain information you wouldn't want anyone else to see, such as financial or medical records.

2. Keep your guard up When conducting transactions online, whether you're paying bills or buying a book, check your browser's address bar often and make sure you're seeing "https" instead of "http," or look for the padlock icon at the bottom right corner of your browser window. Don't fall for phishing schemes, in which identity thieves send you emails with familiar logos of companies and ask you for your social security number or account numbers. Most companies or agencies, such as the IRS, say they do not solicit personal information by email. Beware of Evil Twins, fraudulent Web sites that look just like the real thing. The Better Business Bureau also suggests not letting your browser remember your passwords for you. After all, if a thief were to break into your home and turn on your computer, all he would have to do is fire up your browser and he'd be able to access your important accounts. And finally, use common sense. Resist the temptation to write all your passwords down on a Post-It and stick it on, underneath or anywhere near your monitor.

3. Stay off public computers When you don't use your own computer, you could be at even more risk. Whether you're at a Kinko's or a tiny Internet café in Asia, surfing the Web could mean leaving traces of your identity on the computer you use. Even if you erase your session's browsing history, it's possible the computer had keystroke tracking software. The solution: Don't use a computer whose owner you don't know. If you absolutely have to, the BBB recommends you don't log in to sites that require a user name and password.