When identity theft online happens, it can be several months before you are aware that anything has happened. This makes it much more dangerous than other types of theft. If someone steals your wallet, or your car, you notice it immediately, and can start to take steps to protect yourself. When someone plants a cookie on your computer, you don’t even notice it. Each time you visit a site, send an email, or use your credit card online, all the information is delivered to the eager hacker. From there, he can either use the information himself, or sell it online to anyone with the cash and the desire for an alternate identity. A recent report from a major internet security firm estimates that the value of all your personal identity data is about $18 US, and can be purchased on a number of internet sites.
A number of computer programs are available to help you protect yourself from identity theft on the internet. If you are considering purchasing a program to make your computer more secure, take the time to do the research before investing your hard-earned money. You want a program that is frequently updated. The identity theft hackers are constantly working on ways to...