ID Theft: Explanation and Tips to Avoid It
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ID theft; what is it and how dangerous can it be?
ID theft or Identity Fraud are interchangeable broad terms referring to when someone obtains your personal information and uses it, of course, without your permission. Stolen personal information can include your name, date of birth, social security number, driver's license number, bank account, or credit card info.
How Does ID Theft Happen?
ID theft can happen in the old ways; when someone gets to your mailbox or your trash can and steal your information from letters or bills. However, today we are focusing on online ID theft.
Online ID theft happens through cyber-attacks; attackers use phishing mostly by luring the victims into clicking on some malicious links that would infect their devices with a virus or malware so that the attackers can have access to their information.
Some types of ID theft include financial identity theft, social security identity theft, medical identity theft, and criminal identity theft.
ID Theft Losses in 2021
With the COVID-19 pandemic, cybercrime has been on the rise; According to Businesswire's 2021 study, identity fraud losses in 2020 were over $56 billion.
When most organizations had to shift to operating online, criminals found that as an opportunity to access the databases of banks, hospitals, and companies, and steal people's information.
COVID-19 Lottery
Some US states started a Vaccine lottery to increase the number of those taking the vaccine. Participants will have a chance of winning $1 million each (there will be five winners).
Scammers have taken advantage of the situation and are posing as government officials to deceive the victims; they are sending emails to some participants congratulating them on winning and asking them to follow certain links to receive their prize. Scammers use these links to hack the victims and get their personal information.
With cybercrime on the rise, everyone should take the initiative in protecting their personal information to avoid ID theft. One of the best-known ways is using an Antivirus.
Recommended Antiviruses
We have tried some antivirus services for ourselves and came up with a list of our top picks.
1. Intego
If you don't use a Macbook, you can scroll down to the next recommendation.
Many people consider the Mac operating system better than Windows, claiming it has better security protocols. However, it is not bulletproof, or to be more accurate, virus-proof. Intego provides Mac users with reliable and proficient real-time protection against malware, viruses, and other cybersecurity threats.
While the macOS already has a somewhat strong firewall, Intego's firewall NetBarrier proved to be much stronger. NetBarrier is optimized to protect your Mac on private and public networks. In addition, this firewall gives you control over the websites and apps that want to send you ads and pop-ups, as some of them might contain malware or viruses.
VirusBarrier is Intego's antivirus scanner. It has many features, including but not limited to; antivirus scans, malware detection and removal, real-time protection, and scheduled scans. In addition, VirusBarrier’s “Safe Browsing” feature protects you from malicious websites and emails.
Intego also has a Washing Machine” feature that combines a range of cleaning and performance optimization tools.
Mac Premium Bundle X9 Includes all features and has three plans:
- One device - $84.99 per year.
- Three devices - $115.99 per year.
- Five devices - $146.99 per year.
It is worth mentioning that Intego has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
2. Bitdefender
Bitdefender's invincible intrusion detection system efficiently detects both common and newly-merged sophisticated malware. In addition, its firewall makes sure to detect and intercept any virus or malware that tries to get to your system.
In case your device gets infected with a virus, Bitdefender has two solutions:
- Use the rescue tool from inside the antivirus report page.
- If your device isn't starting at all, you can use the USB rescue tool.
Bitdefender has three plans:
- Antivirus: $19.99/ year (1 device), $29.99/ year (3 devices), $69.99/ year (5 devices), $79.99/ year (10 devices).
- Total security: $39.98/ year (5 devices), $44.99/ year (10 devices).
- Internet security: $24.99/ year (1 device), $34.99/ year (3 devices), $84.99/ year (5 devices), $89.99/ year (10 devices)
All plans have alternative periods of commitments: 2 or 3 years. In addition, all plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. Norton
Norton's advanced firewall will protect your device from any malware or viruses. In addition, not only does Norton have an intrusion detection system, but also an intrusion protection system. It is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.
Norton has a downloadable rescue tool. If any virus or malware bypasses the first line of defense, you can turn to this tool.
Norton has three plans:
- Norton 360 Standard: $39.99 per year - one device.
- Norton 360 Standard: $54.99 per year - five devices.
- Norton 360 Premium: $69.99 per year - ten devices.
All plans have a 60-day money-back guarantee.
4. McAfee
McAfee has a strong firewall to detect and intercept any attack. It also has an intrusion detection system to stop any possible intruder from getting to your device. McAfee is compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices.
You can download the McAfee CleanBoot disk on a USB. This tool acts as a rescue mechanism if your device gets infected with a virus and cannot start.
McAfee has four plans:
- Single device: $24.99 per year.
- Individual/Couples: $29.99 per year - 5 devices.
- Family: $34.99 per year - 10 devices.
- Ultimate: $69.99 per year - unlimited devices.
All plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Read more about our Antivirus recommendations in more detail.
Virus Scanners & Removers: Best Four in 2021.
Teen Slang and Text Every Parent Should Know.
Phishing Emails Example Guide: Online Safety 101.