Know the Risks of Identity Theft [Infographic]

With nearly 12 million Americans reporting incidents of identity theft each year, now is the time to practice as much online caution as possible. Though many savvy users have passed the point of being scammed by a supposed Nigerian prince, there are still plenty of online thieves looking for their next prey. In fact, online scams are becoming more and more intricate, so that sometimes it’s difficult to tell which online offerings are real and which are fake. Anyone who is unsure of a website’s legitimacy should research it. If a source of suspicion can’t be verified as legitimate, don’t offer up any personal information. Many scams are easy to spot because they seem too good to be true. If someone offers you thousands of dollars for relatively little in exchange, it’s a good rule of thumb to assume this person is up to no good. When you flag such a scam, you could do a great deal of good by spreading the word. Tell your ISP or email provider when you come across a potential threat.

With nearly 12 million Americans reporting incidents of identity theft each year, now is the time to practice as much online caution as possible. Though many savvy users have passed the point of being scammed by a supposed Nigerian prince, there are still plenty of online thieves looking for their next prey.

In fact, online scams are becoming more and more intricate, so that sometimes it’s difficult to tell which online offerings are real and which are fake. Anyone who is unsure of a website’s legitimacy should research it. If a source of suspicion can’t be verified as legitimate, don’t offer up any personal information.

Many scams are easy to spot because they seem too good to be true. If someone offers you thousands of dollars for relatively little in exchange, it’s a good rule of thumb to assume this person is up to no good. When you flag such a scam, you could do a great deal of good by spreading the word. Tell your ISP or email provider when you come across a potential threat.