Do you worry about protecting your identity online? We do. It isn’t just a “thing” that happens sometimes-data theft can and has happened to many corporations and databanks- big and small. We need to educate ourselves and be aware so that if something does come up, we’ve taken steps to protect ourselves and also to know what to do if something occurs.
For me, I can’t even get the “Do Not Call” registry to work. Somehow, we still manage to get calls daily from telemarketers. They are all “exempt” somehow from the registry. What makes me most frustrated is that I don’t give out our home phone number to many places- almost always my cell phone. So I am not sure how it is they are getting our home number in the first place. So I know I need some help. I haven’t given up on the do not call registry..maybe this year will be the year it works.
Do you know that there are services out there that you can pay for who will not only protect your identity online, but also prevent unwanted mail offers from coming to your house (this is a big one for me. My TWO year old gets junk mail addressed to her!), block telemarketer calls to your home, and also continually remove your data from sites that sell it to prevent further sharing of your personal information. Services that offer annual rates, that will monitor and alert you if something may come up that can compromise your online reputation.
We all know we’re supposed to have passwords with numbers, characters and letters, some upper case, some lower case, and not to use the same password for multiple sites, etc. But how much DO we know? How much do YOU know about your reputation management? What ways do YOU protect your identity online?
My biggest question is, how do we best protect our children -not just for the immediate future, but in the long term, so that they learn from us before making a mistake that could be quite costly?
Jen-Eighty MPH Mom says
Great information – it’s so scary out there…
Stefani says
I get all kinds of calls everyday too on my landline phone and cell. Its funny when they ask for my husband, but use my maiden name for his last name.
Caryn B says
I think one of the scariest things I learned was that thieves can open a credit card in a child’s name and parents don’t often find out until years later…scary
Pam says
You know it is bad when your cat gets a credit card offer!
Crystal says
It’s all so scary. We have to do everything we can to keep our family protected.
Jenilee says
I keep getting political calls and hang ups on my cell phone. It is SO annoying. I can see how reputation management would come in handy!
Sarah BB says
Most annoying for me right now is the political calls! Especially when they call my cell phone over and over.
Nichol says
Luckily, I haven’t had a call in years, but it still makes me wonder what types of information they are selling of mine. So scary! Online, I don’t enter any credit card numbers on the website, I actually copy and paste from a folder I have as I feel that is more safe than punching each individual number.
Have Sippy Will Travel Mommy Blogger says
this is one of those really scary things i do worry about
JulieK says
I am REALLY concerned about protecting my child’s identity b/c when he grows up that is how he’s going to be able to get a job and function in the world, unlike how we grew up ya know?
I also with the dumb phone calls would STOP!!!!
Beeb Ashcroft says
A big problem for sure! My tip is that when a site asks you for a security question, make up the answer and just write it down. Otherwise, all it would take it a little sleuthing for an identity thief to find out the city you were born in or whatever and reset you passwords.
Henrietta says
I get telemarketer and collections calls everyday – none of them are even for my husband or I, they’re for some person we don’t know! It’s very annoying and I get tired of telling them over and over that the person they’re looking for doesn’t live here, frustrating!