Protecting Yourself From Online Computer Virus Attack and Personal Identity Credit Card Data Hacking

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is it better buying antivirus software online

IS IT BETTER TO BUY ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE ONLINE?

The complex world of internet threatens the very existence of our systems at every instant of time. Cyber crimes, hackings and loss of personal data are very common these days. In order to protect your system as well as yourself from the deadly consequences of cyber threats, you need to install a firewall antivirus software in your computer. 


 
Wondering how to protect your computer from virus, spyware, hacking hackers with firewall antivirus software? 

Well, this does not mean that you can install any random antivirus software. It is very important to know how to select best computer antivirus software. There are many companies that sell antivirus software and protection for internet. There are even packages which combine both and ensure total security of the system. So, how to choose the right company? Should you go by the branding or rely on customer feedbacks?

First of all, you need to do some research on the company. How long has the company been selling antivirus software, what recognitions it has earned for itself- these are the main areas of concern. All these account for the credibility of the company. 

The next thing that needs to be considered is whether to buy the software online or from some store. Many people prefer the online process since it is very convenient for them to buy it sitting at home. But how to buy antivirus software online? There are many options that are discussed below.

Almost all companies have their official websites from where you can directly buy the antivirus software at a reduced price. There are some exclusive discounts and offers going on at different parts of the year. Also, since you are buying the software directly from them without the involvement of dealers and wholesalers, the price is naturally lower. There is also the guarantee of authenticity if you are buying the software directly from the company.  
   

        
Another option would be to buy it from the e-commerce retailers. There are several e-commerce websites such as Amazon and Snapdeal which sell antivirus software. They sell them at a much lower rate than the stores. 

However, buying antivirus software online has its disadvantages as well. If you buy them from a dealer, they will send someone to your home to help you with the installation process. But buying online requires you to install it on your own. This is very troublesome for people who are not acquainted with the process. Online purchase always has a bit of risk involved in it. If you are buying antivirus software from a local dealer or store, you can make the payment after checking whether the product is in its proper form. The hassles of online payment are not there either.  

So, the ultimate choice is yours. If you want a risk-free purchase, it would be better not to buy your computer protection online. On the other hand, if you prefer the comfort of your home, you can buy it online either from the company directly or from some retailer.  



Posted by Unknown at 6:54:00 AM
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how to be safe from Credit Card Breach hacking

https://onlinevirusprotection.blogspot.com.ng/2016/10/protect-your-computer-from-online-virus.htmlAs if we need another reason to be nervous about our money. Financial gurus have warned consumers for a long time about guarding their financial information diligently, but recent events now make it a necessity.


First there was Target. The company announced on December 19, 2013, that thieves had stolen credit and debit card information from more than 40 million customers. Other reports put the number much higher. 

Experts believe that 1 to 3 million card numbers were sold on the black market. Looking at a midpoint (selling 2 million cards at a mid-range price of $26.85/number), experts estimate the thieves made $53.7 million.

How did it happen? The reasons are tech-y, but globally, a lack of proper security measures allowed hackers to gain access through stores’ cash registers. Basically, the company failed to properly close off access to your data. 

Then there was Home Depot. The company announced that it was a victim of a breach occurring from April to September 2014. The 56 million affected cards make it an even bigger hacker haul than at Target. The thieves gained access to Home Depot's records the same way – through cash registers as a result of a lapse in security protocols. 


Add to the list eBay, Michael’s, Kmart, Neiman Marcus and more, and you see that information about you is anything but safe. You have to be diligent and deliberate about protecting your data.
Fortunately, some commonsense practices that don’t take much time to implement will go a long way toward minimizing the damage. Whether you've been hacked or not, consider the following.

Instead of a Credit Card...
One way to avoid being a victim is to not use your credit card. If you think that sounds crazy, you might be surprised by the options available to you.

Prepaid Card. A prepaid credit card has no connection to your bank account, making it the perfect solution. But before you run out and get one, there are some downsides. First, there is virtually no fraud protection for these cards. If thieves get access to the number, they’ll likely get your entire balance and your chances of getting any of that money back are next to none. Second, the fees on these cards are often high – so high that most financial experts advise against using these cards unless you can’t qualify for a regular bank account. Let’s look at other ways.

Temporary Card. Many of the major card issuers including Bank of America and Discover offer single-use credit cards, also called one-time-use, temporary, "shopsafe" or virtual credit cards. As the name implies, these cards often work only one time. Had you used one at Target when its data was breached, the thieves would have a useless number.
 
Not all these cards work with all purchase types. Some can be used only online, for example. As always, be an informed consumer and read your card issuer’s rules regarding single-use cards before signing up.

Check. If you have a checking account, you can still write an old-fashioned paper check at most shops – even if it’s sometimes a hassle to get the check approved, especially if it's not a local shop. Your credit card number will be safe, although there's always the risk someone will get your bank account and bank-routing number instead. At the moment check fraud is much less common than credit card fraud, and you are not liable for any charges to your account if checks are stolen or altered. One additional protection: Don't print your address or any other information except your name on your checks.

Cash. Yes, cash is so last century, but using this monetary dinosaur assures you of one thing: You won’t be a victim. Another upside to cash? According to financial guru, Dave Ramsey, you will spend less overall. If you want to stay safe and reign in your budget, head to the bank and get your hands on some cold, hard cash. If you're really worried, stop at the drugstore after the bank and buy a bottle of hand sanitizer. Cash is, literally, dirty money.

What to Do If You’re Hacked
If you’re reading this saying, “Where were you a couple of months ago? I just found out I was hacked,” here’s your step-by-step guide to dealing with a data breach.

Step 1: Demand a new card. When Target was hacked, JP Morgan Chase limited the use of affected cards and issued new ones before most customers thought to ask.
Some people were annoyed when they tried to pay for a cart full of groceries and their credit card was denied, but the bank did the right thing.
Call your bank and demand a new card. It's not likely to put up a fight as the bank is responsible for paying false charges. In the event that the bank does, don’t back down on your demand.

Step 2: Change your passwords. If you have done any online business with the affected company – or you have an account with it – change your password right away. Make it more than 8 characters and difficult to figure out. If it’s easy for you to remember, it’s easy for a hacker to crack.
While you’re at it, change and strengthen all of your passwords. You don’t know what the thief is holding so assume the worst.

Step 3: File a police report. Call the non-emergency number of your local police department. Say that you were a victim of identity theft and wish to file a report. This makes your status as a victim official.

Step 4: Freeze your credit reports. You don’t want anybody opening up new lines of credit in your name. Freezing your credit report will prevent further identity theft most of the time. Contact the three credit bureaus here:

Freezing your reports is free if you’re a victim of identity theft. (They might want to see the police report you filed.) You can later unfreeze your reports.

Step 5: Watch all your bank and credit card statements. Like a hawk! Look every day for at least 30 days after the bank replaced your card. Apps like Mint and BillGuard make it easy to watch your accounts. If you see fraudulent activity, call the bank and report it immediately. Often you can dispute charges online, but calling and talking to somebody assures that the issuer has record of your dispute. Be sure you also make a record, with the name of the person you talked to and the date and time when you called.

The Bottom Line
You won’t see a resolution overnight. Have patience with the people you deal with and the process will go more smoothly. If you’re one of millions of victims, things might move slowly, but the steps above will prevent any further damage from this attack.


Posted by Unknown at 6:39:00 AM
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How to protect credit card hack in 2017

Ways To Protect Against Credit Card Hacks

https://onlinevirusprotection.blogspot.com.ng/2016/10/protect-your-computer-from-online-virus.htmlPardon us for sounding all doom and gloom, but a series of incidents proves that your sensitive financial and personal data isn’t necessary safe. Look at some recent stats. A Home Depot data breach affected some 56 million credit and debit cards. The well-known Target breach affected more than 40 million consumers, and if you want to see the many other breaches – some even larger – in a depressing, graphic format, take a look at this chart. According to a 2012 Consumer Reports survey, 22.5 % of 5,000 consumers who received notice of a security breach became victims of identity fraud.


Why do cyber thieves take the time to wreck havoc in such large proportions? Because it pays. On the black market, your credit card information is worth an average of $32!

Data breaches are now part of life, and you need to know how to protect yourself. Since hackers are going after the companies that hold your information, it’s hard to stop them from getting your information. All the same, you can take steps to minimize the damage. Even if you haven't been hacked yet, many of these moves can make your information less easy to find and less usable if you are caught up in a breach.



1. Get a Replacement Card
If you've been told you're in a data breach, don’t ask…tell the company that you either get a new card or close the account. You’re not likely to get any pushback from the already embarrassed company. If you do, don’t back down.

2. Check Your Account Online
Don’t wait to check it when the statement arrives; check today. Keep checking daily for at least 30 days after your new card arrives. If you find a suspicious charge, dispute it immediately.

3. Freeze Your Credit
If you are caught up in a data breach, call each of the three main credit bureaus and request that your credit report be frozen. Freezing doesn’t allow anybody to access your credit report without your approval. Creditors probably won’t approve an application without having access to the person’s credit report.

If you're deeply worried about potential breaches, you can also freeze your accounts; you don't have to be a fraud victim. However, this step makes getting any kind of credit exceedingly cumbersome for you and and the potential lender, so you may want to think twice about taking it.

4. Order Your Credit Reports
You get one free credit report per year by law, but you’ll probably be eligible for more frequent free reports if you were a victim of fraud. Even if you haven't been targeted yet, be proactive and get your free reports. Ideally, order one every four months so you've covered the year.

5. Watch for Phishing Scams
Just because thieves have your credit card number doesn’t mean they also have the expiration date and the three- or four-digit CVV number. Beware of phishing, a scam where the thief might send an e-mail or call in an attempt to gain the rest of the information. Don’t give your information to anybody unless you call them. If somebody leaves a message, go to the company’s website and find a contact number to make sure it matches what the person in the message provided. For even more security, call the company directly and make sure the person who called you is legitimate.

6. Don’t Sign Up for High-Priced Fraud Protection
In the panic of the moment, you might be tempted to shell out up to $300 per year for credit monitoring services. Don’t do it. By closely reviewing the information you get free of charge, you can monitor your own accounts. If a company provides the information to you free of charge, make sure to cancel the service before the renewal date.

7. Be Smart About Passwords
You aren’t going to prevent a breach by employing all of the password rules, but you don’t know what kind of information thieves were about to steal. Employ strong passwords (those random letters and numbers) and change your password frequently. Remember, if it’s easy for you to remember, it's probably easy for a savvy cyber thief to crack.

The Bottom Line
If you haven't been a victim yet, act proactively to make yourself less vulnerable.
If you have, don’t panic. It’s going to take time to clear everything up, but you won’t pay for any charges that weren’t yours. Call your credit card company, tell it about any incorrect charges and be patient as it works to clear them from your account.
 
In the meantime, continue monitoring your credit report and credit card bills for more signs of unauthorized activity.

 
Posted by Unknown at 6:11:00 AM
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how to protect your data online and avoid identity theft in 2017

How to protect yourself online and avoid identity theft in 2017

https://onlinevirusprotection.blogspot.com.ng/2016/10/how-to-shop-online-and-protect-yourself.htmlWith increased cyberspace threats in 2016, it only seems fair to provide you with a guide to some of the steps you should take to protect yourself from identity theft in the new year. Here are a few things you can do to protect yourself from identity theft.   
1. Never give personal information to anyone who contacts you by phone, text message or email unless you have confirmed that the request is legitimate. Caller ID can be fooled to make it appear that a call is legitimate and emails and texts can be sent from hijacked accounts or addresses that may appear legitimate, but are slightly different from the real email address or phone number.



2. Sign up for the Federal Do Not Call list at donotcall.gov to avoid telemarketing calls. Here is the link to sign up for the Do Not Call List. donotcall.gov It is important to remember, however, that the Do Not Call List does not apply to charities so you still may receive telephone calls from people collecting on behalf of legitimate charities, however, you can never be sure when you receive a call purporting to be from a charity whether it is legitimate or not so never give personal information or credit card information over the phone to someone who calls you soliciting for a charity. If you are feeling charitably inclined, go to the real website of the charity where you can safely make your donation.

3. Consider opting out of pre-approved credit card offers. These can be stolen from your mailbox by identity thieves who can then apply for credit in your name. You can opt out of these offers by going to optoutprescreen.com.

4. Check your credit report at each of the three credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion at least once a year. Often people first become aware of becoming a victim of identity theft when they find fraudulent charges on their credit report and the earlier you become aware of the problem, the easier it is to fix. Because federal law provides the right for you to get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies annually, you should stagger your requests to each of the credit reporting agencies so that you get one report every four months. Get your free credit reports at annualcreditreport.com.

5. While the credit reporting agencies and others tout the use of fraud alerts on your credit reports as a way to help protect you from identity theft, the truth is that fraud alerts by which someone issuing credit in your name is supposed to notify you before issuing credit in your name are not terribly effective and there is no penalty for a company issuing credit to someone in your name without notifying you even if there is a fraud alert on your credit report. A far better choice is to put a credit freeze on your credit report. This will prevent someone from accessing your credit report for purposes of obtaining credit even if they have your Social Security number. Here is a link to a previous column I wrote about credit freezes that explains how to get one.

6. Limit your use of your debit card to use at ATMs. Don't use it for retail purchases because the law provides much more protection from liability when your credit card is illegally used than when your debit card is fraudulently used. In addition, even if your debit card company provides for zero liability, your bank will freeze the bank account you have tied to your debit card while they investigate any fraudulent use of your debit card, which can be tremendously inconvenient.

7. Get an EMV chip credit card, if you don't already have one and if the places you shop still haven't switched over to card processing equipment for the new cards, tell them that they should do so soon. Your shopping will be safer when everyone is using these new cards.

8. Use a strong unique password for each of your accounts. This is particularly important because if you use the same password for all of your accounts, you are more susceptible to identity theft if your password is stolen in a data breach at one of the companies with which you do online business. Having a strong, easy to remember password is not as difficult a task as it may seem. Start with a phrase, such as IHate2 UsePasswords. This is a good combination of capital letters, small letters and a number. Now make it even stronger by adding a couple of symbols such as exclamation points at the end so it now reads IHate2 Use Passwords!!!. This is now your basic password which you can customize for each account by adding a few letters to identify the particular account, such as Ama for your Amazon account so your Amazon password would read IHate2Use Passwords!!!Ama.

9. Security questions are an important part of your online safety. Armed with the answer to your security questions, a hacker can change your passwords and take over your online accounts. Unfortunately, the answers to common security questions, such as your mother's maiden name can be found with little effort by an identity thief. Sometimes, you may unwittingly provide that information yourself on social media where you may provide more information to the public than you realize. The key then is to make your answer to your security question nonsensical. So instead of the answer to your mother's maiden name being "Jones," change it to something like "Grapefruit." No identity thief will guess it and it is silly enough for you to remember.

These are a few of the things you should be doing to protect yourself from identity theft and scams in 2016. In my next column I will give you more tips.

 
Steve Weisman is a lawyer, a professor at Bentley University and one of the country's leading experts in scams and identity theft. He writes the blog scamicide.com, where he provides daily update information about the latest scams. His new book is Identity Theft Alert.
Posted by Unknown at 5:52:00 AM
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Two things to bear in Mind while we talk about Protecting yourself Online in order to Prevent Online Identity Theft and being Victim of Cyber-Criminals:

A. Keep in mind that antivirus software protects only your device, not your internet connection. It’s only Secured and Protected Virtual Private Network, VPN can securely protect your internet connection communications between your computer device, servers and websites.

B. A VPN is a must-have utility to protect your privacy and prevent hackers and snoopers from stealing your personal information.