I'm Not Alone!

This blog is not meant to be a Part 2 to our presentation the other night, so hopefully I get credit for it.

As you know, my group topic was computer related identity theft. While researching prevention measures, I was startled to find out that I am guilty of committing a few online ‘no-no’s. When I mentioned to my teammates that I used my debit card for online purchases, they looked at me as if I were a moron (well, not really...then again, maybe Philip did). In any event, I decided to poll some of my Facebook friends to see how many of us were in the “Potential Victims of Identity Theft” Club.

In my unscientific poll, I asked the following questions (feel free to answer them yourself):

Do You:
1. Store passwords in your cell phone?
2. Store passwords in your laptop?
3. Regularly update your anti-virus software?
4. Even have anti-virus software on your computer?
5. Know the 4 signs that a website is secure?
6. Store financial information on your laptop?
7. Use a debit card for online purchases?
8. Destroy your hard drive before you give an old computer away?
9. Read and adhere to all pop-up messages warning you a website may have
security issues?

Of the people who responded to me, which were more than I expected:

All of them had Anti-Virus software and 90% of them updated it regularly (good job guys). Nobody stored passwords in their cell phone, but 20% stored passwords and financial information in their laptops. 80% read and adhered to all pop-up warning messages.

While those results were good, there were a few items of concern:

80% of people who threw out/donated their old computers did not destroy their hard drive, 70% did not know the 4 signs that a website was secure, and most importantly *drum roll please* 90% used a debit card for online purchases. SEE!! I’m NOT alone! Guess that makes us all a little moronic.

The whole topic of identity theft really shed some light on my own ignorance.Knowledge really is powerful and because I’m such a concerned citizen (and love my friends) I have shared my groups prevention measures with them (yep…that’s me…making the world safer one computer at a time).

Given the number of annual victims, I might as well leave my front door unlocked as I’m exposed to some of the same risks. Thinking about the large average loss and the time intensive process to clear your good name it really makes me wanna throw my laptop out the window, but not before I burn the hard drive.