Scams and Fraud, Email Privacy, Protection From Hackers - AARP Scams & Fraud

Privacy Please

Disabling cookies on your browser can help you from getting hacked

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Avoiding the Web won't protect your credit card, debit card, or bank-account information. Bad guys can hack credit card databases or "skim" data off cards at ATMs and stores. Checks are no more secure, because the information needed to access your account — name, bank routing number, and account number — is printed on each one. So keep a watchful eye on your accounts, and order credit reports annually to ensure new accounts have not been set up in your name.

Fending Off Fraudsters

If you get a "security alert" from a bank or credit card company, don't click on email links or call the number listed, in case it's fake. Instead, use a phone number you know to be authentic. If your Social Security number is stolen, ask the credit bureaus to freeze your credit reports. Dear Liz: I've just received an email notice from an online retailer warning me that my email address was "compromised." But it's not clear what the risk is or what I should do. Should I worry? Yes. Ignoring these data breaches is a mistake. If your information was hacked, you are four times more likely to have your identity stolen the year after the breach than the general public is. Even something as innocuous as a stolen email address puts you at risk, because criminals can use it to better target their attacks. A scammer could send you a fake email from your bank to trick you into handing over your account password. That's why privacy advocates are so concerned about the vast amount of personal data that companies are collecting, both online and off. Our mobile phones map our location, loyalty cards reveal what we buy, and our Web-browsing habits are tracked by companies that sell the information to advertisers. Congress is considering "Do Not Track" legislation, which would allow Web users to opt out of data collecting. But for now it's up to you to keep your finances private. To limit tracking, enable your browser's privacy setting, which prevents websites from installing "cookies" that can monitor your movements. (See the browser's "Help" menu for details.) Use different passwords for sites that require them, and change them every few months. Social media users should avoid revealing information that might be used in financial sites' security questions, such as birth date or maiden name. If you haven't already, tell your financial institutions you don't want them to share your info with other companies. You may also like: Liz Weston, author of The 10 Commandments of Money: Survive and Thrive in the New Economy, blogs at asklizweston.com. Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

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