It can be hard to tell a scam site from the real site sometimes, as many of these crimes are very sophisticated. One of the reasons that these scams are so prevalent is that so many people fall for them.

Feeling a little paranoid? Afraid to switch your computer on? Don’t be. Although nothing is 100% safe, taking a few simple precautions will keep your data secure and make it very unlikely that you will be the victim of a cybercrime.

Protect your passwords.
Do not give your passwords out to others. Don’t write them all down and post them next to your computer, or keep the list in your purse.

Use unique passwords and log ins.
If you always use the same password, once someone knows the password for one account, they can guess at how to log in to other accounts. It can be hard to remember a lot of passwords, so use Roboform to generate and store unique passwords. (Get a free trial of Roboform.)

Know your network.
At home, use a reputable Internet Service Provider. When away from home, do not use an unknown wireless network. Be especially wary of those “Free Public WiFi” wireless networks that appear on your laptop. Often, they are run just to capture data.

Even a wired network may not be secure. The best action is to always encrypt your data.

Fire up the firewall.
Use a firewall on your computer. Windows includes a firewall (make sure it is turned on) or you can purchase firewall software from many vendors.

Encrypt your data.
When you must use remote networks and wifi, use a Virual Private Network (VPN). One that is easy to use and inexpensive is HotspotVPN.

Don’t click that link!
Never click on unknown links in emails. If you get an email saying you need to log in to your PayPal account and update information, do not click on a link in the email. Go to PayPal.com and log in to see if you have a message about your account. The same applies to any other email asking you to click on a link and log in.

Check the address bar.
When you go to a site, is the URL correct – www.payapl.com, not paypal.mynet.com, for example. Before entering personal data, check for https (instead of http), letting you know the connection is secure.

Look for the lock.
A secure site will also have a key or closed lock in the lower right corner of your browser.

Change the password on your home router.
Have a home network? Most people never change the default password and the network can easily be hacked. “1234″ is not a hard password to guess.

Keep your computer up to date.
Download and install security updates and patches when they are released. Use good anti-virus/anti-spyware software, and update it frequently

Resources
For more information and links to resources to keep yourself and your data safe, go to: http://www.IdeaLady.com/article/online_safety

Being a mystery shopper does not make you more vulnerable to identity theft. However, whenever you are giving out sensitive information (such as your Social Security Number (SSN)) it is wise to be cautious. For example, make sure that any site requesting your SSN is secure. You can tell if the site is secure by looking at the URL. If it starts with https (instead of http) that is a secure site. Or look for a small graphic of a lock in the status bar (usually the bottom right corner of your browser).

Do not give your personal information at any site you do not trust. Before applying to any mystery shopping company, make sure that they are a legitimate company and that you are at their site. One way to do this is by checking the list of member companies at the MSPA site, or at sites such as Volition.com.

Aside from mystery shopping, shred any sensitive documents, such as those pre-approved credit offers you get all the time, or any documents with your SSN and other personal information.

Of course, even when taking every precaution, your identity may be stolen. States have posted data bases with residents’ private information, hackers may get in to data bases maintained by retailers, laptops with customer information can be stolen, etc.

With identity theft apparently becoming more prevalent, I have wondered about the best way to protect myself. Most of the services I have seen (such as credit monitoring) seem to let you know that there is a problem rather than doing anything to prevent it. Although I have not been the victim of identity theft, I have had to cancel credit cards when I was notified that fraudulent charges were made on the cards. That was enough of a hassle–I don’t even want to think of what it would be like to clean up after identity theft.

When I heard about LifeLock, I decided to give them a try. Some of the services they offer are things you could do yourself, but probably won’t. For example, they will get you off the lists for all those pre-approved credit card offers. I get 10 – 20 of those every week. And, they will automatically request your credit reports from the major bureaus every year. I know that I could do both of those things myself, but I don’t.

More importantly, LifeLock says that they will prevent identity theft and they guarantee that if somehow you still become the victim of identity theft they will restore your name and good credit, and reimburse you for any losses. What impressed me is that they are so confident about their services that their CEO posts his Social Security Number on the home page of their web site. Really. Take a look.

Take reasonable precautions to protect your financial identity. Then, consider the small investment in a service such as LifeLock to provide greater security. I am off to the LifeLock site to sign up right now.

Cathy Stucker is the author of The Mystery Shopper’s Manual.