PrivacyGuard's Holiday ID Theft Prevention Tips Address Online Shopping, Mobile Security, Web Scams

STAMFORD, Conn., Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With the rise in online shopping and mobile shopping it's more important than ever for consumers to take precautions against identity theft this holiday season.  PrivacyGuard, a leading provider of identity theft protection, detection and resolution services, released today a list of tips aimed at helping holiday shoppers to protect their identity, and avoid risky behaviors that could lead to ID theft. 

According to Experian Simmons' 2011 Mobile Consumer Report, 33.3 million U.S. consumers engage in shopping-related activities on their mobile phones. While many find mobile shopping fast and convenient, making purchases on a mobile device while connected to a public network could lead to the theft of credit card numbers and personal information, leaving shoppers at risk for identity theft. Web- savvy shoppers may also use mobile internet to comparison shop and find unbeatable deals this holiday season, eventually ending up on insecure websites that could leak their information, putting them at risk for fraudulent account charges and countless hours spent recovering stolen personal information.

"While consumers may know the basic steps to prevent against ID theft, with the holiday shopping season ahead and the more widespread use of mobile devices, it's easy for people to become distracted and lured into dangerous situations," said Christine El Eris, Director of PrivacyGuard. "Shopping remotely on unsecure networks, making purchases at unfamiliar websites and failing to check your account statements – behaviors like these can put consumers at risk."

Holiday ID Theft Prevention Tips

• Beware of Public WiFi - While it may be fun to shop via your new iPad app at your local park or coffee shop, it may not be secure. Double check your network security before you type in credit card information.
• Cover your ATM Card – Thieves are able to view your pin number, either via shoulder surfing (standing behind you and looking over your shoulder) or more technologically advanced method such as small video cameras secured to a physical ATM. Be certain to cover your pin number when entering it at an ATM. 
• Double check your email inbox - Many email scams have been reported where emails were sent to consumers that looked legitimate, but were designed to steal personal information. When in doubt, do not respond.  Most retailers will not ask for personal information via email.
• Watch where you shop online - The best price on those new shoes may cost you your identity. Always check for the lock icon on the website's browser status bar, which signals a secure site that is safe for transactions.  If you have never heard of a website before, check to make sure it has security precautions in place and that it is not a fake website set up by identity thieves. 
• Take Stock of Store Credit Cards - Customers often apply for store credit cards during the holidays to take advantage of discounts on purchases, but forget to monitor the cards for suspicious activities after the holidays have passed. This can become particularly costly since interest rates are typically higher on these cards, and protections against theft are less certain than bank issued cards.
• Keep receipts - Your receipts provide a great cross-reference check and guard against suspicious activity on credit card accounts.
• Protect computer prior to online shopping - Make sure your security patch and antivirus software is updated regularly.  Consider purchasing technology that protects against potential viruses. 
• Strengthen passwords - Use strong passwords with at least eight characters, including a combination of letters, numbers and symbols that are easy for you to remember, but difficult for predators to pounce upon. 

In addition to the above tips, consumers may also want to purchase an identity theft protection service.  PrivacyGuard allows customers to monitor their credit reports at all three credit bureaus. It also  monitors the online criminal underground where identities are bought and sold and instantly alerts consumer if their social security number or up to 10 credit card or debit card numbers are posted for sale by thieves in a chat room. PrivacyGuard also scans online directories and search engines, prime sources for spammers and thieves, letting consumers know where their information is available and provides advice on how to remove it.  PrivacyGuard customers are covered with up to $1,000,000 in identity theft insurance and receive personal fraud support in reclaiming their identities, should they become victims of ID theft. More information can be found at www.privacyguard.com

About Affinion Security Center

Affinion Security Center (ASC), a division of Stamford, Connecticut-based Affinion Group, is a global leader in providing identity protection and data security solutions to corporations and individuals. For over 35 years products within ASC have been powering many of the world's leading personal data protection solutions offered to consumers by local, national and multi-national enterprises in the financial sector.  ASC currently protects over 10 million subscribers with services including IdentitySecure, PrivacyGuard, PC SafetyPlus and Hotline, and serves enterprise and government agencies with the data breach preparation and response tool, BreachShield. Affinion Security Center is part of the steering committee of the Identity Theft Prevention and Identity Management Standards Panel (IDSP). For more information please visit www.affinionsecuritycenter.com.

SOURCE PrivacyGuard