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Blog Privacy & Identity Protection Guide: Protecting Your Digital Identity


HOW TO PROTECT YOUR DIGITAL IDENTITY



Amy Bunn

Mar 28, 2024

7 MIN READ

People under 60 are losing it online. And by it, I mean money—thanks to digital
identity theft. 

In its simplest form, your digital identity is made up of a whole host of
things that can be traced back to you and who you are. That can range anywhere
from photos you post online to online shopping accounts, email accounts to
telephone numbers, and bank accounts to your tax ID.  

In this way, your digital identity is like dozens upon dozens of puzzle
pieces made up of different accounts, ID numbers, and so forth. When put
together, they create a picture of you. And that’s why those little puzzle
pieces of your identity are such attractive targets for hackers. If they get the
right combination of them, you can end up a victim of theft or fraud.  


PEOPLE UNDER 60 ARE MAJOR TARGETS FOR FRAUD 

Here’s what’s happening: people under 60 were twice as likely to report losing
money while shopping online. The spotlight also shows that adults under 60 are
more than four times more likely to report losing money to an investment scam,
and the majority of those losses happened in scams involving some form of
cryptocurrency investments.

And it’s no surprise younger adults get targeted this way. They’re far more
likely than any other age group to use mobile apps for peer-to-peer payments,
transfer money between accounts, deposit checks, and pay bills. In short,
there’s a lot of money flowing through the palms of their hands thanks to their
phones, as well as their computers. 

Protecting yourself from hackers and fraud means protecting
your digital identity. And that can feel like a pretty huge task given all the
information your digital identity includes. It can be
done, though, especially if you think about your identity like a puzzle. A piece
here, another piece there, can complete the picture (or complete it just
enough) to give a hacker what they need to separate you from your money. Thus,
the way to stay safe is to keep those puzzle pieces out of other people’s
hands.  


SIX WAYS YOU CAN PROTECT YOUR DIGITAL IDENTITY FROM HACKERS AND FRAUD 

It’s actually not that tough. With a few new habits and a couple of apps to help
you out, you can protect yourself from the headaches and flat-out pain of fraud.
Here’s a list of straightforward things that you can get started on right away: 

1. Start with the basics—security software  

Protect yourself by protecting your stuff. Installing and using security
software on your computers and phones can prevent all kinds of attacks and make
you safer while you surf, bank, and shop online. I should emphasize it
again—protect your phone. Only about half of people protect their phones even
though they use them to hail rides, order food, send money to friends, and more.
Going unprotected on your phone means you’re sending all that money on the
internet in a way that’s far, far less safe than if you use online protection. 

2. Create strong passwords  

You hear this one all the time and for good reason—strong, unique passwords
offer one of your best defenses against hackers. Never re-use them (or slight
alterations of them) across the different platforms and services you use. Don’t
forget to update them on the regular (that means at least every 60 days)! While
that sounds like a lot of work, a password manager can keep on top of it all for
you. And if your platform or service offers the use of two-factor
authentication, definitely make use of that. It’s a further layer of security
that makes hacking tougher for crooks. 

3. Keep up to date with your updates  

Updates have a way of popping up on our phones and computers nearly every
day, resist the urge to put them off until later. Aside from making
improvements, updates often include important security fixes. So, when you get
an alert for your operating system or app on your devices, go ahead and update.
Think of it as adding another line of defense from hackers who are looking to
exploit old flaws in your apps.   

4. Think twice when you share  

Social media is one place hackers go to harvest personal information because
people sometimes have a way of sharing more than they should. With info like
your birthday, the name of your first school, your mother’s maiden name, or even
the make of your first car, they can answer common security questions that could
hack into your accounts. Crank up the privacy settings on your accounts so only
friends and family can see your posts—and realize the best defense here is not
to post any possibly sensitive info in the first place. Also, steer clear of
those “quizzes” that sometimes pop up in your social feeds. Those are other ways
that hackers try to gain bits of info that can put your identity at risk. 

5. Shred it  

Even though so many of us have gone paperless with our bills, identity theft by
digging through the trash, or “dumpster diving,” is still a thing. Things like
medical bills, tax documents, and checks still might make their way to your
mailbox. You’ll want to dispose of them properly when you’re through with them.
First, invest in a paper shredder. Once you’ve online deposited that check or
paid that odd bill, shred it so that any personal or account info on there can’t
be read (and can be recycled securely). Second, if you’re heading out of town
for a bit, have a friend collect your mail or have the post office put a
temporary hold on your mail. That’ll prevent thieves from lifting personal info
right from your mailbox while you’re away. 

6. Check your credit  

Even if you don’t think there’s a problem, go ahead and check your credit. The
thing is, someone could be charging things against your name without you even
knowing it. Depending on where you live, different credit reporting
agencies keep tabs on people’s credit. In the U.S., the big ones are Equifax,
Experian, and TransUnion. Also in the U.S., the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
requires these agencies to provide you with a free credit check at least once
every 12 months. Canada, the UK, and other nations likewise offer ways to get a
free credit report. Run down your options—you may be surprised by what you
find. 


HOW DO I KNOW IF MY IDENTITY HAS BEEN STOLEN?  

As I just mentioned, the quickest way to get sense of what’s happening with your
identity is to check your credit. Identity theft goes beyond money. Crooks will
steal identities to rent apartments, access medical services, and even get
jobs. Things like that can show up on a credit report, such as when an unknown
address shows up in a list of your current and former residences or when a
company you’ve never worked for shows up as an employer. If you spot anything
strange, track it down right away. Many businesses have fraud departments with
procedures in place that can help you clear your name if you find a charge or
service wrongfully billed under your name. 

Other signs are far more obvious. You may find collection agencies calling or
even see tax notices appearing in your mailbox (yikes). Clearly, cases like
those are telltale signs that something is really wrong. In that case, report it
right away: 

 * If you live in the U.S. and think that someone is using your personal
   information, visit IdentityTheft.gov. 
 * In Canada, visit antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca for help.  
 * And in the UK, check out CIFAS, the UK’s fraud prevention service, at
   cifas.org.uk. 

Likewise, many nations offer similar government services. A quick search will
point you in the right direction. 

Another step you can take is to ask each credit bureau to freeze your credit,
which prevents crooks from using your personal information to open new lines of
credit or accounts in your name. Fraud alerts offer another line of protection
for you as well, and you can learn more about fraud alerts here. 


KEEPING YOUR DIGITAL IDENTITY IN YOUR HANDS 

With so many bits and pieces of information making up your digital identity, a
broader way of keeping it safe involves asking yourself a question: what could
happen if someone got their hands on this info? Further realizing that even
little snippets of unsecured info can lead to fraud or theft in your name
helps—even that un-shredded bill or innocuous refund check for a couple of bucks
could give a crook the puzzle piece they need. You can keep your digital
identity safe by keeping those pieces of info out of other people’s hands.    

INTRODUCING MCAFEE+

Identity theft protection and privacy for your digital life

Download McAfee+ Now



Stay Updated

Follow us to stay updated on all things McAfee and on top of the latest consumer
and mobile security threats.


Amy Bunn Chief Communications Officer

Amy Bunn is head of communications at McAfee and has worked in technology and
cybersecurity for over 15 years. During this time, Amy has witnessed the
changing technology landscape and...


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