If you think you’re safe from identity theft, you should talk with the Spanish Prime Minister.

E-criminals have been setting their sights higher and higher, it seems. Recently, hackers found their way into the Spanish Prime Minister’s personal website. The results are a mix of viral humor and political protest.

Replacing the Prime Minister’s photo with that of slapstick character Mr. Bean, the hackers caused a uproar among Spanish politicians and civilians alike. They did not stop there, altering the text on the website as they saw fit. The full story can be found here.

On the surface, the gag is just a rabble-rousing act of vandalism, not unlike spray painting a wall with one’s views. The reality of the incident is far more serious.

Thanks to the Internet and modern hacking technology, nobody is safe from identity theft. Not the Prime Minister of Spain, and certainly not you. It’s a harsh reality that becomes more frightening by the day. The possibilities for e-criminals are virtually limitless.

Truth be told, the Prime Minister of Spain, and the people of Spain for that matter, got off pretty easy. With access to such reputable websites and profiles, hackers have the ability to do far worse things than simply poke fun.

In the wrong hands, access like this could yield disastrous results. On a small scale, identity theft can mean stolen money and information from an individual person. On a larger scale, identity theft can put the security of those in power, and the countries they run, at great risk.

It’s no secret by now that the Internet is a playground of sorts for hackers and identity thieves. It is possible to stay protected? Will it ever be? The future of the Internet, and your security while using it, are all question marks at this point.

But do not throw caution to the wind and surf the web blindly. Identity theft is very serious, and you are at greater risk now than ever before. It’s important to know this, and to make a daily effort to keep your information safe and secured.

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It’s no secret that Facebook is popular. The number one social networking site, Facebook has swept the world with its convenience and usability in connecting with people.

But nothing good comes without a price. For users of Facebook, that price is the end of privacy.

It seems for avid Facebook users, the idea of privacy jumped out the window a long time ago. Now, nothing is exactly sacred in the lives of individual Facebook users. Personal information, photos, and even up-the-minute whereabouts are all common knowledge to those connected to each other through the site.

In some cases, though, the risk goes even deeper.

According to one story, the largest risk attached to Facebook is identity theft. If someone were to hack into your account, they can become you in the eyes of your friends and family. Once in this position, the hacker can use your identity as they see fit.

It’s a dangerous rope to walk, this Facebook thing. But now, as an indispensible part of many a user’s day, the site surely isn’t getting shut down any time soon.

Knowing this, it becomes crucial for Facebook users to stay alert and safe from the dangers that come along with being connected.

For Facebook users, it’s crucial that passwords and login information are kept as private as private can be. Not unlike an online banking account or e-mail address. Nobody – not friends, not family, not anybody – should have access to your account.

Also, you should be taking full advantage of the privacy settings for your account. It’s recommended that you keep your account private rather than public, as to keep your contact information and photos accessible to friends only. Having this information private, specifically phone numbers and photos that are less than flattering, is a move you won’t regret.

By now, Facebook is such a routine venture for so many people that it may seem like a riskless one. But every day that you have a Facebook account is a day at risk. It’s vital that you know this, and take the necessary precautions to keep your account and your identity protected.

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There are plenty of companies out there who would love to protect your money.

Well, they would want a cut up front. Then they can protect your money.

Identity protection companies are numerous around the Internet. Like in any business, the cream will naturally rise to the top. Lifelock is one of these companies.

Currently running promo ads on national TV, Lifelock is destined to be a big name in identity protection for a long time to come.

One major feature of Lifelock is their Command Center, a feature unique to their site. Promising greater coverage than other companies can offer, Lifelock’s Command Center is made of the various services unique to Lifelock.

The company also sports a $1 Million Service Guarantee, which promises up to $1 million in retribution if a member became a victim to identity theft. This includes investigators, consultants, and lawyer fees as the company tracks down your money and gets it back to you.

As identity theft remains a worsening problem on the Web and elsewhere, it’s important to know that protection is available. For a fee, of course. But it’s hard to put a price on security.

LifeLock commercial

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On ProtectIdentity, our goal is helping you stay aware and safe from the dangers of identity theft. Normally this would be done by telling you ways to not lose your identity.

But here are the five most efficient ways to lose your identity. For those people unaware how identity theft usually goes down — or for someone who actually wants their identity stolen, for some reason — this list should be a very helpful tool.

5. Click on pop-ups

When visiting the average website, minus a few exceptions, you are bound to see numerous pop-up ads as they force themselves into your line of vision, blocking what you were reading. Some are simple advertisements; others claim you are a “winner” of some sort; others might offer you a miracle treatment for hair growth. One great way to have your identity stolen is clicking on one of these pop-ups. Or all of them.

Pop-ups are strategically designed to draw traffic to lesser known and sometimes dangerous websites. Clicking on these ads, and then proceeding to click around the websites they lead to, is a surefire way to get your information stolen. At the very least, you might get a computer virus. So it’s a win-win for somebody looking for a bad time.

4. Speak to telemarketers

You’ve probably spoken to a telemarketer before. It was probably just after you sat down to eat dinner with your family one evening, when all of a sudden the phone rang. You probably picked the phone up and told the telemarketer to “get a life,” or “stop bothering me and my family.” You are not alone.

But, next time you are looking to get your information stolen, give one of these guys a shot. See what they have to say. At the end of the sales pitch, give them your credit card information. They may even ask for more information. Give it to them. Goodness knows what crazy things they will go on to do with the precious information you give them. But if you are looking to shake things up a little bit on your credit report, you can’t go wrong by speaking to telemarketers.

3. Tell people your passwords

In this day and age, we probably type our passwords into a computer a dozen or more times a day. Accessing e-mail, bank accounts, and private files can be tricky without them. Our passwords are our keys to the world, and keeping them private is a daily challenge for the average person.

Well, forget about keeping them private. Let them be known! One of the most common forms of identity theft occurs when passwords fall into the wrong hands. If you are looking to get your identity stolen, there may not be a quicker way to make it happen. Once your passwords are public knowledge, the security of your accounts and funds is as good as gone. Telling someone your passwords is a recipe for success — if you consider identity theft a success.

2. Misplace your credit cards

So what if that’s your signature on the back? The options are nearly endless for someone with a newly acquired credit card — of someone else’s.

Countless transactions can be completed over the Web with just a credit card number. The same can be said for gas stations, convenience stores, and other swipe-and-go locations. A credit card can purchase a venerable bounty of goods, with or without the actual owner of that card there to sign for it. Losing your credit card is a quick and easy way to run up your balance and screw up your credit. So leave it at the pump, or just drop it on the floor next time you’re at the mall. Losing your identity has never been simpler!

1. Trust everyone

It’s possible that there are more scams out there than actual businesses. At every turn, someone is trying to get their hands on your money and information. It’s a dirty reality.

Well, no point in living a skeptical life. If you’re in a hurry to lose everything you’ve worked for, stop questioning and start trusting. Read every e-mail you’re sent and sign up for every membership. Sign up for things without reading the fine print. Buy products that don’t really exist. The key here is trust. If you trust everyone you talk to and everything you read, you are bound to get your life turned upside down by identity theft. And if that’s what you are looking to do, I can’t recommend a better way to do it!

If you aspire to have your identity stolen, you can’t miss if you follow the steps on this list. If you seek security and privacy, I would recommend another list.

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According to the company’s website, 91% of Internet users recognize the VeriSign seal. Do you?

You may have noticed this image the last time you purchased something off the Web. This seal is meant to signify safety in an unsecured world. If you are entering your credit card information over the Internet, seeing this symbol is meant to make you feel at ease about your transaction, and the privacy of your information.

VeriSign, a company that has been growing for more than 10 years, is the most trusted company of its kind. Specialists in “Internet infrastructure services,” VeriSign works with countless websites and companies to make transactions and other transfers of data secure and trustworthy. According to their numbers, they seem to be doing their job very well.

According to the VeriSign homepage, sites experience an average 20% increase in transactions if their checkout bares the VeriSign logo. With an estimated 5.7 million customers working with VeriSign, it’s no secret why 91% of Web surfers recognize — and trust — the VeriSign logo. People love the feeling of security.

You can visit the VeriSign website for more information on Internet infrastructure services and the VeriSign company.

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There are certain things you just shouldn’t tell anyone.

Your passwords are chief among these.

Over the course of your life, you will probably have at least several passwords that remain attached to you forever. You may come up with them in just seconds. But their importance is impossible to measure, and it will grow the longer you keep them around.

Not unlike the pin number to your ATM card, you should always check over your shoulder when typing a password into your e-mail or online banking account. Just like the ATM code, it’s an unassumingly short thing to remember. But if just one person were to learn it, the possible consequences are dire.

One of the main sources of identity theft is a stolen password. When e-criminals get their hands on a person’s password, there is usually no end in sight for the things they can do. A common scenario is that a person might use a single password to access many important sites or accounts. Thus, if this single password gets stolen, all of these accounts become a playground of sorts to the thief at hand.

Now, in some friendships or relationships, the sharing of passwords might become a standard practice. Based on how much trust is shared when this happens, it could be a relatively painless transaction. But it’s crucial that you don’t share your passwords with a large number of people, and you don’t share them with just anyone.

If you tell somebody your password or passwords, you are vesting a mountain of trust in them to not let your password slip into the wrong hands. It is critical, then, that you realize just how valuable these passwords are to your well-being, and make keeping them safe a daily priority.

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Since the popularization of wireless internet, Wi-Fi hotspots have been popping up around the country like zits on a teenager. Now, you can stay connected while at lunch, at the airport, or basically anywhere you might feel the urge to check your e-mails.

Naturally, there are plenty of e-criminals out there just waiting to spoil your fun.

A new concern for those fans of public Wi-Fi use is what is being referred to as “man-in-the-middle” attacks.

In these “attacks,” hackers will intercept data that is being transferred through local Wi-Fi connections. For example, if you were to be checking your bank account at a Wi-Fi hotspot, a potential hacker could intercept that web traffic and acquire your account information. Not the greatest way to spend your lunch break.

To stay protected from identity theft, it is best to avoid the transfer of sensitive information when accessing a local Wi-Fi connection. This can be said for laptop and smartphone users alike. If you are going to connect to a free public Wi-Fi network, avoid any transfer of private information or major transactions – if possible. Save that sort of thing for at home, in the safety of your password-protected wireless network.

As the freedom and availability of the Internet continues to grow, so do the risks associated with it. Keep your information safe and your identity protected at all costs.

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According to a recent CNN column, Privacy is dead, and social media hold the smoking gun.

It’s grave language, for sure. But it holds plenty of weight.

In the last decade, nearly under the radar, social networking sites have drawn practically everyone to their wells. Beginning with MySpace and the notorious “Tom,” college student Mark Zuckerberg took the ball and ran with it in 2004, creating Facebook. Connecting people has never been easier, cheaper, or more fun.

Alas, it’s never been more dangerous.

With the masses registered on Facebook (350 million and counting), social networking became somewhat of a necessity, rather than a diversion. Students and retirees alike have gathered like flies to the concept, and now you might get a look of shock or disbelief if you tell someone you aren’t on Facebook.

Yet Facebook, along with its Internet counterparts, has become a deathtrap for private information. Once a member of the site, your profile becomes available through online searches by fellow members and nonmembers alike. Basically, anyone who searches the likes of Google for your name will indeed find you. And your photos. And your contact information. And so on.

Now, the founders of these social networking sites certainly didn’t have identity theft in mind when they began their operations. On the contrary — Myspace and Facebook were revolutionary ideas that made the Internet more exciting. But as things tend to do, the child has outgrown the parents at this point. Individual privacy has become a major risk when joining social networks. An unintended risk, yes. But a risk nonetheless.

To stay protected, make sure you configure your personal settings on your profile to reach an optimum level of safety. Make your profiles private to friends and coworkers, rather than open to the public. Remove information about yourself you don’t want made public (phone number, address, etc.). Or, simply delete your accounts.

Rest assured that the world is not ending tomorrow, and Facebook and MySpace will probably be around for years and years to come. But use them at your own risk. There are some instances when staying connected comes at too great a price.

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A TV ad campaign was launched recently by ProtectMyID.com, a site offering paid assistance in helping to keep your identity safe. The service, which is offered at $9.95 a month, includes credit monitoring, change of address monitoring, and a thorough internet scan to detect if your credit card or social security numbers are being used.

Now, does ProtectMyID.com actually protect your ID?

Backed by Experian, the current “leading global information services company,” ProtectMyID insists it is the real deal. The site guarantees that members won’t regret their decision to sign up. They do this by employing a squad of Fraud Resolution Agents to work individually with members in their quest for a safe identity.

Their $1 Million Product guarantee doesn’t hurt, either.

If a registered member of ProtectMyID is a victim of identity theft during their membership, the site promises to reimburse the member’s stolen funds, lost wages, and legal fees — up to $1 Million. Certainly not a bad marketing decision. And certainly one that they hope to never actually be faced with.

Considering this, potential customers should feel justified in signing up with the program. Like an extended warranty on a new car, this guarantee offers piece of mind in an unsure world. If identity protection is a major goal of yours, and you could use a little help a long the way, ProtectMyID.com is a great place to start.

In addition to their basic fraud detection services, the site also offers help in canceling and replacing lost credit cards. For a small additional monthly fee, it also offers ChildSecure, a comprehensive identity protection program for your children.

Worth a visit for someone seeking a solid identity protection investment, or simply seeking more information about identity theft and how to avoid it.

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“Don’t talk to strangers!”

Ring a bell?  This mantra should strike a chord with anyone who has ever dealt with an overprotective mother.  No good can come from talking to strangers, as your mother might have told you.  Even if they offer you candy – even if it’s your favorite candy.  You are better off just walking away.

This advice has never been more relevant than it is right now.

A good handful of scam-oriented companies will contact you these days with “special offers.”  Whether they are offering new products, discounted travel, or the next big thing in male enhancement, they will do anything to get in contact with you.  Think of them as strangers, and their offers as candy.

Just like the creepy strangers your mom warned you about, there is always a catch.  Candy always seems like a good idea on the surface.  But when a stranger makes you an offer, you should always look twice before you leap.  And in most cases, you should avoid the leap altogether.

These days, the majority of e-mails you receive are strangers offering you some sort of candy.  In some instances, they will be very easy to distinguish and avoid.  In others, the e-mails will be disguised as friendly letters from someone you may know.  Yet, more often than not, these e-mails are all seeking the same exact thing: your information.

The same can be said for phone calls from “unknown” numbers.  There is a slight – ever so slight chance that it is an important call from a number that elects to remain confidential.  The more likely scenario is that, upon answering that call, the person on the other line will offer you empty promises in exchange for money or personal information.

These are certainly not your mother’s idea of “strangers.”  But they certainly have bad intentions, and they are getting better and better at making their candy sound tasty.

So, it is crucial to heed your mother’s advice now more than ever.  Before you open an e-mail, make sure the sender is legit, and the subject makes sense.  Many e-mail sites have spam blockers and try to keep you safe while using their service.  But more and more malicious e-mails are slipping through the cracks, as spammers get better at doing what they do.  Thus, you can never be too safe when reading over an e-mail before opening it, and especially before doing what the e-mail asks of you.

Once your information is out there (social security #, credit card #, etc.), it’s nearly impossible to undo the damage.  But, it is in your control to determine who sees this information and who doesn’t.  Really, the less people the better.  Protecting your identity is too important to let the wrong person get away with your information.  Even if they are offering you candy…you’re better off procuring candy on your own time.

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