Protecting yourself online

You might not realize it, but your personal information is probably stored on your computer at home and work. And if you pay your bills or do any shopping online, you sometimes need to give out your credit information. Although some experts believe your information is safer online than anywhere else, it's still a good idea to take some precautions.

1. Never provide your contact information, login, password or other sensitive information through email. You might receive a phony email that claims to be from a legitimate business, maybe even your bank, and asks for such information. This scam is known as phishing. 

2. Consider using a credit card with a Virtual Account Number security feature that generates a different account number every time you make a purchase online.
   

3. Look for a padlock or key icon at the bottom right of your browser window to ensure you are on a secure page, which means that any personal or credit information you provide will be encrypted during the transaction. Some sophisticated thieves have been able to replicate the images, but by double-clicking the padlock icon, you can be sure that the URL on the certificate matches the URL of the page you are viewing. If the URLs don't match, it's likely a scam.
   
   

4. Make sure you have up-to-date antivirus software installed on your computer as well as a firewall, especially if you have a high-speed Internet connection that remains connected to the Internet 24 hours a day. Most programs will notify you if there is an update available, but you can also check on your own by visiting the company's website.