14 ways to protect your privacy

With more and more threats to our personal data, we take a look at how you can fight back and protect yourself...

These days it seems there’s always someone trying to hack into our private lives. Indeed, just recently, Sony became a victim of a series of cyber attacks, putting users of the Sony PlayStation Network, Sony Qriocity service and Sony Online Entertainment service at high risk of financial fraud. Pretty unsettling stuff.

So, at a time when it seems our personal details are continually at risk, just how can we go about protecting ourselves and our privacy? Here are some top tips to make sure that, whatever happens, you and your money will be protected!

1. Check your bank account

It’s always a good idea to regularly check your bank account and keep an eye out for any unusual transactions. Yes, it might seem like a hassle, but if you suddenly spot that you’ve apparently spent £100 online and you know you didn’t, you’re likely to be very pleased you checked!

Checking your transactions is really easy with the lovemoney.com free spend tracking tool Tracker as this amalgamates information from all your different providers, allowing you to see all your different statements at a single glance, with a single log-in. (You can also categorise all your transactions, so you'll know immediately if some of your spending seems out of place.)

2. Shred any documents

You should always dispose of personal documents carefully. Anything which highlights your name and address should be shredded – whether this is your bank statement, letter from your doctor, or utility bills. It’s also worth shredding receipts as these can be valuable to fraudsters.

3. Get a decent anti-virus package

If you don’t have anti-virus software, your computer will be far more vulnerable to computer viruses. If your computer does become infected by a virus, this can result in identity theft and fraud.

There are various anti-virus packages out there but most anti-virus software companies sell a standalone package that scans for viruses, as well as security suite packages that include other protective software. You can read more about this here.

4. Install anti-spyware protection

Spyware lurks inside your computer and collects information about you and your internet usage. So make sure you are protected. You can find a list of anti-spyware programs here.

5. Use a personal firewall

A firewall acts as a barrier between the public internet and your private computer system. You can find out more about firewalls here.

6. Update your internet browser

Hackers are always looking for ways to get into your computer. Developers try to close these loopholes by updating the software. As a result, it’s really important to ensure you continually update your computer to make sure your versions of Windows and Internet Explorer are kept current.

7. Keep your wireless network safe

If you don’t have the correct level of security, your wireless networks are vulnerable to eavesdropping, hackers and freeloaders. So make sure you protect your wireless network – you can find out how here.

8. Use a spam filter

If you use software such as Mailwasher, this will help to cut down on unwanted spam emails. This means you’re less likely to become a victim of a phishing attack.

Phishing emails pretend they are from your bank or other reputable organisation and aim to get hold of your personal details by requesting that you click on a link which will take you to a fake website. If you do receive an email like this, don’t click on any links and delete the email immediately. Find out more in Eight ways to spot a phishing scam.

9. Use strong passwords

Always ensure you have strong passwords for your online accounts. Don’t make them something obvious such as a partner’s name, holiday destination, or your football team. You should also ensure you use a different password for each account and never write them down or tell anyone else – the same goes for your PIN.

10. Use secure websites

If you’re shopping online, always make sure the website is secure before entering your payment details. Check to see whether there’s a padlock symbol on the screen and ensure the web address at the top of the page changes to ‘https://’ , as opposed to the usual ‘http’. The ‘s’ signifies it’s secure.

11. Watch out for cookies

Cookies are files that websites use to store information about you between sessions. This means they tend to track your username so that you don’t need to continually log in. However, the trouble with this is that hackers can track your browsing habits and then target adverts at you or build a profile of your interests which they can use for fraud.

So make sure you set your browser to warn you when a cookie is installed. Internet Explorer will allow you to enable and disable cookies on a site by site basis so you can allow them on sites you trust.

12. Open a separate email account

If you’re signing up to a website that requires you to enter an email address, use a disposable, anonymous email account so that your main account doesn’t get bombarded with spam.

If you need to enter an email address, but you won’t get any email from the website, you can use ‘someuser@example.com’ as an address. This is a protected email address that will never reach a real company or user.

13. Don’t give out your details

Be very careful about handing over any personal details. Only divulge details over the phone when you have instigated the call and you are familiar with the company. And never give out your personal details by email unless you know exactly who you are dealing with.

14. Be careful when social networking

If you use sites such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, be careful how much information you reveal. This includes passwords and key dates that could allow fraudsters to gain access to your bank account.

It’s a good idea to keep your Facebook profile private and don’t advertise the fact you’re about to go on holiday, or you’re away from home, particularly if your address is clearly stated on the website. For further tips about this, read How to avoid Facebook fraud.

So although you may not be able to control how other people handle your personal details, at least by following these 14 tips you should be able to keep yourself safe!

This is a classic article that has been updated for 2011.

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