Nov. 12--Identity theft is lurking, so protect yourself

Let's be careful out there -- on the Internet.

Todd Feinman, CEO of Identity Finder LLC, suggests 10 ways to shop safely online this holiday season to prevent your identity from being stolen. His company sells software that prevents electronic identity theft.

Download updates: Always click "Update Now" when you receive security updates from Microsoft, Apple and Adobe, because they arm you with the latest fixes before you shop. Web application exploits are common and harm you just for visiting a bad site.

Passwords: Mix letters and numbers in passwords of at least seven characters for online orders. Don't use a standard word, because hacker assaults are based on dictionary content.

Whack a hacker: Use wireless router security features when surfing. Don't let hackers onto your network where they will eavesdrop on your shopping with "network sniffers."

One-use credit cards: Use a virtual credit card online that expires after one use; Don't use your regular credit card numbers on untried, unfamiliar Web sites. Some spoof as shops just to steal your credit card numbers.

Padlock:

The "secure sockets layer" (SSL protocol) and the "transport layer security" (TLS protocol) are cryptographic protocols that provide security and data integrity for Internet transactions. Their use is indicated by a padlock symbol in your browser's status bar. Don't press "submit" if the padlock isn't there.

Check credit report: Get your credit reports free each year from the three main credit reporting agencies at tulsaworld.com/acr . Do so before and after the holidays to see whether they show new accounts with overdue balances attributed to you, and report this illegal activity to the card issuing institution by toll-free call followed by certified mail.

Lock passwords: Use a password manager to save your passwords. Don't save them in your Web browser without a master password-protecting them. Managers encrypt passwords with a master password so you only have to remember one password.

Enter URLs manually: Go directly to a store's Web site by typing its address into your Web browser manually if you plan to buy something. Don't click on links in e-mails, as these can be "phishing attacks."

Shop on your terminal: Shop online by using your own computer -- never on a public-access computer at a hotel, airport, library or Internet cafe. Public computers often contain spyware that records your information as you type it and delivers it to an ID thief.

Call securely: If you want to buy something, call the business and read your credit card numbers to a sales person.