When you think of VPN, the first thing that usually comes to mind is work. Many big corporations use VPNs to provide access to confidential work documents, and to allow their employees to safely work remotely. What many people don’t realize is that VPNs are your #1 defense on the internet.
If scammers can scam even $10 off of you, they will. Whether you have 6 credit cards or none, if there is a way that someone can get money or merchandise at your expense, there is someone out there trying to figure out how they will do that. No matter what your background is, or what sort of protections you have in place, always assume that you are not safe from criminals online.
A Great Example of How the Mighty
LifeLock's CEO Todd Davis put his social security on the ads for his company, in an attempt to prove that his company's service works. Unfortunately for him, his identity was stolen 13 times (Phoenix NewsTimes). Even though these identity thefts were small - a $500 loan, an account with AT&T, Swiss Colony, Gap Credit, and more - over time, these small things add up. If you do not have a service like LifeLock that will help you resolve these type of thefts, or if the service is unable to live up to its promises, you may end up with a negative impact on your credit score and even potentially paying the bills you didn't create.
Todd Davis didn’t even make it difficult for people to exploit his identity in their benefit. He believed that his company would keep this type of theft from occurring, and will often blame the companies that provide credit without verifying identity for the failure. Even so, if it can happen to LifeLock’s CEO, what’s to keep it from happening to you?
How to Protect Yourself
The best way to ensure that someone doesn’t steal your identity, is to ensure that your personal information is not available for anyone online to find. This starts with smart practices - don’t post your personal information, such as:
Current Address
Past Addresses
Mother’s Maiden Name
Name of your first pet
Details about your first car
Details about current loans or loan providers
Banking Info
Etc
If it is information that might be asked to verify your identity. The variety of questions that might be asked are not readily available online, and with good reason. Details that a government entity has access to that they assume only you should know should not be shared online, even if the details seem harmless. Don’t ever share information that you use as secret questions, and consider using answers to questions that seem nonsensical. For example, answer “what is your first pet’s name” with your favorite movie title. Of course, you have to make sure that you can remember the answer!
Aside from smart online practices, using a VPN when you connect to the internet will help ensure that you are as safe as possible online.
Picking a VPN Service
I’m not going to pretend to be a VPN expert. If you’re seriously considering using a VPN, there will be no shortage of providers you can chose from. It’s important to choose a service that gives you the features that are important to you at the right price. Some VPN providers do not keep logs, therefore protecting your privacy further. Some do. Some can help you access regionally restricted content, others do not. If you’re not sure where to start, Lifehacker has some great articles on VPNs: Five Best VPN Service Providers and Why You Should Start Using A VPN (and How To Choose the Best One for Your Needs). PCWorld also has a great article on VPNs: How (and why) to set up a VPN today.
If you’re concerned about online safety, a VPN is a great step to ensuring you’re safe. Don’t wait until you become the victim of on an online criminal. Keep yourself, and your personal information, safe now.
