COMMON WAYS ID THEFT HAPPENS:

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COMMON WAYS ID THEFT HAPPENS:

Skilled identity thieves use a variety of methods to steal your personal information, including:

1. Dumpster Diving. They rummage through trash looking for bills or other paper with your personal information on it.

2. Skimming. They steal credit/debit card numbers by using a special storage device when processing your card.

3. Phishing. They pretend to be financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information.

4. Changing Your Address. They divert your billing statements to another location by completing a “change of address” form.

5. “Old-Fashioned” Stealing. They steal wallets and purses; mail, including bank and credit card statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new checks or tax information. They steal personnel records from their employers, or bribe employees who have access.

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

F i g h t i n g B A C k A g A i n S t

IDENTITY THEFT

Consumer Response Center

Federal Trade Commission 600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, H-130 Washington, DC 20580

To learn more about ID theft and how to deter, detect, and defend against it, visit ftc.gov/idtheft. Or request copies of ID theft resources by writing to:

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Identity theft is a serious crime. It occurs when your personal information is stolen and used without your knowledge to commit fraud or other crimes. Identity theft can cost you time and money. It can destroy your credit and ruin your good name.

Deter identity thieves by safeguarding your information.

■ Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you discard them.

■ Protect your Social Security number. Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give it out only if absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier.

■ Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you know who you are dealing with.

■ Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails; instead, type in a web address you know. Use firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect your home computer; keep them up-to-date. If you use Peer-to-Peer file sharing, check the settings to make sure you are not sharing your sensitive private files with other users. Visit OnGuardOnline.gov for more information. ■ Don’t use an obvious password like your birth date,

your mother’s maiden name, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

■ Keep your personal information in a secure place at home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your house.

Defend against iD theft as soon as you suspect it.

■ Place a “Fraud Alert” on your credit reports, and

review the reports carefully. The alert tells creditors

to follow certain procedures before they open new accounts in your name or make changes to your existing accounts. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have toll-free numbers for placing an initial 90-day fraud alert; a call to one company is sufficient:

r TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289

r Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

r Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)

Placing a fraud alert entitles you to free copies of your credit reports. Look for inquiries from companies you haven’t contacted, accounts you didn’t open, and debts on your accounts that you can’t explain.

■ Close accounts. Close any accounts that have been tampered with or established fraudulently.

r Call the security or fraud departments of each company where an account was opened or changed without your okay. Follow up in writing, with copies of supporting documents.

r Use the ID Theft Affidavit at ftc.gov/idtheft to support your written statement.

r Ask for verification that the disputed account has been closed and the fraudulent debts discharged. r Keep copies of documents and records of your

conversations about the theft.

■ File a police report. File a report with law enforcement officials to help you with creditors who may want proof of the crime.

■ Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission.

Your report helps law enforcement officials across the country in their investigations.

r Online: ftc.gov/idtheft

r By phone: 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338) or TTY, 1-866-653-4261

r By mail: Identity Theft Clearinghouse,

Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580

Detect suspicious activity by routinely monitoring your financial accounts and billing statements.

Be alert to signs that require immediate attention:

■ Bills that do not arrive as expected

■ Unexpected credit cards or account statements ■ Denials of credit for no apparent reason ■ Calls or letters about purchases you did not make

Inspect:

■ Your credit report. Credit reports contain information about you, including what accounts you have and your bill paying history. r The law requires the major nationwide

consumer reporting companies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—to give you a free copy of your credit report each year if you ask for it.

r Visit www.AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-322-8228, a service created by these three companies, to order your free credit reports each year. You also can write: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. ■ Your financial statements. Review financial

accounts and billing statements regularly, looking for charges you did not make.

DETECT

DEFEND

DETER

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Email, the Web and Instant Messaging are all important methods of exchanging critical

business information. They also present one of the biggest threats to our security.

Be vigilant. Do your part to keep yourself, your colleagues and your company secure.

• Install the latest security updates.

• Look out for unusual words and language in emails.

• Delete suspicious looking emails immediately.

• Tell your IT department if you receive a suspicious email.

• Only visit websites that you trust.

• Lock your computer when working away from your desk.

• Comply with your company’s Acceptable Usage Policy (AUP).

>DON’T

>FOR A COPY OF YOUR COMPANY’S EMAIL AND WEB ACCEPTABLE

USAGE POLICY, CONTACT YOUR IT DEPARTMENT TODAY.

>DO

Be certain

• Open or forward suspicious looking emails.

• Open emails from people you don’t know.

• Reply to spam, even if it’s to ‘unsubscribe’.

• Click on links in suspicious emails or spam.

• Respond to emails from your bank asking for your details – call them to clarify first.

• Post your email address, personal, or company information anywhere on the Internet.

• Download and Install programs from the Internet.

• Allow anyone else to access your computer.

>DO YOU KNOW YOUR ENEMY?

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Your Computer

Online safety

and security

begin with you

P R O T E C T

Along with using a ﬁ rewall and keeping your operating system, antivirus and antispyware software updated, take these steps to help protect your computer:

Think before you click

Clicking the wrong link or attachment can expose your computer to spyware, a virus, or ads that could clutter your screen and slow your computer.

• Be very cautious with attachments or links in e-mail or instant messages. If you know the sender, but the message looks suspicious, check before you proceed. If they didn’t send the message, delete the e-mail or close the IM window.

• Think twice before you click pop-up windows or banner ads.

• Never click Agree, OK, or I accept to get rid of a pop-up ad, an unexpected warning, or even an offer to remove spyware. Instead, close the window by clicking X in the upper-right corner or by pressing ALT + F4 on your keyboard.

• Download software only from Web sites you trust. File-sharing programs, and sites that offer “free” music, movies, games, and other information are notorious for including unwanted software in downloads.

Back up your ﬁ les

No security method is completely foolproof. So it’s important to back up critical ﬁ les regularly, before you get hit with a problem. Learn how at www.staysafe.org.

0907 Part No. 098-108790

©2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, OneCare, Windows, Windows Live, and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT AND THE SPONSORS LISTED HEREIN, MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT.

Helpful Resources:

www.staysafe.org

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The Internet is a global network that connects most of the world’s computers, and an increasing number of smart phones and other devices. It offers a seemingly limitless universe of information, images, and opportunities. Yet these beneﬁ ts come with some risks. Just by logging on to the Internet, you can be exposed to security threats that have the power to cripple or control your computer, compromise your privacy, or destroy your valuable data.

Top threats to computer security

The leading threats to the security of your computer come from four types of malicious software: • Viruses are software

programs designed to invade computers, and to copy, damage, or delete data.

• Worms are sophisticated viruses that can reproduce

themselves and spread to other computers without your interaction.

• Trojans, named for the Trojan horse, are viruses that pretend to be helpful programs while destroying your data, damaging your computer, and stealing personal information. • Spyware is software that tracks your online

activity. Spyware may bombard you with pop-up advertising, collect your personal information, or change the settings on your computer without your knowledge or consent.

This brochure will help you understand online safety and security issues and provide helpful tips. For additional guidance, tools, and resources—and instructions speciﬁ c to your operating system—please visit

www.microsoft.com/protect.

Keep your ﬁ rewall turned on

A big part of staying safe online is paying attention, applying common sense, and learning to recognize and avoid spam scams and phishing. Here’s how:

The ﬁ rewall in your Microsoft®_Windows®_operating

system helps to protect your computer by placing a protective barrier between your computer and the Internet.

• Your Windows ﬁ rewall operates as a kind of security checkpoint that information must pass through before it can enter or leave your computer.

• Your ﬁ rewall also helps to prevent software on your computer from accepting unauthorized updates or changes sent over the Internet.

• Make sure your ﬁ rewall is always turned on.

Keep your software updated

One of the most important things you can do to help protect your computer is also one of the easiest: keep your operating system and other software up-to-date.

• Hackers work tirelessly to exploit weaknesses in software, and new security threats emerge every day. That’s why software companies work even harder to help keep your computer safe with updates, and it’s why you should install updates.

• To keep your Windows operating system current, use the Automatic Updates feature in Windows Vista®

and Windows XP SP2 to automatically download and install updates. You can manually update your computer at Microsoft Update (http://update.microsoft.com), which provides regular updates for Windows and other Microsoft products.

• For even greater protection, try the 90-day free trial of Windows Live™ OneCare™ (http://onecare.live.com). Windows Live OneCare helps protect your computer from malicious and potentially unwanted software; backs up your important ﬁ les; and keeps your computer tuned up and running at top speed.

Use up-to-date antivirus software

Antivirus programs scan everything that goes into your computer—including e-mail, discs, and data ﬁ les—searching for thousands of known viruses. .• Antivirus software requires regular signature updates

to help protect against emerging threats. Installing antivirus software without updating it is like buying home insurance but not making the payments. Keep your antivirus software current by subscribing to an antivirus service and automatically downloading the latest updates.

• Windows Live OneCare from Microsoft offers up-to-date antivirus protection as part of its comprehensive computer care service.

Use up-to-date

antispyware software

Antispyware programs monitor your computer, looking for known spyware and watching for programs that try to install themselves without your knowledge or permission. When antispyware programs ﬁ nd something, they warn you and help you take action against the spyware. • As with antivirus software, keep your antispyware

software current, and automatically download the latest updates.