Tulsa World: Watch credit cards on Net

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Watch credit cards on Net
Identity theft is lurking, so protect yourself

Photo illustration byDAVE CARMAN / Tulsa World

By PHIL MULKINS World Action Line Editor
Published: 11/12/2008 2:13 AM
Last Modified: 11/12/2008 3:03 AM

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. Don't e-mail or instant-message such numbers, as these forms of communication are routinely insecure.

Deals abound as companies face tough holiday markets

New ballgame: Last year, "Black Friday" was the day after Thanksgiving when major items were steeply discounted for sale at midnight and remained that way until every sale item was gone. Not this year, says Dan de Grandpre, founder and editor of Dealnews, "where every day is Black Friday."

Black Friday Season: Dealnews is the Web's leading source of information on consumer electronics, gadgets and apparel. De Grandpre says the 1930s-like economy is profoundly morphing Black Friday — it's no longer just one Friday; it's now 64 Black Fridays that run from Halloween through New Year's Day.

Deep discounts: Fewer stores will skip Black Friday and will offer more sales on luxury brands. Many retailers will go out of business this holiday season — bad in the long term for the economy, but good in the short-term for holiday shoppers. Online shopping this holiday will see discounts as deep as those last seen in 2001 after the dot-com bust.

Dealnews: The site ( tulsaworld.com/Dealnews ) led the pack last year, revealing the biggest Black Friday secret: many stores kick off Black Friday sales online on Thanksgiving Day.

Shipping deals: This year, expect deeper shipping deals and discounts. Higher holiday gasoline prices and wariness among shoppers will drive more consumers online toward stores with shipping incentives. More retailers are offering overnight shipping deals right up to Christmas Day.

Better tech deals: Some of the biggest deals this season will be on gadgets and computers. De Grandpre says you'll see the biggest price drops on tech gifts on Black Friday.

Best times to shop: For luxury items, mark your calendar for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Dec. 1.

For items like HDTVs, GPS and Blu-ray players, wait until right before Christmas for the lowest prices.

Bargain-hunter Web sites: For a list of 47 popular bargain-hunter Web sites, see tulsaworld.com/BargainHunt .

Consumer Page topics

Tulsa World consumer writer Phil Mulkins wants to know which topics interest you most.

Call 699-8888 or e-mail your interest to phil.mulkins@tulsaworld.com or mail it to Tulsa World Consumer, P.O. Box 1770, Tulsa OK 74102-1770. By PHIL MULKINS World Action Line Editor

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okie ridgerunner, small town (12/7/2008 11:12:27 PM)

Good information.

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