As the world and internet in general become more advanced, we are apt to see more ways in which people are getting scammed in one way or another. By now, I’m positive that everyone has heard about the Nigerian Bank scam where someone emails you and for whatever reason needs you to help him handle the finances of his or her dead relative. There are many others that show up in our inbox such as subject lines like Your Account is about to be Closed! Or Congratulations! You Have Won the UK Lottery! The majority of these scams involve either trying to obtain your financial information, or getting you to cash money orders and other such documents.

When you receive these types of emails – and some of them are very real looking – you are almost tempted to follow the instructions that are sent just to investigate and see if things are on the up-and-up. First and foremost, you shouldn’t follow the links given in any suspicious email. You can often hover your cursor above the link and look at the status bar on the bottom of your screen which will tell you where the link is pointing. For example, I can tell you that there is a problem with your PayPal account and ask you to click on this link to go to your account now to ensure that your funds are still there. Try hovering your cursor over the link. PayPal

These emails can be very authentic looking to the point where colours and fonts are copied, and a logo is presented within the email. The best thing you can do with these types of suspicious emails is to forward them to the spoof address for the company in question. If you are concerned that there may be a problem with your account, open a web browser and manually type in the address into the address bar to ensure you are going to the right site and your keystrokes won’t be copied.

With millions of North Americans falling prey to identity theft, we’ve compiled a list of 5 tips that can help you protect your identity from theft:

1. Understand debit card dangers: Because there is no signature and only a PIN number to ensure you are indeed the person that should be using the card, there is a greater liability than credit cards. Be sure to check with your bank to understand your liability if someone steals and uses your debit card without your knowledge.

2. Rethink check writing: That little slip of paper has way too much information. Some experts advise against check writing because it gives away your address, bank account number, signature and license number to complete strangers. On top of that, there’s no federal legislation to limit your liability for forged checks (each state has its own set of rules). Experts advise that you look into automating your bill paying.

3. Secure your mail: Your mailbox is a goldmine of information. Between bank statement, bills, and all those pre-approved credit card offers, your mailbox is loaded with personal data which identity thieves can use to easily apply for a credit card in your name. Unless you diligently check your credit report, you may never even know about it. One way to avoid this is to have your mailbox under lock and key, but that may not be possible if you have home delivery of your mail. The other solution is to have a rented mailbox. Don’t ignore your garbage either when it comes to mail. Foil “dumpster-diving” thieves by buying a shredder and destroy documents before discarding.

4. Go virtual: For shopping online, there are “virtual” card numbers. These are randomly generated credit card numbers that are disposable and that on-line shoppers use once and throw away. It’s linked directly to your real credit card account so purchases show up on your monthly bill. The service is easy to use – and it’s FREE! All you need to do is register with companies offering the virtual card, and they are MBNA, Discover, and Citigroup.

5. Create an emergency identity kit: Would you know how to contact your credit card company in an emergency? Create an emergency kit that contains: your account number, expiration date, issuing company name, and emergency contact number for each card you own. While you’re at it, make copies of your driver’s license, social security card, birth certificate and passport and store them in a locked box or file cabinet, or a safe deposit box. I like the safe deposit box best, because this gives you protection in the event of a catastrophe such as fire, earthquake, etc.