Sweethearts are celebrating their love, couples are getting engaged, lovers are getting married and secret admirers are expressing their desires.

Along with all the love in the air and joyous celebrations are thieves and con-artists praying on the unsuspecting. Swipe your credit card here, sign there, fill out this form, enter our drawing, click to open, follow this link, join our group, become a fan… the lists of ways thieves are praying on you this Valentine’s day is endless.

Showing your love on Social Media…

This year, identity thieves will likely be utilizing social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter to exploit the wide user base and easy infection rate of these kinds of sites. Because these websites are based on sharing, it is easy for the infection to spread quickly and widely among users, making them favorites amongst criminals.

Every group you join, every page you become a fan of exposes you to increasing risks of identity theft. When you Friend, Fan or Join you give the administrator of that page access to your information. This includes applications such as games, cards, gifts, hugs, flowers, drinks and so forth.

Your Secret Admirer…

While we understand your curiosity when you get an email from a “secret admirer,” it is important that you do not follow links or even open emails from sources that are unknown or appear suspicious. Cyber criminals use e-greeting cards or emails with subject lines relating to Valentines Day to get the victim’s attention, and hide malware within these messages that capture sensitive information to be used for fraud and identity theft.

Out on the town…

While out celebrating this very special day be mindful of the lurking dangers of identity thieves waiting to pray on love struck couples who have let their guard down by focusing on each other rather than the waiter, clerk or even casual passerby whose sole focus is getting their hands on your information.

Be wary of who is taking your credit card, down to the name of the waiter, waitress, clerk and so on. Ladies be mindful of where you hang or place your purse. Thieves are quick and have a plan. They do not even have to take anything to steal your information. They just need to get the information and return your belongings without you suspecting.

BE OUR SAFE AND SECURE VALENTINE. HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!

By Stacey Jimenez at 7:03:34  Comments: 0