Keeping it Private on the Wild, Wild Web

This learning module was a real eye opener for me as far as how easy it is to fall victim to cyberstalking and identity theft.




Cyberstalking. After reading the chapter on cyberstalking I can't say that I've come away from it armed with any way to protect myself, or my family, if someone decided to target us. However, I have learned about some of the technology that is used to cyberstalk so, in that regard, I feel that I could recognize what was happening to make it stop sooner.

It seems like cars are a big tool for cyberstalkers. It is fairly simple to wire a car with a GPS system or cell phone in order to be able to follow a person and listen in on their conversations. I can't imagine how unnerving it would be to know you are being followed and not know how it is being accomplished.

I found snoop-sticks fascinating. These devices have the ability to cause havoc in a person's life by their ability to see everything a person is doing on their computer. Your passwords and account numbers are not safe. Every e-mail can be read. All websites that you visit can be seen by your unknown perpetrator. The fact that they were created as a parental control tool is lost upon realizing the true potential of this device.

The statistics on cyberstalking were fairly sobering also. It seems like the stalkers are quite diligent in pursuing their victims. The fact that 66% of victims are stalked at least once each week and that 78% of stalkers find they need to use more than one approach to truly terrorize their victim is startling. (The credit for these statistics came from "Cyber Crime Fighters - Tales from the Trenches" by Felicia Donovon and Kristyn Berner.)





Identity Assumption and Identity Theft. This section of our learning module really had an impact on me. I feel that any intrusion into someone's identity is unacceptable and should be dealt with quickly and harshly. The ramifications to someone's life range from bothersome to overwhelming and life altering.

The fact that the World Wide Web isn't well regulated allows for individuals with a vendetta against someone to swoop in and assume their identity. A smear campaign is easy to launch since web sites are fairly easy to set up. One aspect that I had never considered is the effect of identity assumption on educators. Teachers can have their reputations tarnished all due to an angry student. Teens can also assume the identity of another teen in order to get revenge against them or bully them. The repercussions of a teen doing this to another teen can cause huge amounts of stress in the victim's life. It is hard to prove that those postings or web sites really weren't your creation and, in fact, are completely against the values you hold dear.

The biggest eye opener for me dealt with identity theft. It seems like it would be fairly easy for someone to steal your identity if you aren't careful. Equally unnerving was the fact that the victims are often guilty until proven innocent. The amount of time and money that go into recovering your identity can ruin people if the theft of your identity didn't already. I found this great article on personal record keeping to help prevent identity theft. Included in this article are retention guidelines for records like tax returns, bank statements ATM receipts, and utility bills....just to name a few. The link to this article is:   http://www.shrednations.com/articles/personal-records-retention.php
I highly recommend reading it. It explained the proper length of time to keep these records along with some suggestions for disposal.

When I read about children under the age of 18 being targets for identity theft my thoughts immediately turned towards my daughter. When she was 15, and starting her first part-time job, she received a notice from a bank about a credit card she was attempting to open. She had no idea where this bank obtained this information. I called the bank and, after explaining that she was only 15 and not interested in a credit card, they promptly closed the application and placed a notice on any future attempts to establish credit in her name. Now I realize she was a potential victim and the perpetrator probably worked with her.

One of the changes I made in my life after reading everything associated in this learning module was to invest in a paper shredder. My husband and I have always ripped up any unwanted, but sensitive, mail that is delivered to our house. After reading about identity theft I decided it was time to protect ourselves more fully. Our shredder is now conveniently located next to the paper bag for old newspapers. Our motto is "Shred, Shred, Shred"!




Another change in my life brought about by this learning module was checking my credit report. Now it may be naive of me, but I never had looked at my credit report before this. At least not as a conscious effort apart from refinancing a mortgage or refinancing a home equity loan.  It was interesting to review and, although I knew my credit score was excellent, it still felt good to see it in print. Now I have established a schedule for checking my credit report about every 4 months. I found the following YouTube video interesting. It discusses the biggest reasons you should check your credit report once a year. Checking for errors in your personal information, looking for identity theft, finding areas that will help you repair your credit, credit inquiries made against your credit report, and the fact that it costs nothing to check your credit report are the topics covered in this video.




I think you'll agree it was worth viewing. I never realized how many ways your credit score can affect your daily life.

In conclusion, the Wild, Wild Web can be a scary, dangerous place. I know I learned some valuable tips to keep myself and my family safe the next time we venture onto it.  I hope to make others aware of the dangers they may encounter and how to keep themselves and their personal data safe also.