MANAGING YOUR MONEY Avoiding Identity Theft And Online Scams Just Got Easier

(NAPSI)-Every day, identity thieves are getting smarter at tricking people into revealing their account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers and other personally identifiable information (PII). According to Javelin Strategy & Research, last year, thieves racked up 9.9 million fraud victims who lost an average of $4,849 in each incident. Not all potential victims are Internet novices, as recently evidenced by FBI director Robert Mueller, who admittedly almost fell victim to a phishing site that posed as his bank. Working within highly organized e-fraud cartels, today's criminals are outwitting Web-savvy consumers by luring them to Web pages that look real but aren't. They're phishing sites, clever copies of the real thing designed to capture sensitive personal data to be used maliciously by the phisher or sold to the highest bidder on the global black market. But armed with the right knowledge, consumers can protect themselves--and their valuable personal data. That information is available on TrustTheCheck.com, a Web site devoted to helping consumers stay safe as they surf the Web. Created by online security experts VeriSign, Inc., the site presents the tips and techniques that consumers need to safely transact online. The information comes not only from VeriSign, but also a variety of independent sources, including the Federal Trade Commission, the Parent Teacher Association and others. In addition to guidance on securing personal information, www.TrustTheCheck.com allows visitors to take the Fake Site Challenge, designed to sharpen their skills in identifying fraudulent sites/scams. The site also allows visitors to: • Take a crash course on staying safe on the Web. • Hear real stories and flip through videos of real people reliving their own Web security nightmares. • Ask the community questions about identity protection, viruses, worms, encryption and more. Visitors can also use the community forum to report a clever phishing e-mail or online scam. • Learn what to look for during their online transactions by getting to know the Check, a globally recognizable symbol of trust. • Listen to a video coach provide simple steps to improve privacy on social media sites such as Facebook or LinkedIn.

Word Count: 370 Copy/Paste HTML Article Armed with the right information, consumers can protect themselves and their valuable personal financial information.