When I first started this site 8 years ago I kept track of my passwords on a notepad beside my computer. But at that time I still had a flip phone – without a camera… Then smartphones happened, Facebook blew up, Twitter, Instagram, online shopping and my digital footprint got bigger.. Now almost every site you visit needs you to sign in.
My password book has been replaced with a ‘vault’ that contains the information for the more than 200 online accounts I have registered to my name. But how do I know it is all safe? In the past year card security breaches have been widespread. Just last week it was reported that close to 5 million Gmail account passwords had been leaked. In fact, we can barely go a week without hearing about hundreds of thousands of accounts, passwords, and credit cards that have been hacked. It really freaks me out because when you give someone your information you believe they have the technology to keep it safe – but that’s not always the case..
As a mom with two busy boys, I don’t have time to monitor the web every day to ensure my digital life is safe. Even a simple Facebook password breach could result in scammers getting pertinent information about you that could allow them to steal your identity. Scary right?
Each year it is estimated that 15 million U.S. residents have their identities used fraudulently – with financial losses totaling upwards of $50 billion. The last thing any family wants is to find out that their credit has been damaged because someone has been using their identity. I can honestly say – this is one of my biggest fears. With everything in life being so digital, it becomes easier and easier for hackers to get your information and use it without you even knowing.
September is national self-improvement month, which means it is a great time to get everything in order before the busy holiday season hits. We have teamed up with Lifelock to create awareness about identity theft and the importance of protecting your family against it.
Their service, which starts at just $9.95/month, monitors your accounts and notifies you of any action. Did someone apply for a credit card in your name? They will let you know. Did someone apply for a loan in your name? They’ll let you know that as well!
Was there a security breach at a store you shopped at? LifeLock provides notifications of these breaches. They will also spend up to $1 million to hire experts, lawyers, investigators, consultants, and whoever else it takes to help your recovery if you become a victim of identity theft while a LifeLock member.
What’s your number one scare about having your identity stolen? Mine is finding out that someone has racked up tens of thousands of dollars under my name. We all need to do more to ensure that doesn’t happen.
I’ve been thinking more and more about this, what a great post. We soo have to be careful with all our digital devices, we are virtually living online.. everything we have and do is online.. kind of scary but that’s the world we are living in.. thanks for sharing, will have to check this out.
I love LifeLock! It’s such an essential service with so much of our personal info floating around online these days!
This completely freaks me out. I had shopped at Home Depot right before the security breach! Such a scary time!
Great tips! I use Lifelock as well, and love it.
We use LifeLock and love it! What great tips!
This always makes me so nervous! Seems you hear about this so often lately too!
LifeLock is such a great program to help keep all our identity safe be it online or off. They are amazing at what they do.
With all the upcoming shopping online, this is such a good time to be thinking about this. Thanks for all the great tips. I hope no one has to deal with breaches this season.
I know how scary it is to be a victim of identity theft,good thing there is a solution. I love LifeLock!
It’s so true! It’s hard enough to protect ourselves but with kids using the computers, it’s gotta be near impossible!
Lifelock is a good asset to have it seems with all of these breaches happening. I can’t believe how many are happening and they types of places you thought were completely safe. It’s nice knowing Lifelock is able to monitor and alert me quickly.
I think it is a combination of having good software and also keeping an eye on your children. Educating our kids is the most important thing we can do.
I’m thankful that LifeLock is available now. We were just actually hacked a couple of months ago, but thank goodness it was reversed and the money was put back. It could have been a nightmare!
I’m definitely looking into Lifelock with all the security breaches that have been happening this past year! I’d be a fool not to! Better safe than sorry!