Identity Theft On Internet Clear Your Cookies
Let's talk a little bit about identity theft on internet. Beyond the most obvious ways people get at your personal information, there is a little known way that you may be giving out your information with out you even knowing it. Have you ever heard the term, "clear your cookies"?
Apparently your cookies are visible to anyone who wants to look at them. You gather cookies when you visit websites and they are stored on your computer. If you did not know they were there then you would certainly not know what information was on them or who could access that information. Someone could steal your identity from accessing the information on these cookies.
Identity theft on internet can happen through cookies and you need to know that there are two types of cookies. First-party and third-party. First-party cookies are generally not that bad and are placed on your computer by the websites you visit to identify your computer especially if you go there often. First-party cookies usually do not cause a problem.
It is the third-party cookies you need to be aware of and do something about. Third-party cookies get put on your computer by a "third-party". Someone who has nothing to do with the website you were visiting except to track how and where you shop and what you shop for.
Third-party cookies track everything you do on the internet from the time you log on to the time you log off. They can keep track of all the information you have entered on that website. So, if you are ordering something you need for a website there is the possibility that there are third-party cookies and someone else can see your information. You have just let someone see your user name password and bank or credit card information. OOPS!
The kicker here is that you did not even know that was what you were doing. Cookie thieves or cookie hijackers can come along and take all the information about you that they want. Just like taking candy from a baby.
Your browser has settings for security programs let you check to see what cookies have been placed on your computer and you can even buy security programs to do this for you. When you learn to clear your cookies you can see who has placed third-party cookies on your computer. You can block these cookies from being implanted on your computer by using a good security system. Or set your browser to notify you when one of these third-party cookies wants access to your computer.
As it is nearly impossible to prevent all cookies from getting through you should invest in a program to manage them and set your browser to clear your cookies for you each time you close your browser.
If you choose to refuse cookies being placed on your computer you may find you have trouble visiting some sites. They may have them built in and you will not be able to get acces to their website if you refuse them. So, what do you do? You accept them and learn to manage them as part of your regular security sweeps of your computer. This will save you from being a victim of identity theft on internet.
