Internet identity theft is a major malicious crime these days. Like any product on the market, your identity can be copied and reproduced without your knowledge and permission. Identity theft has become so common that you wouldn’t know for sure if the person you are dealing with online is actually the real person you will be doing business with. This has become a huge and common problem over the years, and its prevalence is increasingly alarming.

Identity thieves evolve over time, getting smarter and more sophisticated in the schemes they use to steal your identity. You never know, that innocent-looking bystander behind you could be looking over your shoulder, taking note of all the personal information you enter on your laptop. However, that friendly friend on Facebook is looking for valuable information about you, for you to use while destroying your financial status. Or it could be an obsessed ex-lover posing as you online, creating chaos in your personal life and damaging your reputation online.

The Internet is a playground as big as the universe, where anonymity is sometimes the game that people play. Someone who hates you can use multiple accounts in an online forum, criticizing your name on the Internet, making it appear that several people are talking about you maliciously. Anyone can do this. Anyone can use their name online. And they can shatter your reputation on the Internet without your knowledge.

There are also identity attackers who can take your images online and use them maliciously. Thousands of people, especially celebrities, are victims of this. These unscrupulous people can edit your image and make it look like you’re doing something terrible, even dirty.

There are several ways to destroy your online reputation and identity on the Internet. It’s like being physically mugged, stealing your wallet, your personal things, and posting them online for people to see. The results can be serious, as they could affect your personal, financial and social situation. This is all the more true when you don’t even realize that your personal identity has been stolen and damaged.

If you are a novice online user, you may not know it, but your computer stores a large amount of personal information on your hard drive. This information can also be cached in your internet browser, temporary internet files, and also in your search history. Of course, this is to enhance your browsing experience, but these files contain vital information such as your email address, passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal information.

There are two ways that your data can be stolen from your computer: First, your data transmission can be intercepted through an unprotected client, or through the use of malicious programs designed to collect information and send it to the hacker.

How do you prevent identity theft online? The first and most important thing is to be alert and be cautious. Trust only people you know personally. Do not share your personal information with anyone online, even those with whom you are in constant communication, because you would never know if it really is your friend that you are chatting or emailing.

You can also disable the cookie function that is automatically activated in your browser. In this way, your username, password, credit card information and other personal data will not be saved on your hard drive. Get in the habit of frequently deleting cookie files from your Internet Options.

It is also better to clean your Temporary Internet Files folder and cache, which contains sensitive information. This way, you will be able to limit the possibility of a hacker getting it from your system.

You should also use high-quality computer security programs, such as the latest versions of antivirus and antispyware software, to constantly protect your computer from malicious programs. Your computer has a default firewall, which should always be on, however if you think this is inappropriate, you can use additional applications and software for your safety.

The last, but definitely not the least, is to monitor your online reputation continuously. Note that if you can hit other people’s name online, they can return it to you. The power of anonymity online is infinite, which is why online reports / websites are becoming popular and richer from the millions of complaints posted to them every day, most of which are easily made up. and maliciously. Keep your name and identity safe and, if possible, limit the publication of your real name online.

If you’ve already been a victim of this, take smart steps to combat the personal attacks that come your way. You can contact an online reputation management expert who can track down malicious attackers and help repair your identity online. Just keep in mind that it’s best to know about the different options available to you.