I receive a few emails almost daily about failed login attempts to this very blog that wasn’t by me. After investigating the login attempts, I found that they all originated from a couple of countries in South Asia. I had my Netflix and Disney login stolen while traveling overseas. An unknown person withdrew money from my account for travel and a pizza party.
I used to think that I had nothing to hide and that my information was secure behind devices and passwords. But I was ignorant and naive to the many dangers that exist on the internet and how many people are willing to not only steal your money and identity but also steal your creative property and your credit. Privacy is about limiting harm and not about hiding crimes or shameful acts.
Identity theft remains the primary concern, in my opinion. In 2023 alone, around 1.1 million Americans had their identities stolen or misused. Once someone has your Social Security number, birthdate, or login credentials, they can open credit lines, drain accounts, or commit crimes in your name. Cleaning that up can take years. My mother was such a victim.
Another major threat is data breaches. Corporations lose your information constantly. Equifax exposed the data of 148 million people due to successful hacking by the Chinese military. There is also phishing and social engineering. These come in the forms of fake emails, fake texts, and fake “support” calls. Phishing has become one of the most common cybercrimes, according to the FBI.
Recommendations:
Here are some tips from the AARP on how to protect yourself. These include enabling multi-factor authentication, not oversharing on social media, and freezing your credit.
Conclusion:
Don’t be like me. I did many things wrong. My personal information was compromised because I didn’t take my online security seriously and didn’t understand the nature of the threat. I wrote this so that you can learn from me.