FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    Fern Marcya Edison
                                                                                 Ericho Communications
                                                                                 845-679-6319

WITH THE JULY 4TH HOLIDAY UPON US….IT’S JUST ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR IDENTITY THEFT!

Travel Safe and Keep Your Identity Safe on July 4th…

This July 4th  holiday season - travelers will be out in droves, and so will identity thieves!

According to the Federal Trade Commission, over 9 million Americans’ identities are stolen each year!  And, reported fraud losses in 2007 were almost double the amount reported in 2005. 

Whether purchasing travel tickets or being a guest in a hotel on vacation, it is important to stay one step ahead of the criminals.  The tips below are intended to help educate consumers to be alert and know the basics and prevent a lot of emotional and financial distress .  Identity Finder, LLC, the makers of identity theft prevention software, provides free identity theft prevention tips for savvy vacation-planners.

Ten Tips to Prevent Identity Theft this July 4th weekend:

1.      Think you’re already safe?  Update your computer with the latest security updates for your operating system (such as Windows or Mac OS X), your web browsers (such as Internet Explorer or Firefox), and your multimedia players (such as Quicktime or Flash).  These fixes protect against known ways for hackers to break into your computer and steal your identity.

2.      Booking online?  Make sure you see the security padlock letting you know your information is being sent securely (via SSL) to the site you intended.

3.      Hunting for the lowest fares?  Don't purchase from websites you’ve never heard of before: if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Ask a friend or colleague whether they ever purchased there before, but don't be the guinea pig.

4.      Save your online receipts?  You should always keep your receipt but make sure it does not include your credit card or bank account number.   Search through any email or website receipts and remove any specific numbers from them before saving on your computer.

5.      Taking that laptop on vacation?  Even if you use a cabl e lock thieves can steal the hard drive very easily.  Leave personal files at home and either shred or encrypt confidential information before traveling.

6.      Going through airport security?  Watch your laptop like a hawk! Con artists team up and wait for you to walk through the metal detector;  one distracts you while you are waiting for your tray to pass through the x-ray machine and the other swaps their busted look-a-like laptop for yours.

7.      Need to use the airplane lavatory?  Don't leave your laptop unattended and unlocked on the airplane because it only takes seconds for a hacker to download your passwords and personal information.  Lock your workstation (such as with CTRL-ALT-DELETE in Windows).

8.      Using the airport internet kiosk, hotel computer, or internet cafe?  The person before you could easily have installed spy-ware to log your password when you type it.  Never log into and check confidential email accounts.

9.      Need your ID?  Keep your driver's license, passport, social security card, or any other personally identifiable information in a security belt and leave home any documents you won't need.  They can be easily pick-pocketed, especially in crowded transportation hubs like airports, train and bus stations.

10.  Think you’re safe now?  Maybe you are - but one way to make sure is to get a free credit report from one of the three credit bureaus every few months.

Have a safe trip!!

About Identity Finder LLC:

Identity Finder software helps prevent identity theft by searching through electronic files, e-mails, and hidden system areas for personal information - such as social security numbers, passwords, bank and credit card details - and helps users securely shred or encrypt the data. Identity Finder , LLC is a leading niche innovator of security and privacy technologies. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in New York City, the company specializes in developing software solutions that meet business and consumer needs. Best known for Identity Finder and Velosecure CAM, the company's technologies have been used by thousands of organizations in more than 40 countries. The management team is a thought leader in the industry and has been internationally published.