My Royal Wedding Guest Name Is…. Wait a Minute!

The royal wedding sure was fun. Did you play the Facebook game to generate your “Royal Guest Name?” And after that, was your Facebook account hijacked or your bank account cleared out?

Online games often are not as innocent as they seem. This one, in particular, asked for information that is often the basis of online security questions: grandparent’s first name, street where you grew up and first pet’s name.

Think before you play these games!

Here are some other tips for avoiding identity theft:

Monitor your credit card bills for strange and unauthorized charges. They may only be for small amounts – at first. Pay attention to missing bills.
Don’t respond to unsolicited requests for information. The IRS in particular will not email or call about tax problems. If the “fraud department” of your bank or credit card company calls and asks for your address or social security number, hang up and call the number on the back of the card.
Use all the security features available on devices, especially mobile ones.
Use firewalls and anti-virus software.
Shred receipts and bills (or throw them away with your cat litter).
Use complex passwords and don’t use the same password for everything. And don’t keep your work passwords on a sticky note under your keyboard, on your cubicle or in your desk drawer.
Review your credit report annually.