Quote:I've realized recently how much information is out there just by putting your name into a search engine. I put my first name and former married last name in a search engine and found stuff I wrote to "letters to the editor" of a newspaper from 15 years ago. 

 

I never use a personal picture of myself here or on Facebook as a profile or cover picture but I have in the past. There are a lot of things I wish was not out there, nothing bad, just stuff. 

 

My husband doesn't pay any bills online, he writes checks and sends them in the mail. The only place we buy stuff online is Amazon and I've thought about using gift cards instead of credit cards but we've been doing it for several years now so there's almost no point in changing it up now.

 

For the most part, paying bills online is actually more secure (in most cases) than paying in person if using a debit/credit card or sending a check in the mail.  Contrary to popular belief, credit card information is stolen not by transactions online, but usually at a point-of-sale location.  That's not to say that someone can't hack Amazon's database and get the information, if they really want it they can get it.  The point is that it's more difficult and risky to do and pretty much pointless when there are easier targets that can yield good results.

 

One thing that credit card companies have been doing that helps prevent fraud is switching from the magnetic stripe on credit/debit cards and going to the "chip" type of card.  Without going into too much detail, the "chip" system uses encryption whereas the magnetic stripe system does not.

 

What many people don't realize is that if someone really wants to attack/track/hack someone else, it's actually not that difficult.  A malicious hacker doesn't usually target the "average person", they usually target someone more "high profile" or in a position that can get them to their ultimate target.  Much of it involves social engineering and many victims actually "invited" the hack to take place.

 

My point is that in today's world with social media and all, people need to really think about what they are doing.  Any little bit of information that they make public could be used... maybe not to attack them specifically, but in other ways.

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