New Tips And Triks For You

(1/3)The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says it's the fastest-growing crime in America. 22News reporter Matt Caron is live from our Hampshire County Bureau with some tips to protect people from identity theft.

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NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) - The U.S. Postal Inspection Service says it's the fastest-growing crime in America. 22News has some tips to protect you from identity theft.

Being stripped of your identity; it's a scary thought, and it was a reality for 1 in every 14 Americans last year.

Viruses, malware, trojans, hackers; the internet can be a dangerous minefield to navigate. Its was a close call for Genevieve Chandler, who told 22News she noticed a fraudulent charge on her credit card.

"Some charge came up from a country that we had never visited, it was a huge charge," said Chandler. "So we called right away to find out what was going on with this. Fortunately, our company could interrupt that."

A survey of 70,000 people shows that identity theft resulted in nearly $25 billion in losses last year. And once your identity is stolen, it could take week or even months to get it back.

A sales associate at YES Computers in Northampton told 22News, there's lots of high-tech ways that people can protect themselves on the internet, but when it comes right down to it, it's really all about common sense and making sure that the websites you are visiting are safe, not sketchy.

"Make sure that you are visiting sites that are trusted," said Ramzi Nakhleh. "Make sure you have two-factor authentication installed when you can so that it does check with your cell phone that's on you so you can verify that it is you. If you are on a P.C., make sure you have your anti-virus software constantly up to date. The older versions of Windows will actually have more back doors so more viruses can get in there."

Nakhleh also told 22News to be careful where you put down your phone, and to know that a website address that begins with "https" signals a level of security.

Among victims who spent six months or more trying to regain their identity, 47% say they experienced severe emotional distress.