Some say there will be a day when the wallet you carry in your pocket or purse will become obsolete. Technology is evolving in a way that will likely eliminate all our credit cards, store cards, and IDs. We will use our mobile devices as our primary means of commerce and identification. The technology behind mobile wallet combines near field communications (NFC) and applications. Depending on which is used, a user might need to wave their phone near a reader to make a payment or verify identification, or they may open an app and simply click a button.

Mobile wallet is still in its infancy but the technology is quickly gaining steam. Google introduced Google Wallet, a mobile app that turns your Android phone into a wallet by securely storing your credit cards on your phone, and it has gained popularity by using promotional offers. When you make a purchase from a brick-and-mortar store that accepts Google Wallet, you not only pay but you can also redeem discount and promotional offers quickly by simply tapping your phone at the point of sale.

Google Wallet facilitates online shopping by securely storing your credit cards for use on the Internet as well. Paying is quick, easy, and safe when you make a purchase from an online merchant that accepts Google Wallet. If you choose to make your phone a wallet, I seriously suggest a mobile security product as a companion to help protect your device against viruses and malware.

Protect it. Just like your leather wallet, your mobile wallet is portable, it is subject to being lost or stolen and the data contained can be accessed or the applications running may have access to additional information, resulting in your data being compromised. Any time you are using a mobile wallet remember that wireless is inherently insecure. Use a secure virtual private network (VPN) such as the free Hotspot Shield VPN that protects your identity by ensuring that all web transactions (shopping, filling out forms, downloads, etc.) are secured through HTTPS.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield VPN. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. 

A lot of Floridians are retirees who spend their days around the pool or at the beach. The warmer weather attacks both golden agers and unfortunately identity thieves. Criminals know that retirees have money in the bank, retirement accounts and credit cards with high limits.

TechNewsDaily reports, “On a per capita basis, 361 Floridians out of every 100,000 were the victims of identity fraud in 2012, according to the Federal Trade Commission’s latest figures. Georgia ranked second, with 194 reports per 100,000, and California ranked No. 3 at 123 per 100,000—a third the rate of victims in Florida.”

Two types of identity theft often affect retirees: new account fraud and account takeover.

New account fraud refers to financial identity theft in which the victim’s personal identifying information, often a Social Security number and good credit standing, is used to create new accounts, which are then used to obtain products and services. Stolen Social Security numbers are often used to commit new account fraud.

Since the thief typically submits a different mailing address when applying for new accounts, the victim never receives the bills and may remain unaware of their existence until creditors come seeking payment for debts the thief has accumulated in the victim’s name.

Account takeover is discovered when victims notice suspicious charges on a credit card statement, or the credit card company may notice charges that seem unusual in the context of the victim’s established spending habits. Protecting yourself from account takeover is relatively easy. Simply pay attention to your statements every month and refute unauthorized charges immediately. I check my charges online once every two weeks.

Protecting yourself from new account fraud requires more effort than account takeover. You can attempt to protect your own identity by getting yourself a credit freeze or setting up your own fraud alerts. There are pros and cons to each.

One cool company that’s watching your back is iovation. iovation spots cyber criminals by analyzing the device reputation of the computers they use to connect to a website. They investigate for suspicious history and check for characteristics consistent with fraudulent users. And the best part is that iovation can prevent a criminal from using stolen data to open a new account in the first place—saving your nest egg for your golden years.

If your computer or mobile was hacked or your passwords were cracked and your data was lost or if all the websites you have an account with were hacked and all that information was the hands of a criminal, how devastated will you be?

In McAfee’s study on the value of digital assets, consumers estimated the total value of all their digital assets on multiple devices at an average of $35,000. Digital assets include: music downloads, videos, photos, apps, emails, text messages, health/financial/insurance records, resumes/CVs, portfolios, contacts, recipes, etc.

Nowadays, if you’re shopping, banking or using social media sites online, you need a user name and password. If you’re like most people, you probably take the easy way out and use the same user name and password for every new site you access.

The challenge is that some sites let you use numbers and symbols in your password and some don’t, or the user name you want may be taken. And an even bigger problem is with all those valuable assets we store on our devices, you are leaving yourself open to exposure by using the same password everywhere—if one account ends up getting hacked, all your accounts could be hacked.

Did you know that?

Over 60% of us have 3+ digital devices

55% of us store digital assets on these devices that would be impossible to recreate, re-download or re-purchase

Over 75% of us visit 5 or more sites regularly that require passwords

63% of us use easy to remember passwords or use the same password for most sites

17% of us do little to nothing to protect our passwords

You need a better plan

Make sure you use different passwords for each of your accounts

Always log off if you leave your device and anyone is around and don’t use the “remember me” function on your browser or mobile apps

Avoid entering passwords on computers you don’t control (like computers at an Internet café or library) or when using unsecured Wi-Fi connections (like at the airport or a coffee shop)

Don’t tell anyone your password—your trusted friend now might not be your friend in the future

Depending on the sensitivity of the information being protected, you should change your passwords periodically, and avoid reusing a password for at least one year.

Use comprehensive security software on ALL your devices (not just your PC!), like McAfee^®LiveSafe^™, that comes with a password manager that securely stores your usernames and passwords to your favorite sites, and logs in for you—with just one click

Here’s some tips on how to create a strong password. Remember, your password is often your first line of defense—protect yourself!

And don’t forget to play The $35,000 Question game on Facebook for a chance to win some prizes, while learning about protecting your digital assets!

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen. See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video. 

Our lives depend on the convenience of digital and require the security behind the scenes. Take contactless payment for example. Contactless payments are a faster, more convenient alternative to cash when making small purchases at fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and transport terminals. They are also ideal for remote or unattended payment situations, such as vending machines, road tolls, or parking meters.

These transactions are protected by multiple layers of security, which protect both retailers and consumers.

Some of these security features are incorporated within a card’s microprocessor chip, while others are part of the same networks that protect traditional credit and debit card transactions.

Think about how much more “digital” our lives have become. Digital assets include: entertainment files (e.g., music downloads), personal memories (e.g., photographs), personal communications (e.g., emails), personal records (e.g., health, financial, insurance) and career information (e.g., resumes, portfolios, cover letters, contacts), as well as any creative projects or hobbies involving digital files.

Every bit of this adds up to “more and better.” By this, I offer an example. I have a seven-year-old daughter who has evolved into a smarter, more well-rounded and aware child than I ever was. And, with the comfort of digital security, the technology that we expose her to makes much of that possible.

And this exposure is ubiquitous. While many people protect their PCs and digital assets from malware by installing antivirus software, they leave the doors open to criminals when it comes to smartphones, tablets and Macs, however. Bad guys are now targeting these devices, as their users’ complacency has made breaking into these devices the path of least resistance. Now more than ever, a multi-device security strategy is necessary.

But don’t fret. Enjoy your technology, be smart about it and make sure to exercise your security muscles.

Robert Siciliano, is a personal security expert contributor to Just Ask Gemalto and author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked! . 

To stay safe while mobile shopping:

Go big. Do your online business with major retailers, or those you already know, like, and trust. The chances of a major online retailer stiffing you, or of their database being compromised, are slimmer than those of an unknown.

Do your homework. If you search for a particular product and wind up at an unfamiliar website, do some research on the retailer before putting down your credit card number. Search for the company’s name and web address to see if there have been complaints.

Don’t give out more personal data than necessary. Many retailers require your name, address, phone number, and credit card information. This is normal. But if you are asked for anything beyond that, like bank account numbers or your Social Security number, run hard and fast.

Vary your passwords. Often, online retailers will ask you to register with their website when you make your first purchase. Never register using the same password you’ve already used for another website. Otherwise, if one website is hacked, your password could be used to infiltrate your other accounts.

Use HTTPS sites. Websites that have a secure checkout process—with “https://” in the web address (as opposed to “http://”)—are safer because they encrypt the transaction against interception by thieves.

Keep mobile security software current. The latest security software, web browser, and operating system are the best defenses against viruses, malware, and other online threats.

Automate software updates. Many software programs can update automatically to defend against known risks. If this is an available option, be sure to turn it on.

Use a free VPN for Wi-Fi security like Hotspot Shield. Itcreates a virtual private network (VPN) between your laptop or iPhone and our Internet gateway. This impenetrable tunnel prevents snoopers, hackers and ISPs from viewing your web browsing activities, instant messages, downloads, credit card information or anything else you send over the network.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield VPN. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America.

mCommerce (or M-commerce) is using a mobile phone to make purchases. Like credit card transactions, your card/device can be either present or not present. In other words, “present” might mean your mobile is equipped with an application that you use to make a purchase in person, such as to buy a cup of coffee or a train ticket. “Not present” could be when you use another application or your mobile browser to make a remote purchase over the Internet or another type of mobile network.

There are several different forms of mobile commerce:

Mobile shopping: You comparison shop or purchase something online using your mobile device (and its browser or a mobile app)

Mobile banking: You interact with your bank account (actions such as check the balance, transfer between accounts, make payments) using your mobile device

Mobile wallet (mobile payments): The mobile device itself is used to authorize payment (via a stored credit card)

Mobile point-of-sale (POS): Specialized card swiping attachments let your mobile device be used to collect payment from a credit card

All of these forms of mobile commerce require a wireless connection to the internet over Wi-Fi or your carrier’s 3/4G connection. Always use a like Hotspot Shield when engaging in mCommerce. Hotspot Shield, which is free to download, creates a virtual private network (VPN) between your laptop or iPhone and your Internetgateway. This impenetrable tunnel prevents snoopers, hackers and ISPs from viewing your web browsing activities, instant messages, downloads, credit card information or anything else you send over the network.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield VPN. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America.

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