Protecting Yourself is Important,
Deciding How Is The First Step.

Reviews of security providers to help you make the best decision on how to protect yourself and your family from today’s threats

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Happy Birthday, Chip Cards

By ASR Staff,

Cash or credit used to be the biggest question in the checkout line. Now? Swipe or insert. Chip cards — those using EMV technology — arrived in the U.S. a year ago this month, and despite cries from consumers, studies show the cards

Donald vs. Hillary: Online Security

By ASR Staff,

We explore how a Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton presidency could impact online security, potential dangers to your identity and access to federal information.

Keeping Your Social Security Number Private

By ASR Staff,

Name, address, date of birthdate, Social Security number. How many times have you filled out those fields on a form, not giving a second guess as to whether you should provide the information?

Is Shredding Enough? Disposing of Sensitive Documents

By ASR Staff,

Tips abound on protecting digital information, but what about good ol’ fashioned paper documents? A stack of old bills, statements and unopened junk mail can be a treasure trove for an enterprising dumpster diver. Read on for ways to protect yourself.

You Lost Your Social Security Card — Now What?

By ASR Staff,

There are a handful of documents that follow us through life. They’re vital when we need them, tucked away when we don’t and, if they go missing, scary to lose.

Investment Fraud: What You Need to Know

By ASR Staff,

Financial fraud comes dressed up lots of different ways, but those schemes (think Ponzi and pyramid), fraud and scams all have one purpose: getting your hard-earned money.

Guarding Your Electronic Devices

By ASR Staff,

Your phone, laptop and tablet are worth more than you might realize. Personal electronics are an easy mark for thieves. They’re valuable, small, (thus easy to conceal) and easy to sell.

Security Breaches and the U.S. government

By ASR Staff,

These days, it feels like no one is safe from hackers, fraudsters and identity thieves, including the U.S. government.

How To Safely Share Sensitive Information

By ASR Staff,

We’ve all done it: shared something we probably shouldn’t have via text, email, instant message or otherwise. You might not think twice about sharing your Netflix login info or an employment form with someone at work.

Internet Safety And Kids: Protecting Your Child In A Connected World

By ASR Staff,

Give most children a cell phone or tablet, and it won’t take long to realize he or she is as adept (or, likely, more so) than an adult.

Internet crime and punishment: What happens when your data gets leaked

By ASR Staff,

It’s all too common: a company, accidentally or not, exposes your personal information. Cue the stress of canceling accounts, changing passwords, monitoring your credit

Protecting Yourself During A Move

By ASR Staff,

Moving can be a headache. For thieves, though, it’s a target. Strangers are in and out of your home for days and your worldly possession — including personal documents and electronics — are left unprotected, leaving you vulnerable.

Social Media, Identity Theft And Fraud: How To Keep Cyber Criminals At Bay

By ASR Staff,

Take a look at your Facebook profile. There’s a good chance it contains your full name, birth date and hometown.

Credit Card Security: Chipped Cards. Are You Safer?

By ASR Staff,

You’ve likely added a chip-enabled credit card or two to your wallet in the past few months. Many industry experts say EMV cards are safer, but that doesn’t mean Americans are immune to fraud.

2015’s Biggest Hacks: LastPass

By ASR Staff,

Those wary of password-management sites got another reason to question their security after hackers compromised industry leader LastPass.

2015’s Biggest Hacks: OPM

By ASR Staff,

A spotlight once again fell on the U.S. government’s security technology this summer after hackers and improper data transfers exposed millions of federal employees and contractors.

2015’s Biggest Hacks: Blue Cross Blue Shield

By ASR Staff,

Attacks targeting healthcare-industry data have exposed the information of millions of Americans this year. More than 12 million were added to the tally when hackers accessed Premera BlueCross BlueShield and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield databases.

2015’s Biggest Hacks: Anthem Inc.

By ASR Staff,

In one of the largest medical-data thefts in U.S. history, hackers stole personal information of as many as 80 million members and employees of health insurer Anthem Inc. in February of 2015.

Tax fraud: How to Protect Yourself From a Multibillion-Dollar Industry

By ASR Staff,

Think taxes and you may imagine a totally secure system. Think again. Thieves steal personal information from millions of taxpayers each year, draining billions of federal dollars.

Mail Theft: What to watch for and what to do if your mail is stolen

By ASR Staff,

With deliveries to more than 100 million addresses to monitor and 200 federal laws to enforce, Postal Inspectors have a big job. Mail theft could be just an inconvenience or put your credit and your identity at risk. Read on for ways to protect yourself.

Social Security Fraud: How to spot it and what to report

By ASR Staff,

Social Security fraud comes in many forms and can be difficult to spot. Whether it’s an untruthful statement on a federal form or a scam over 27 years that netted an estimated $400 million

Credit Scores 101

By ASR Staff,

You know your credit score is important. You probably even know what yours is. But do you know what it means?

Health scams targeting seniors: what to look for and how to protect yourself

By ASR Staff,

Senior citizens lose billions of dollars each year to schemes designed to prey on their weak points. Arm yourself and your loved ones with the knowledge to stop would-be thieves in their tracks.

Want the Good News or Bad News First About Passwords?

By ASR Staff,

The bad news: millions of internet users rely on the weakest possible passwords to protect their online lives. The good news: you don’t have to be one of them.

Lost Your Wallet or Purse? 12 Step Guide to Easing the Stress

By ASR Staff,

Nothing can ruin a good day like reaching for your wallet or purse only to find it missing. The only thing worse? When your personal information ends up in the hands of a potential thief.

What’s the deal with RFID cards?

By ASR Staff,

Open up your wallet. Take a look at your credit cards. There’s a good chance you’ve got at least one RFID-chipped card in the mix.

Not such a happy new year for Snapchat

By ASR Staff,

The hits just keep coming for picture-sharing giant Snapchat. After nearly a month of security trouble, the company put a new safeguard in place last week

Online Shopping: 10 Tips for Staying Safe on the Web

By ASR Staff,

With deals flooding inboxes and malls packed to capacity, holiday shoppers turned to the Internet more than ever this year to find the perfect gifts.

Children Identity Theft

By ASR Staff,

Identify theft doesn’t just happen to adults with credit cards and bank accounts. In fact, children’s identities are stolen at a 51 percent higher clip than adults.

California Data Breach

By ASR Staff,

California’s first-ever data breach report came out last month, showing 2.5 million residents had personal information put at risk in 131 incidents in 2012.

Phishing: What You Need to Know

By ASR Staff,

Online fraud has come a long way since the days of Nigerian princes looking to move millions of dollars. Cyber criminals are getting smarter and their methods of attack are growing. In just the past few months, scammers have used fake IRS tax refund notices

Cloud Storage Explained

By ASR Staff,

Long gone are the days of emailing yourself important files, storing documents on your desktop or carrying a spare thumb drive, just in case. Data storage has made its way online, and Internet users have embraced the cloud.