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identity theft

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on identity theft:

How to protect yourself from identity theft: A complete safety guide

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Top five online heists: A shady cybercrime hacker.
You can protect yourself from identity theft by taking some simple precautions.
Photo: Richard Patterson/Flickr CC

One data breach could be all it takes for someone to steal your identity. If you want to know how to protect yourself from identity theft, a handful of habits go a long way.

Identity theft strikes when someone steals your personal details to commit fraud in your name. Think Social Security numbers, credit card details, that kind of thing. The fallout can drain your bank accounts and wreck your credit. And you could spend months untangling the mess. 

This guide breaks down the practical steps that actually reduce your risk of identity theft.

Save 46% on LifeLock’s credit, dark web and breach monitoring

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A man with a dog uses a laptop, with text overlay about LifeLock Core features
GIve yourself an edge in the fight against identity theft with LifeLock Core.
Image: Cult of Mac Deals

This heavily discounted LifeLock Core deal provides identity alerts, credit and dark web monitoring, recovery support and up to $1.05 million in identity theft coverage.

And right now, you can score 15 months of this trusted identity-protection service for just $99.99 (regularly $187.35).

How to stop spam and scam calls with Surfshark’s Alternative Number

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alternative phone number - Surfshark VPN Alternative ID
Use an Alternative Number from Surfshark to shield your primary phone number from spammers and scammers.
Image: Surfshark

 In an online world filled with identity thieves, robocallers, “smishers” (SMS phishing scammers), and all sorts of marketers hassling you for your personal information whenever you sign up for anything, wouldn’t it be great if you could protect your personal information by becoming someone else with a different phone number? With Surfshark’s Alternative ID service, you can now access a new Alternative Number feature that does just that. If you’re looking for the best Surfshark VPN deals, you can take advantage of great offers while enhancing your online privacy.

Alternative Number is incredibly easy to use — and highly effective at keeping your real phone number safe from spammers and scammers. All you need to do is sign up for a Surfshark bundle that includes Alternative Number. You can pay monthly, but Surfshark also offers 24-month plans that give you four extra months of service for free.

Here’s a great way to get your personal information off the internet

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You can use Incogni to remove your vulnerable personal information online.
You can use Incogni to remove your vulnerable personal information from the back alleys of the internet.
Image: Surfshark

With corporate data breaches and identity theft on the rise, people are justifiably worried about how to keep their sensitive personal data safe online. Fortunately, the Incogni personal information removal service can reduce your exposure in multiple ways — with little effort on your part.

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This post is brought to you by Surfshark.
And even better, Cult of Mac readers can get a 55% discount on subscriptions to the Incogni personal information removal service for a limited time.

Stop annoying spam calls on your iPhone with this simple solution

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The best way to stop spam robocalls is to stop data brokers from collecting and selling your data.
The best way to stop spam robocalls is to stop data brokers from collecting and selling your data.
Image: Surfshark

Spam calls to your iPhone are an annoying distraction and — as many folks would say — a violation of your privacy. But you don’t have to live with them if you use Incogni.

SPONSORED
This post is brought to you by Surfshark.
In fact, the Incogni personal data removal service does more than just cut down on spam call volume. It also helps defend against the scams and identity theft that can ensue when rogues find or buy your data online.

Cops seize $80,000 in stolen iPhones during traffic stop in Illinois

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police lights for crime stories
A routine speeding stop led to a trove of hot iPhones.
Photo: Matty Ring/Wikimedia CC

Sheriff’s deputies in Illinois arrested four men after they found 55 stolen iPhones during a traffic stop near Galesburg.

The Knox County Sheriff’s Department later determined the phones were fraudulently purchased around the U.S. using stolen identities. Deputies estimated the value of the phones at $80.000.

Fraudsters steal whopping $19 million worth of iPhones

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Fraudster steals $16k from victim posing as Apple tech support
A wide-ranging criminal enterprise devoted to stealing new iPhones has been broken up by police.
Photo: Donald Tong/Pexels CC

Criminals allegedly used identity theft to steal thousands of iPhones from across the United States over several years. Their scheme involved assuming stolen identities and going to stores run by wireless carriers to pose as customers looking for upgrades to new models.

Dashlane 6 is the all-in-one solution for identity protection

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Dashlane 6 identity protection dashboard
Dashlane: Everything you need to stay safe online.
Photo: Dashlane

Dashlane, the official password manager of Cult of Mac, just rolled out a massive update that helps keep your digital identity safe online.

Version 6.0 is an all-in-one solution for online risk prevention, identity monitoring, and identity restoration. Its revolutionary Identity Dashboard makes it easier than ever to find out how you might be vulnerable, and the steps you can take to bolster your security.

Flashing the peace sign is now a security risk

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fingerprints from selfies
Your fingerprints can now be snatched straight from your selfies.
Photo: Ryuta Ishimoto/Flickr CC

Next time someone poses for a selfie with their fingers held up in a peace sign, maybe tell them to leave it at a smile.

An ordinary photo of the universal sign of goodwill might be enough for a thief to copy a fingerprint, thanks to the high quality of digital photos these days. And since Touch ID and similar technologies turn fingerprints into keys that unlock our devices and the data we keep in them, that’s cause for concern.

Apple Store Employees Help Florida Police Apprehend Illiterate Morons

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Criminal masterminds strike again in Florida.
Criminal masterminds strike again in Florida.

Don’t ever say that the people who work in the Apple Store aren’t actually geniuses. Apple Store employees in the Altamonte Mall in Seminole County, Florida managed to sleuth out a couple of identity thieves who were trying to buy iPhones with stolen IDs.

How’d these Sherlocks do it? They were tipped off by several subtle clues on the IDs themselves, including the fact that they were not made of the correct material, and featured a comical number of misspellings that could only be worse if they wrote down the name of the state as “Flrodia.”