There's a 33% chance that you're a victim of identity theft...

[Dom]

Happy "Safer Internet Day", everyone.

Did you know that approximately one-third of people have been victims of identity theft?
(source: https://explodingtopics.com/blog/identity-theft-stats )

This means that you, whoever is reading this: there's literally 33% chance that at some point you've had your personal sensitive information stolen and it's been used in organized crime for the profit/benefits of the cybercriminals.

Think of all the years you've been using a computer, all the years you've been using the internet. Think of all the suspicious software that you downloaded, all the links that you have visited. If not now, back when you were younger and less tech-savvy, 10 years ago?
All the information you've entered on websites, all the data stealers that you may have downloaded. The cybercriminals have likely created a personal profile out of the data they've gathered about you.

There are tools that you can use to check if your accounts (email) have been compromised in data leaks, and I would highly advise to stay alert regarding data leaks and breaches. You cannot change the past and correct your mistakes but what you can do is secure your future.

Stay safe! If you have any tips you'd like to share for the safety and security of others, please do.

[Original Cast Recording]

Dom님이 먼저 게시:

NoMoreUnderscores()님이 먼저 게시:

If "victim" just means any amount of private data was uncovered by someone who wasn't supposed to see it, I could believe the stat. Lots of email addresses have been leaked in batches but not actually utilized or compromised beyond that though.

Depends on how identity theft is defined. I would expect it means that someone's personal information is used by cyber-criminals for profit or advantages.

Well, I suppose that would include selling off a batch of usernames and email addresses, even if the buyer couldn't make use of most of them. The leaker made money off it, at least.

[Bing Chilling]

i mean the website "haveibeenpawned" is a easy way to see.

i had my old main email get leaked in some data breaches, nothing came of it
but i now have a few "main" emails for things, and a password manager with encryption.

Online security is something you should take fairly seriously.
i wouldn't stress over it or anything, but it's not very hard to take some basic measures
like 2FA and using a password manager + having multiple emails.

[Out Of Bubblegum]

An old joke. A thief stole my wife's credit card. I have not reported it. He spends less that she did.

[Pocahawtness]

and 66% of the 33% don't care.

[Heitor Villa-Lobos]

Dom님이 먼저 게시:

I don't think big tech companies provide sensitive, personal data to cyber-criminals. Sure, it's a privacy matter but it is not a data safety matter that much. Google would never use your data to commit identity theft or let others commit identity theft with it, as a legit and legal company.

You're more at risk when you enter information to other websites, or authorize unknown and untrustworthy software or people to access your folder and files.

But I completely agree with the incognito advice. Many common info-stealer malware out there send browser history and activity forward. It's also one reason why storing login details may not be a good idea.

Yeah, I appreciate your reply, but I'd like to point out some flaws, if I may:

The Big Tech *are* cybercriminals: they mine your personal data for proffit, besides doing literally all sorts lf shady business, like trying to sabotage their competitors, steal each others' research and ideas, avoid market regulations, buy cheap gold and resources from regions where it means ecocide & genocide, and the list goes on and on and on...

Normalizing the crime when its a huge corporation doing it is not the same as not having a crime being commited.

Let me be clear: I am not theorizing here. They *have* been caught & judged. They have even been fined a few times out of the thousands of scandals. Its just that for them, the petty fine is more of an incentive than a punishment.