Handing over personal information, whether it’s some sort of government identification number (which you should NEVER have to give to an online casino) or your home address (which you will have to give up), is always a risky proposition online. More and more people are falling victim to identity theft, which is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world. Online activity, and the naiveté that most people approach it with, make it even easier for these con artists to take your money, ruin your credit, and basically do serious damage to the rest of your life. The only way to combat online identity theft is to deal exclusively with sites that you trust!
Make Sure You Only Submit Personal Information on Secure Sites
Some sites are so hastily prepared in an effort to scam you that their sites are open for other people to hack into. If you are ever asked to enter personal information (including financial information) into a webpage that is not secure, then don’t. This is easy to verify, since the url will begin with https:// if it is secure and http:// for other pages. Most pages on the site won’t be secure and don’t have to be, but pages that ask you to enter information have to be. If these encryption safeguards aren’t in place, your information is going to be much more easily hacked by identity thieves.
Even if it isn’t intercepted when you transmit the data, any site that doesn’t provide a safe way to enter information probably is similarly lax when it comes to providing safety once your data is stored. You’ve probably heard stories (and may even have some experience with) about banks and credit card companies that have had their customers’ information compromised by identity thieves. If it can happen to banks, you better believe it can happen at online casinos. Six months down the road, someone might find a way into the database that holds your information and use it for the purposes of stealing your identity.
Do Not Give Your Information to Identity Thieves Willingly
Obviously, you would never knowingly give over personal information to identity thieves, but when you hand it over to someone you don’t know and have no reason to trust, you are doing it willingly. You wouldn’t hand out photocopies of your Social Security card to people you don’t know, so why would you give information that is just as dangerous to a company that you know nothing about? Don’t let your eagerness to gamble get in the way of your own personal safety. Always check to make sure that the site is reputable before handing over any information.
Remember: Giving identity thieves social security numbers and such are obviously dangerous, but they can work magic with information as basic as your name and address. Don’t fill out any online forms under the false impression that the information you give up can’t expose you to danger.
