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Removing Stored Information On Your Computer

As an avid Internet user, I have become increasingly concerned about my personal information that is stored without my knowledge on my computer. I know that hackers can get into just about anything, and I didn’t want to become a victim. What’s in the dark places on my laptop?

I have noticed more so lately then before that when I go to my browser and type a web address like buy.com that it welcomes me personally, “Welcome back John”. Well this was a little unnerving. Immediately I thought that if they know it’s me returning, then what other things do they have stored?

As we hear more and more about people’s identity being stolen, this became a big concern for me. I’ve worked many years at maintaining my good credit standing and I did not want some low life stealing my personal information. Not if I could help it.

There are people all over the country who have experienced this problem. I have a friend who received a statement in the mail one day from a computer store. She just thought it was a solicitation for a credit card and was about to toss it. Then she realized that it was a statement showing a balance left on the card AFTER her purchase for a computer.

Well, guess you know where this is headed; she didn’t purchase a computer from that particular store. Someone had opened a credit account for this store online with her personal information and purchased a computer. Almost $1000 worth of credit was charged and while the computer was delivered somewhere else, she received the statement.

My friend canceled the credit card right away and started the dispute process. They would never divulge the address of the delivery and it took her six months to clear this up. You can only imagine her frustration when she decided to cancel all her other credit cards and today she still checks her credit report regularly!

Take the necessary steps to keep this from happening by following just a few easy steps. When you search the Internet, make sure that you do a regular clean up on your computer. Clear all cache files, temporary internet files and your history by going into your start menu, click control panel, Internet options and there on the general information page you can delete all these files.

While you can delete this files, there is a place on your computer called Index.dat file. This is a place on your computer that stores all these files you just deleted. However, Microsoft has it fixed where you cannot manually delete this folder.

There is a program called PC Confidential that will give you the tools you need to keep your computer clean of all the information hackers are looking for. Protect your personal and private information while you still have the chance. I know, we don’t think this can ever happen to us…but is it worth the risk.

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Posted on 8 February '10, under Technology.