Technology has changed us. In an online
world there's fewer and fewer reasons to leave your house. Almost anything can
be handled online. People have access to goods and services that would have
been unthinkable 15 years ago. You can order a pizza online and watch them make
it, you can order obscure items handmade from villages in Indonesia. You can
even have a doctor visit online via video conference and be prescribed
medication that will be mailed to you (overnight we might add).
There are limitless benefits to a connected society.
There are also pitfalls. Scammers and thieves have advanced their techniques to
be on par with the latest technology. Identity theft is a serious concern.
While legitimate businesses using perfectly safe technology are trying to reach
their customers, identity thieves are trying to intercept. While there's no
100% guaranteed way to avoid accidentally giving over your information to a
scammer there are a few steps you can take to minimize your risk.
·
DO apply with “Brick
and Mortar” Dealers… The easiest way for thieves to get your information is to
direct you to a site that looks like a real business. It’s called Phishing and
it’s a way to trick you into giving out your information. A real business has a
real physical address that can be verified on Google or other business listing
sites. Verify that the website you are about to submit your information to is
the correct website on the dealer’s business listing.
·
DO make sure the
application is SSL secure… SSL stands for Secure Socket Layer and it protects
information like social security numbers and identity information. Where a
normal website page collects and sends information to the server in plain text, SSL security encrypts that data so even if there is a breach of the site,
the data is unusable. How to you know you’re on an SSL secure site? Look at the
address bar. SSL secure pages begin with “https” instead of “http.”
·
DON’T
follow links from emails… Real dealers may send you emails. Especially if it’s a dealer
you have purchased vehicles from before. You can follow a link from an email if
you have ensured that the email belongs to the dealer you are intending to
apply with but it’s always safer to simply Google the dealer and go to their
page through search.
·
DO call the numbers
listed on the site you want to apply… A simple phone call can clear up a lot. Does someone
answer? Do you feel comfortable that the person you are talking to is really
where they say they are?
Car shopping today is much different than
it was in the past and it’s smart to shop around for the best prices and rates.
In today’s technological era you can do all of that from the comfort of your
home. The majority of identity theft happens when consumers are redirected away
from the page they are intending to visit. In the majority of cases, simply
making sure you are shopping at a dealer with a physical location and are
submitting your application through their actual site minimizes your risk. Real
dealers want to protect your information as much as you do and they are required
by law to do so.
There’s no reason to miss out on shopping around online to find the best
price for a used vehicle and the best rate for car loans. Online car loan
applications are perfectly safe when you’re submitting them to actual dealers
that are governed by state and federal law. Taking a few extra steps to protect
yourself is simple and can prevent your information from getting into the wrong
hands.
Content
By:The Used Car
Store
1803
Brighton Place
Pittsburgh,
PA 15212
https://theusedcarstore.com/
(412)-315-7986