A hacker found a personal email account. Similar to the Sarah Palin Yahoo! account hack, the hacker researched social networking sites to find the answers to the “secret question” required to reset the account’s password. In going through the emails in the account, the hacker apparently found the password used for Twitter which was linked to Google.

Therefore, when you are asked secret questions while setting up an account, do not use your mother’s maiden name when asked for your mother’s maiden name. Use nicknames for your mother’s maiden name or question if you really need to have that account created.

The safety of our information at work requires us all to have separate passwords from those in our personal lives. If you have separate passwords for your MySpace and your Online Banking, then great! If your logon to Yahoo! email and your work account are different, then congratulations! You are practicing safe computing!

Identity Theft – Protect Yourselves
Here is a list of ways you can stop identity theft from happening to you:

• Destroy private records and statements. Tear up — or, if you prefer, shred — credit card statements, solicitations and other documents that contain private financial information.
• Secure your mail. Empty your mailbox quickly, lock it or get a P.O. box so criminals do not have a chance to snatch credit card pitches. Never mail outgoing bill payments and checks from home. They can be stolen from your mailbox and the payee’s name erased with solvents. Mail them from the post office or another secure location.
• Safeguard your social security number. Never carry your card with you, or any other card that may have your number, like a health insurance card. And do not put your number on your checks. It’s the primary target for identity thieves because it gives them access to your credit report and bank accounts.
• Don’t leave a paper trail. Never leave ATM, credit card or gas station receipts behind.
• Never let your credit card out of your sight. Worried about credit card skimming? Always keep an eye on your card or, when that’s not possible, pay with cash.
• Know who you’re dealing with. Whenever anyone contacts you asking for private identity or financial information, make no response other than to find out who they are, what company they represent and the reason for the call. If you think the request is legitimate, contact the company yourself and confirm what you were told before revealing any of your personal data.
• Take your name off the marketers’ hit lists. In addition to the national Do-Not-Call registry (1-888-382-1222), you can also cut down on junk mail and opt out of credit card solicitations.
• Be more defensive with personal information. Ask salespeople and others if information such as a Social Security or driver license number is absolutely necessary. Ask anyone who does require your Social Security number — for instance, your insurance company — what their privacy policy is and whether you can arrange for the organization not to share your information with anyone else.
• Monitor your credit report. Obtain and thoroughly review your credit report, now available for free at Annualcreditreport.com or by calling (877) 322-8228, at least once a year to look for suspicious activity. If you spot something, alert your card company or the creditor immediately. You may also want to subscribe to a credit protection service, like Experian’s CreditCheck, which alerts you any time a change takes place with your credit report.
• Review your credit card statements carefully. Make sure you recognize the merchants, locations and purchases listed before paying the bill. If you don’t need or use department-store or bank-issued credit cards, consider closing the accounts.

“The annual holiday shopping season is a peak time for identity theft, so it’s critical that consumers be on high alert and educate themselves in order to help reduce the risk of becoming victims,” said Adam Levin, chairman, Identity Theft 911, which offers ID theft resolution services.

His company offered these tips for safer holiday shopping:

• When shopping online, look for a small “padlock” icon in the browser, which means the site has been verified to be secure.
• Use credit cards instead of debit cards.
• Keep credit card numbers secret. Don’t store credit card and personal information in any online accounts.
• Check bank and credit card statements and accounts every day to make sure each transaction is legitimate.
• Remember that shopping Web sites have no reason to ask for Social Security numbers or passwords, so never provide them.
• Never send payment information via e-mail.
• Don’t use automated teller machines that are in secluded areas. They are more likely to be equipped with card readers than an ATM in or near a bank.