5 Ways to Avoid Giving Out Personal Information Online

5 Tips to Avoid Giving Out Personal Information Online

Let’s face it, we all just want to be left alone on the internet. Nobody likes to give out personal information knowing that they’re under the microscope 24/7 by unknown parties that God knows what they do with all that -useless- information. Anonymity and identity have become integral parts of the internet today as Big Brother’s grip tightens. Through basic, simple information (such as: your name, date of birth, address, or even just your IP address) the government, hackers and phishers can trace your every move online. Have you ever wondered how Amazon, for instance, knows what you want to buy even before you think it? Or how Facebook knows what kind of news feed you like to follow and even tailor your news feed to suit your current mood? Websites and data sniffers track and collect the bread crumbs you leave behind when you give out personal information in order to know your whereabouts, what you like most or more sinisterly, to steal your identity, spread malware on your machines or hack into your bank account. Unfortunately, using regular privacy settings to avoid giving out personal information are quite useless nowadays with the ever growing, sophisticated monitoring systems developed by the government or cyber criminals.

“The odds are against you as a consumer. Your online life is probably already compromised by spyware,” says Rick Dakin, CEO of IT security business Coalfire

So, what are some effective ways you can easily use to avoid giving out personal information online and make you practically invisible any time you go on the internet?

1- Use A Disposable Email Address

One way to hide yourself and avoid giving out personal information is by creating a separate or a disposable email address to be used solely for websites or companies that pointlessly request an e-mail, such as: promotional websites, newsletters, forums, blogs, or newspapers. By using a separate email, you will not only avoid giving out your personal information without the need for it, but you will also reduce spam significantly.

2- Use A Fake Phone Number

Another good way to avoid giving out personal information is by using a fake phone number or a disposable one that you don’t normally use with websites that ask for it. This is a very good way to maintain your anonymity online and avoid being tracked by third parties or contacted by strangers.

3- Use A Separate Email for Business

If you want to avoid giving out personal information when doing business, you can use services such as: UPS or USPS to get a surface mail “business address” to use it instead of using your home address. This method is great and advisable to business owners or employees. We recommend UPS-style mailbox as it gives you a real street address, “basically the address of the UPS store plus a “suite number”.”  In addition, “UPS can also text or email you when your mail arrives. A small mailbox costs around $144 per year. A small Post Office (PO) Box costs about $122 per year.”

4- Use A Different Name

It’s not easy to avoid giving out personal information online when most of people use their real names on the internet for professional reasons and those who use their nicknames or a pseudonym can be easily tracked by third parties or hackers because most of them use the same pseudonym in different websites, forums, blogs, you name it. Real names give you credibility, when needed, however, by giving out personal information, you become more vulnerable to phishers, government surveillance and data sniffers. By using a different name, you can avoid giving out personal information online and you can evade being tracked down or getting your identity stolen. Moreover, “you can legally write or sign your business name instead, and your business name can be something like “John Doe”. ”

5- Use A VPN

VPN, short for Virtual Private Network, is a virtual creation of a highly secure, encrypted physical network of computers connected together for sharing and giving out personal information in a secret fashion. In a broader sense of the word, VPN acts as a middle man between your computer and the destination server. Instead of directly giving out personal information to the specified destination, your data will be tunnelled through a highly encrypted network of servers first. Let’s look at it this way, your ISP constantly monitors your web activity through your IP address because an IP address indicates your physical location through which the ISP can track and monitor your online activity. However, when you use a VPN, your real IP address is masked by another one that will enable you to avoid giving out personal information, therefore, giving you the opportunity to surf the internet without being detected by your ISP. Moreover, a VPN grants you protection from getting your personal information and sensitive data, such as: credit card information, stolen by phishers and hackers. VPN also gives you anonymity every time you go online so that you get the chance to surf the web with absolute freedom without a third party tracing your every move.

Below are  some of the best and cheapest VPN services in the market:

a) Wasel Pro VPN

Website

Pros:

• Free VPN trial

• Easy installation

• Several VPN protocols

• Multiple payment methods

• Ideal for Middle East and Gulf regions

• Full compatibility

• Extremely fast servers

• Friendly and well-trained live support

• No logging policy

• Discounts and special offers

Cons: none

WASEL Pro VPN, is a successful and a well-reputed VPN service provider that was established in 2012 and has been growing to branch out its services around the world with its main focus on the Middle East and Asia making it without any doubt a pioneer in the region and a highly recommended to avoid giving out personal information online.

Wasel Pro VPN supports OpenVPN and L2TP VPN protocols, and has many applications that are compatible with all operating systems and devices; such as: Windows, Mac OS, iOS and Android. The service also provides a manual setup option for Linux users. In addition, their FAQ section is extremely detailed and covers all possible questions with step-by-step tutorials to guide the user through any manual configuration process.

If you want to avoid giving out personal information online without spending much, WASEL Pro VPN  gives its users a 30-day free VPN trial and comes with coupons as well as discounts for its paid subscribers. Moreover, WASEL Pro VPN offers its users full internet protection and optimal anonymity that also comes with unlimited bandwidth through its highly encrypted and widely branched global network of servers. Thanks to their no logging policy, all of your online activities and personal information are utterly hidden from hackers and data snoopers.

b) iWASEL

website

Pros:

• Free VPN trial

• Easy installation

• Money back guarantee

• Supports OpenVPN, L2TP and PPTP

• No logging policy

• Discounts and special offers

• Boosts internet connection

• No logging policy

• Unblocks any web content

• Ultimate security and anonymity

• Compatible with all devices and platforms

• Ideal for Gulf and Asian countries

Cons:  none

Another very good and less known VPN service provider, iWASEL comes as a surprise to those who are looking for a VPN service that is affordable and offers premium service to avoid giving out personal information online. Not only is iWASEL dedicated to give its best to its paid subscribers, but it also gives an honest 30-day free VPN trial through which the user can fully test its quality before deciding to purchase any of its many and comfortable plans.

Furthermore, iWASEL directs its main focus towards Middle East and Asian markets which makes it a great VPN for anyone living in: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Dubai, China, Pakistan or Iran. It also comes with exclusive benefits to its users as it supports many protocols that are blocked or banned any other countries. The service also offers comfortable purchase VPN plans and various payment methods; including: CashU, MasterCard, OneCard, Visa, Western Union.

 c) ExpressVPN

 Pros:

• Easy setup

• Clear instructions

• 30-day Money back guarantee

• Simple registration form

• Android and iOS applications

• OpenVPN, L2TP and PPTP protocols

Cons:

• Pricy

• A little slow

• Different codes for each device

• Keeps some logs

While most VPN service providers fail to offer their subscribers diverse purchase plans, ExpressVPN impresses its members with wallet-friendly 3 packages to fully enjoy its renowned top-quality service and safely avoid giving out personal information online. This super fast service has its network of servers spreading out to 97 cites in 78 countries. In other words, you can bypass any geo-restricted web content from 78 different locations. It offers 30 days money back guarantee as an alternative for a free trial period. Unfortunately, this service tends to keep some logs and requires different codes for every device.

Conclusion

In order to avoid giving out personal information online.  “A good rule of thumb, say experts: Assume anything you post online or emailed is being read by a criminal. Be judicious about giving out personal information. (”I’m at the airport and ready for my two week holiday in the Maldives,” could act as a gold-embossed invitation to burglars; that is how the young burglars featured in the movie, “The Bling Ring,” targeted homes of celebrities like Paris Hilton). “People show off and want to boast about how happy they are,” Cluley says. “Tell you friends about your jaunt in Hawaii after you come back.” Cluley says one woman had $10,000 of goods stolen by a Facebook “friend” after she announced she was attending a concert. He says to post holiday pictures after the fact, don’t boast about new electronics — unless you trust your Facebook Friends 100%, and those who might have access to their accounts, too.” We hope that this article helped you know how you can easily avoid giving out personal information on the internet.