Companies are increasingly looking to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) to reduce their phone charges. This can be a call sent over the Internet or just VoIP inside the office connected to a phone system. What they don’t consider is the security of the calls. You can get a free application called VOMIT (Voice Over Misconfigured Internet Telephones) that lets you convert phone conversations to a Microsoft sound file.

Advice: The threat is greater for an office using a VoIP telephone system than calls placed by individuals over the Internet. Since the phones are now on the same network as the computers it is easy for one disgruntled employee to listen in on every phone call. New encryption technologies are emerging that will prevent this type of application from listening in on your conversations.

Many people are using www.freecreditreport.com to get the free credit report mandated by FACTA and now some unscrupulous marketers, and worse, are preying on people who miss-type the website address. They have put up websites designed to collect personal information for marketing purposes or to sell you other services.

Advice: Be careful when typing in any website address.

ID Theft Alerts has often asked for more legislation for companies that treat their customers’ information cavalierly. However, a recent study shows these companies still pay a large price. Companies that have disclosed security breaches have watched their stock prices drop 9-11%. Lets hope this doesn’t make companies too eager to hide this information from their customers.

Advice: As you head out on your summer vacation don’t forget to call the postal service and stop your mail at the post office.