Even before the news about Google account users in China being hacked, there were already a large number of people complaining that their accounts on the Internet had been hacked. With many netizens, not to mention those who join social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter; Cybercrime is becoming more rampant, from committing scams to identity theft. Americans, where some of the best sites were founded, even have a hard time doing their people search in the US, as there are those who use other people’s accounts. There are also many cases where a man lands in jail because of someone else’s fault.

For those who have researched court records to see how many have already filed complaints about such an issue, you may also be well aware that there are only a few with resolved cases; others are still helpless. The best way is to know how to protect your account from such a fragility. Here are ways to prevent your account from being hacked.

1. Have a password that uses a combination of characters. Don’t just settle for words. It is best to include numbers, even symbols. There are sites that check the strength of the password you used. However, there are some with limited meter strength, being settled with long words. Also remember to create passwords that are easy for you to remember.

2. Choose a difficult security question. There are those who go through clicking on the “forgot password” area just to access the security question. So keep in mind to make one that you can’t guess the answer no matter what. In case you enter a site where they use options for security questions, treat the answers as a password.

3. In the event that you receive phishing emails that ask you to provide your email address and password, please report them as spam or delete them immediately. Be on the lookout for such emails. Please remember not to reply to such emails as much as possible.

4. Beware of spyware. Remember to do a background check on this, as these can also be how hackers get information from you. There are spyware that are used as a network tool, however, make sure that the person you will allow to get such information from you is someone you trust.