Five ways to keep your identity from being hijacked for online fraud

As cybercriminals increasingly target digital identities rather than software flaws, individuals must take stronger steps to protect their online accounts from fraud and impersonation.

Recent findings from Sophos reveal that stolen credentials and weak authentication now sit at the centre of most cyberattacks which is a trend that mirrors the surge in identity theft, account takeovers and online scams affecting everyday users.

Identity theft is no longer just a corporate problem because attackers are focusing on people rather than systems, as stolen identities are easier to exploit.

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As online services expand and digital footprints grow, it is important to treat personal identity security as a daily habit rather than a one-time setup that has become essential in staying ahead of cybercriminals.

Here are five practical ways to reduce the risk of your identity being hijacked online:

Use phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Passwords alone are no longer enough. Enable MFA on all critical accounts, including email, banking, social media and cloud services.

When possible, use app-based authenticators or hardware security keys rather than SMS codes, which can be intercepted through SIM-swap attacks.

Strengthen and separate your passwords

Reusing passwords across sites gives criminals a free pass once one account is breached. Therefore, use a password manager to generate long, unique passwords for every service. This limits the damage if one platform suffers a data leak.

Lock down your email account first

Email is the gateway to your digital life, and attackers who control it can reset passwords everywhere else.

Ensure to secure your primary email with the strongest MFA available, review recovery addresses, and remove outdated phone numbers that could be abused.

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Watch for subtle phishing attempts

Modern phishing emails are often well-written and personalised. Be cautious of urgent messages asking you to ‘verify’ accounts or click links.

Instead of following links, go directly to the official website or app to check for alerts.

Monitor accounts and act quickly

Regularly review login alerts, bank statements and account activity. Early detection can stop fraud before it spreads.

If you notice suspicious behaviour, change passwords immediately, revoke active sessions, and report the incident to the service provider.