The internet is the by far the best source of information today. On the flip side there is also a lot of dis-information, fraudulent activity and fake people posing as some one else. When you go online, websites capture your information so they know who you are next time and can help you faster. They also will use this to market products and services in ads on the webpages you visit. Most have an area to apply online or a form to gather your information. Below is usefully information to help you proceed with caution and not become a victim of a scam and protect yourself and your credit.

The Real Deal VS the fake or fraudulent and how to find out!

Do you ever find it funny how websites advertise things you have searched or products and services you have viewed? Websites gather information and record what you do online. They capture this information with your IP address (where you are located physically) and they "Rembrandt" you. What this means is next time you search they will be able to have an ad pop up on your screen that links back to a product or service that they are selling. They pay the service provider like Google or Facebook when you click on that advertisement. There is artificial intelligence at play here that constantly scours the data to present the paid click buyers with the best bang for the buck. That means they are basically collecting as much of your information as possible and selling it for profit.

The Social Media platforms and Web Search Providers are some of the largest and most profitable companies on the planet. They gather information and sell it for profit. Knowing this how can someone protect themselves better??

• When you see something that interests you, click on it. Then look at the title bar in you browser and copy just the first part. It should look something like this https://approvecanada.com. Open a new tab or browser and search it. This way you will find out if this is a real company and if there are good or bad reviews. This information will give you valuable insight.
• Most advertisements to apply for a product or service online are third party companies that collect your information and resell it over and over. Check if the company is a real company with a real location with real building and inventory. Does the person exist on social media and what do people say about him/her. Do they actually own the products they sell, if they don't then they are selling your information for profit. 
• In order to stay more anonymous online notice the word "ad" on search results or pop ups and banners that flash. These are the same paid ads to gag your information and sell. Try not to click on these unless that is your intention.
• Credit applications are very important! A lot of personal information is collected so be careful and do your due diligence when they are offering deals to good to be true or free things where you have to fill out a form. There is usually a consent form attached so they can do a credit check. Many people have multiple inquiries and much lower credit score because of this. This can  end up costing them a bank approval on something they want or end up paying higher interest because of a lower credit score.

At the end of the day we are all in the same boat. We are getting usefull information at the expense of giving up some of our personal information. The best way to be safe is to not click on emails links and not give out your personal information without doing a little research. I hope this helps. Reach out to me anytime on this site for any questions.