Imagine sitting down at your favorite coffee shop with your laptop open and headphones on. Not too difficult to picture, right? Now, imagine signing into a Wi-Fi network that looks like it belongs to the coffee shop. Little do most people know, hackers are often waiting for public Wi-Fi users to sign into fake Wi-Fi networks. Once you’ve signed in, it’s incredibly easy for hackers to steal confidential information, personal identity, and credit card numbers. Setting up fake Wi-Fi networks is just one of many ways hackers can steal your information. That’s why we’ve put together 10 practical tips to help you stay safe on the internet and avoid the catastrophe of identity theft. Try checking your email settings to make sure you have your filter turned ‘on.’ This will help prevent fake emails meant to give your device a virus from coming into your inbox. This might stop certain emails you want from coming through, so just make sure you check your ‘junk’ folder every once in a while. Make your social media accounts private if you share your heart and soul with your friends. Also, don’t have your personal email address where anyone can find it. This will minimize the number of ‘free cruises’ you’re offered over email. Investing in a good VPN is an important step to online safety and security. Consider the following VPNs if you’re looking for a place to start. Below is a list of the top VPNs for privacy based on their logging policy. You can easily read individual reviews on each brand available. Even the most updated antivirus programs can’t protect you from every hacker. In order to protect your privacy further, consider using a VPN in addition to an antivirus program. Using a VPN on your phone and tablet will help protect your data no matter where you go or what Wi-Fi you’re connected to. Consider using a VPN that allows you to connect multiple devices on one subscription.