C I Host Warns of Identity Theft This Holiday Season

C I Host Warns of Identity Theft This Holiday Season

DALLAS, Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- C I Host, a global leader in Web hosting and Internet solutions, advises online citizens to take precautions this holiday season when shopping online.

"More people than ever before are shopping on the Web -- so you can be sure the bad guys are there, too," said Christopher Faulkner, CEO of C I Host. "Make certain your PC is secure."

The National Retail Federation estimates Internet transactions in 2004 will reach $144 billion, up 27 percent from last year's $114 billion.

"Face it -- criminals go where the money is. And right now, e-business is huge," Faulkner said. "Online transactions during this holiday season are predicted to rise more than $15 billion. So no doubt attacks are growing and criminals will come up with new and creative ways to manipulate the system. Don't fall victim this season."

The convenience of online shopping is a huge differentiator this year -- especially with the rise in gas prices. It's estimated 29 percent of consumers will purchase holiday gifts through the Internet, up from 28 percent in 2003.

Faulkner advises online users should make sure they have anti-virus software on their computer and that it is current. Online purchases should only be made through legitimate, reputable sites.

About C I Host:

C I Host (http://www.cihost.com/ ), based in the Dallas/Fort Worth market, is a global Web hosting and Internet solutions provider serving 210,000 individual consumers and businesses in 190 countries worldwide. C I Host's headquarters and Network Operations Center are in Bedford, Texas, and the company operates additional diverse data centers in Los Angeles and Chicago.


Source: C I Host

CONTACT: D. Kent Pingel, Public Relations Director of C I Host,
+1-888-868-9931, ext. 7006, or kentp@cihost.com

Web site: http:/www.cihost.com


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