I have been using Avast for years, mainly because it has a boot scan option (can scan for viruses before the OS and the viruses themselves load). That being said, most of the antivirus programs run off their own proprietary list of viruses. Each one has a slightly different list, so no single program will catch them all. Now for the statistics, there are something like 80,000 new malware programs generated daily. F*cking daily... Then, it can take 6-12 months for those malware programs to make it on one of these antivirus lists.
So, that means that your internet hygiene is the most important (and possibly only) effective measure. That means using both capital and lower case letters along with numbers and special characters in your passwords. That means paying attention to the little locked symbol in the upper right hand portion of your browser. That means changing your passwords often. You probably know all that though. We all do. Even if you have immaculate hygiene though, it's only a matter of time.
What I have resorted to, is accepting that I will get compromised at some point. That puts the focus back on things that I do have control over. For instance, do you know that you can "lock" your credit? It's called a credit freeze and will stop most fraudulent attempts at creating a new credit line in your name. You can also review the policies at your local bank. Often times, you can adjust the security levels surrounding your bank account. Some offer more security than others. The one I use is really good and will catch any transactions that are outside my "normal use".
The last, and possibly most important part, is sticking to online companies that have solid policies for fraud. Amazon is a great example. If there is a fraudulent purchase, they are quick to give you your money back. If a package was stolen, they are quick to either refund or replace the item. Some of the smaller online companies don't have such eagerness. Some actually have both crap security and nonexistent refund policies. So sometimes getting an item for $10 cheaper, doesn't turn out to be cheaper in the long run.
Sometimes though, no matter what you do, you still hop on your online bank account and find yourself asking "When the hell did I buy $6 in gas? Wait, India? I've never even fking been to India!"
