Protection From Identity Theft
Protection from identity theft has become imperative to combat this menace which has grown with rapid development in technology. Not only is identity theft a major crime in the United States these days affecting over a million every year, it has the potency to slap criminal offences on unsuspecting victims for no fault of theirs.
Unless protection is taken from predators out to steal one’s identity and commit crimes, victims will only have themselves to blame. If someone finds their credit card or debit cards are stolen, the issuing bank should be immediately notified before the thief can walk away with the money. Banks usually cancel the customer’s card and reimburse them for any damages suffered.
Social security cars fit well into wallets and are very convenient but once your wallet is stolen, along with your social security number, identities like your name and address, driver’s license and any other identity bearing document could fall into the fraudster’s hand. It is wiser to keep the social security card at home.
Thieves are known to pose as representatives form credit companies. They land up at the places of unsuspecting victims or call for important personal identity information. Opting out of all telemarketing calls is a better option.
Always check your bank statements and bills as soon as they arrive or online for any fraudulent charges to your account. If you spot anything suspicious, contact the bank immediately.
Pre-approved credit and insurance emailing lists are best avoided and the best alternative is to opt out.
And why not take the free credit report you are entitled to from the three major credit bureaus every 12 months? Any changes you notice can be immediately dealt with as the credit bureaus can place a fraud alert on the basis if your report.
Try not to put your birth date and social security number on resumes that you send to prospective employers. Mostly they are mailed in lots for increasing the chances of a response, but risks also rise as they are seen by more people.
Passwords should be strong and hard to guess and a reading of Eric Wolfram’s ‘How to pick a safe password’ would help. Check out how secure is your personal information with places like the university, doctor’s office or places of work where they are stored and if you find they are not handled properly, notify the Better Business Bureau or Federal Trade Commission.
Internet has brought in many online sites that market or offer financial plans for credit or other instruments. Responding to them may require parting with personal information that may lead to identity theft. Usually their offers are very lucrative as they promise the moon with fairly credible logic that lures unsuspecting visitors to click.
But finally with all the help and assistance by bureaus, it is up to the consumer to lock up their personal information safely and securely and part with personal information only after proper verification that would stop their identities from being stolen.
