Prevention will help you Fight Identity Theft

The issue of identity theft is on the front burner and more consumers are taking action to prevent it from happening to them. However, new scams continue to arise that can suck people in. One such ploy is called phishing, where they send an e-mail that appears to be from a website that the consumer legitimately deals with.

The best tactic for fighting identity theft is to make sure you keep your personal information private. Never reply to any e-mails asking for personal information. Delete them and never click on the links in them. They may contain a virus that will attach to your computer. You don’t want to provide anything such as account numbers or passwords over the phone either.

Protect your Personal Information

Don’t be intimidated by phone calls or e-mails that threaten to take action against you if you don’t respond with the information they want. If you are concerned that the request is from someone you do business with then contact them directly. However, most legitimate businesses will not ask you for personal information through e-mail and their privacy policy states this. Fight identity theft by being very careful with your information.

If you do become a victim of identity theft, it is important that you report it to the authorities as soon as possible. You can also have a fraud alert placed on your account and monitor your account statements very closely on a monthly basis. You can contact the Federal Trade Commission if you get e-mails, phone calls, or other requests for your information.

It is believed that 1 in 10 Americans will become a victim of identity theft. This means we all need to make efforts to continue to fight it. Make sure you keep a close eye on how your store old documents as well. This includes bills, bank statements, receipts, and other items with personal information. Take the time to shred anything like that before you throw it away.

It is important that you contact banks, utility companies, and credit card providers when you move. You don’t’ want your information going to your old address and someone getting their hands on it. Never keep your PIN or password for your accounts with the account number. Make sure you can remember it so that you don’t have it in writing in your purse or wallet.

Everyone is affected by identity theft so do all you can to protect your information. If you don’t believe a site is 100% secure then don’t use it. Doing so only makes the scammer’s job much easier. If enough people stop falling for their games then they will have to find something else to do.

One way you can protect your identity is  -

In The News...

Forbes - ID Tool ToGo Combines Convenience with Multifactor Authentication Superior to Tokens, Smartcards and Biometrics LOS GATOS, Calif., June 14 /PRNewswire/ -- TriCipher, the leading provider of multifactor authentication solutions that protect online ...

Dallas Morning News - The controversial co-founder of LifeLock Inc., a company that helps people fight identity theft, has resigned in the wake of reports about his past run-ins with fraud regulators and law enforcement officials. Robert J. Maynard Jr., a former Dallas ...

News-Democrat - A day after a stolen identity scheme was publicly announced, the governor's and attorney general's offices exchanged blame about an attempt to arrest a former state employee at a state office. A federal indictment handed down May 31 - but not ...

South Coast Today - GREENBELT, Md. — A Massachusetts woman dubbed the "Wig Lady" because she donned disguises while swindling bank customers pleaded guilty Thursday to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in U.S. District Court. Carol Silva, 55, of Westbury, Mass ...

dBusinessNews.com - ... and confidence in individual identities provided by L-1 Identity Solutions, government entities, law enforcement and border management agencies, and commercial enterprises can better guard the public against global terrorism, crime and identity theft ...