Identity Theft Facts

Knowing about identity theft facts can assist you in protecting your personal information. Make sure you understand how your information can be assessed, the ways in which it can be used, and how you can protect your information. You should also find out how these thieves are able to get away with it.

It is scary to think about just how vulnerable each of us is in regards to identity theft. You may find yourself thinking about it once your wallet or purse has been lost or stolen. Anyone who has it can access your credit cards, PIN numbers, and social security numbers if they are in there. Other methods of getting such information include over the internet, the phone, watching people when they use an ATM, and going through other people’s trash.

Protect yourself from Identity Theft

Monitor your credit report because fraudulent activities will show up there. Make sure you look into any questionable activities that you find on your credit report. You can get free copies of your credit report from the three major credit reporting agencies - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Each one has to legally give you one free copy per year.

Make sure you keep a list of all your passwords, bank account information, credit card numbers, social security numbers, and other personal information in a very safe place in your home. If your information is lost or stolen you have a quick way of being able to contact the issuers of the financial information. You should also contact the three credit reporting agencies so that they can put an alert on your account.

Before you decide to do business with anyone find out about their security procedures. Ask how they will keep your information save from identity theft. If you don’t like the answers they give you then do business with someone else. Don’t provide your personal information to just anyone. Be very careful who you give it to. You should never have to give out your social security number over the internet. That is a red flag that your identity may be about to be stolen.

One way you can protect your identity is  -

In The News...

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 ...

TMCnet - As credit card fraud has become one of the most common forms of identity theft today, there's no wonder a number of consumers are demanding enhanced security and increased paying options. In the restaurant business, where credit cards are regularly ...

Forbes - A federal indictment accuses seven people - including two former state employees - of using the identities of nursing-home residents and others in a scheme to help prison inmates make phone calls. The seven are accused of using Social Security ...

Patriot Ledger - District Court in Boston charged Johnson with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. It specified that the offenses occurred in Plymouth County and elsewhere in the state. Some of the counterfeit checks were cashed in Stop & Shop supermarkets ...

US News and World Report - As chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, Deborah Platt Majoras is charged with protecting consumers from unfair, deceptive, and illegal business practices. Since her appointment in 2004, she has focused on identity-theft prevention through ...