Every day, we learn about new identity theft scams. And since you visit this site, odds are you protected yourself. Taking on the task of convincing your friends and family about the serious nature identity theft really may prove a little trickier. Fortunately, here are some easy steps to take and help protect them as well.
1. Warn them of the possibility that identity thieves pretend to be them
Sometimes with small children, we suggest code words — a secret phrase an adult can use to tell a child that yes, your parents really did send me to pick you up after school. A similar safeguard is useful in email. Tell friends and family members that if you ever email them with a request for information or money, you include a codeword known only to you. Make it something unlikely to come up in the course of a scammer’s email.
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Identity is life! Your identity is your life. Once it is compromised, your life is at risk and your dealings in jeopardy. Your credit sinks. Is your identity secure, protected and safeguarded? Are you presently using any identity theft protection service? If yes, how safe and secure is it?
Every year millions of Americans lose their identity without their knowledge to unscrupulous online and offline thieves. Without prior identity theft protection service they come to realize the theft of their identity when it is too late to prevent and repair it. They add to identity theft statistics. You wouldn’t want to add to this statistics, would you?
Identity theft claims victims everyday. You could be a victim! Identity theft thieves steal your personal information for their benefit, at your loss and expense. They pose as you using your identity.
Learn how to protect you and your family by learning about Identity Theft Solutions. Identity theft is Americas fastest growing crime and one out of every four people will become a victim. It only takes a few minutes to steal your identity but it may take years to restore all of the damage that can be done.
Learn About the Five Types of Identity Theft
Financial Information is where a thief uses your personal information to establish credit card accounts, bank accounts, loans and insurance policies in your name.
Character Theft occurs when criminal acts are performed by someone other than you and your information is given to the law enforcement officials.
Drivers License is when your identification is stolen and the person responsible get traffic tickets, DUI’s and has hit and run accidents which can lead to your arrest and maybe even lawsuits.
Social Security Number is where your number is used by the criminals so they do not have to pay child support, taxes or report large amounts of income under your name.
Medical Records is where someone uses your medical information for fraudulent insurance claims, expensive treatments or even HIV tests.
The truth is that everyone is at risk to have their identities stolen in one form or another.
It is scary in this day how careful people must be. You cannot talk to a stranger on the street and wonder if the small details of your world will make you a candidate for identity theft or not. You have got to take precautions and even mother your information more than is probably necessary, including seeing what identity theft companies have to offer. It is only in this way that you can put up good defenses when it comes to identity protection.
The hard thing is with job applications. People are living in troubled times, which means there are many people out of work. This also means that criminals are getting more creative in order to enhance their own paychecks.
Many people have been smart enough to catch on to and report bogus calls for jobs. Criminals may pay to put a small ad in a paper or a free ad online.
If you’ve ever had your wallet stolen or lost, you understand the trickle of fear that such a discovery produces. Most consumers realize that it’s imperative to call the bank and credit card issuers immediately in order to close those accounts and avoid fraudulent charges. Unfortunately, a great majority of individuals don’t realize that their credit history and rating may be at risk every day.
Unless consumers take extra care to protect themselves, online credit card and identity theft provides criminals with an insidious and sometimes invisible method of draining a bank account, racking up charges to the limit on a credit card or invading your personal privacy and security that often goes undetected for weeks, and sometimes months.
These days, online purchasing is a way of life, as is bill paying over the Internet. However, Internet fraud is limited to roughly 10% of all fraud cases.