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Posts Tagged ‘identity theft’

Identity Theft Can Be Prevented

Monday, November 8th, 2010

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One of the biggest crimes against individuals is identity theft. While most people think that their identity can be stolen through Internet use, it goes farther than that. This kind of theft has been around before computers and the Internet became fixtures in many homes. It is a crime that has high rates. About ten million people deal with some form of this theft a year, and thieves cause billions of dollars in monetary damage. Generally, people are smart shoppers when it comes to the Internet, but you would be surprised to find out how many people don’t do anything else to protect their personal information.

To help prevent identity thieves from stealing pertinent information, you have to learn how to protect your identity and personal information. The Internet is not the only means that thieves have to steal your identity. In fact, it is the larger theft rings that have this capability, while individual thieves are much more sneaky and can easily access anything that they need to about you. The individual thieves are the ones who go through your trash, steal your wallet, and use your social security number to get lines of credit.

Protecting your identity is going to require a bit of extra effort on your side. Take an inventory of the things in your purse or wallet. You need to make photocopies of your cards to document them. Take extra effort with important bills that you are discarding; run them through a shredder to ensure that dumpster divers can’t get any information about your accounts. Keep your PIN numbers and social security card in a safe location at home. Check your credit report at least once a year for suspicious activity.

Even though you may be diligently working to make sure that your personal information isn’t available to identity thieves, the theft can still occur- although less likely. If you find that you have become a victim, you need to take immediate action. Contact the companies where there are bills or charges that you have questions about. Get specific information about the charges, including dates, full account numbers, and other pertinent details. Contact a credit bureau to request your credit to be flagged; a flag by one bureau will result in flags by the other two as well.

Your final steps to resolving any issues is to file a police report. Provide the officer with as much specific information as possible. Obtain a copy and keep it with you at all times. You will also need to get a new driver’s license and request a different number.

Identity theft does not have to make you overcautious or terrified to continue on with your daily life. While it can cause a lot of damage that would take a while to fix, taking the proper precautions can reduce your odds of becoming a victim of this crime. Take care and pay attention with what you do.

Learn how to avoid identity theft. You also might want to consider identity theft insurance

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