As we evolve side by
side with our technology many are finding the life much more ambiguous than
it’s ever been. Although in many respects we’ve made the world more accessible
and easy to access, it has coincided with the loss of overall personal privacy
and the protection of individual solidarity. As a result we are all perhaps
more in danger of the effects of cyber crimes and identity theft than ever
before. Have you taken any measures to know what identity theft prevention
involves, or have you already invested time and money into your own identity
theft protection services?
- Take personal measures to be up to date with all of
your financial accounts from credit cards, to checking and savings
accounts, to your business accounts. This means checking their activity
more than once a month.
- It is a good habit to shred discarded mail that may
have your important personal information on it.
- Although banks have their own high level security
systems in place to prevent fraud and theft, it is possible to hire more
professional help to protect and monitor your accounts.
- Cover your tracks and keep things locked up. Change
your online passwords once a month, run virus scans several times a week,
and never give away information like bank accounts, social security
numbers, or credit information unless you know with absolute certainty
that the website or source is secure.
Criminals make quick
work
It doesn’t take long for
an identity thief to make lasting damage on your credit score, reputation, and
banks accounts. Maybe you only check you credit once a year, and your bank
account a few times a month, but in the matter of a few hours a person
committing fraud could open up their own credit card line with your personal
information and buy cars, boats, and other expensive items without you ever
knowing. By the time the news gets back to you its possible your credit score will
be dramatically different than it was at the beginning of the month.
Your SSN
A criminal with your
personal social security number is a major threat. They can easily assume your
identity to open bank accounts, start credit cards, buy property and even pay
taxes. This can sometimes take place for years without you knowing. The reason
is because even when you check your credit score, the three major credit
bureaus can not tell you if there is another name attached to your social
security number. Even companies which do a credit check can see this
information, but they can’t tell you about it. However that doesn’t mean the
spending habits of this criminal won’t affect your credit score.
Keep an eye out for the
Scam artist
To prevent the theft of
your social security number, do not give up the number over the phone or online
unless you know it is safe. Scam artists are experts at posing as legitimate
bank officials, IRS agents, or school officials and will convince you to turn
this information over. Always shred discarded mail from credit card companies,
the IRS, your bank, and anything that might contain information an identity
thief can use. Don’t hesitate to thoroughly question anyone who asks for your
social security number or anyone in your family.
Ways to prevent identity theftonline can be found at www.legal-yogi.com. You can
speak with experts on this subject and others any day of the week by calling
them directly at 1-800-397-1755.
