How Do I Avoid Identity Theft

Preventing Identity Theft - Precautions To Minimize Risk Of Identity Theft

An identity thief steals your identity to commit fraud in your name. Your bank accounts, credit ratings, and other financial dealings can be compromised by the identity thief. He gets access to your email accounts, bank accounts, credit card and ATM cards, which can leave you not just in severe financial crisis, but also several litigations.

Most identity thieves want Social Security card number, passwords and bank account, credit card number and other information. Therefore, in order to prevent identity thefts, ensure that you have a foolproof system in place so you never accidentally give out sensitive information.

So which are the potential “chinks in the armor” that can compromise your security? Here are some of them.

1) Mailbox: Many of us don’t think it necessary to lock the mailbox. This often proves to be a huge mistake if you are one of those who receive banking information, credit card bills, and checks in your mailbox. The thief just needs to open your mailbox lid, take out the papers and walk away. It is as simple as that!
2) Wallets: Guard your wallet at all times. The wallet or purse possibly contains all information an identity thief will ever need. It has many credit cards and little notations about your Social Security numbers you put down in your pocket diary.
3) Trash Can: You may be feeling confident that what you put in your garbage disposal system is of no use to anyone. Well, you are very wrong. Any person with criminal intent will find it worth the muckraking to come up with such a rich haul of information as your old credit card bills, cancelled checks, and other documents.
4) Giving Away Information: Sometimes, an identity thief need not even go through all that trouble to get to your password. Phishing scams abound on the Internet; someone posing as your credit card agent or lawyer will ask you for your personal information, and most probably you will tell them your banking information, credit card or Social Security number without a second thought.
5) Lockers and Storage: Lockers at your workplace, gym, and hobby class need to be locked in order to keep your wallets, purses, and important documents safe. If possible, try to install your own lock on the locker. This will make your locker safe from thieves who may have duplicated the locker keys provided by the owners of the building.

Prevent Identity Theft

Identity Theft - Guide For Businesses

One common misperception about identity theft is that it affects only individuals. Popular culture has a lot to do with such perception, since movies like “The Net” and pulp fiction like “The Day of the Jackal” by Frederick Forsyth have contributed to this perception.

Businesses are as vulnerable to identity theft as any individual is. With sensitive data loaded into computers and laptops, tons of documents with information printed on them can make businesses vulnerable to identity theft.

Businesses store information on all their employees and parties they deal with. Should such personal information fall into the hands of identity thieves, the safety of the employees can be compromised.

Preventing Identity Thefts In The Business
The following section discusses ways to prevent identity theft if you own a business.

1) Have An Information Security Policy
Have a separate department that handles issues related to employee privacy.
2) Secure Your Computers
Your office computers are a minefield of information. They hold sensitive information about your employees and business associates. Use the latest encryption techniques and security codes to secure the network.
3) Foolproof Disposal
Dumper divers are the biggest challenge to personal information security. Use shredding machines to shred paper before you dispose of documents.
4) Collect Minimum Personal Information
Try to collect the minimum possible personal information from employees.
5) Control Access To Data
Allow sensitive data to be handled by the minimum number of people.
6) Personal Devices
Ensure that there is a system in place for safe storage and handling of laptops, PDAs, and other data storage devices.

What To Do Once You Discover Identity Theft
Once you have discovered identity theft in your business, here are the immediate steps to take.

1) Tell Law Enforcement Agents
As soon as you have discovered identity theft, call the authorities and make a report. You can even call federal investigating agencies to let them know of the identity theft.

2) Let The Affected Parties Know
Call affected parties as soon the identity theft is discovered and let them know. Identity theft could compromise the security of businesses or individuals whose personal information has been stolen. Before notifying businesses and individuals, consult law enforcers, since early action may hamper investigations.

3) Contact Credit Agencies
If the identity theft relates to Social Security, you should notify credit bureaus. If you are unsure of what to do, the credit office may offer information. You can ask the credit offices to tell affected individuals to get their files flagged.

Despite all precautions, security of personal data may be breached. Quick action and proper remedial measures can save many individuals and businesses from misuse of their personal information. Identity theft requires concrete measures to tackle it, and it is better to prevent it than try to clean up the mess it leaves in its wake.

Identity Theft - A Brief History

Forget guns and violence. Being a criminal nowadays is a matter of getting the right information without being found that and uses that to your advantage. That is how the identity theft process work. 

Identity theft is a crime wherein another person obtains and uses another person's personal data for purposes of fraud or deception. But the main purpose is for gaining money and finances to avail of goods or services.

Personal information being stolen borders from names, birth dates, social security number and driver’s license number. The more extreme and cruel cases is when your financial identity like credit card, bank account and phone-card numbers, are the ones being used.

It can be noted that your personal allows thieves to profit at your expense. This is in contrast to your fingerprints that cannot be easily copied or stolen. In many cases, victims are not even aware that their identity has been stolen until maybe some months or years later.

The consequences of being an identity theft victim are also quite devastating. You will be faced with the need to close bad credit accounts, trying to repair them or open new ones.

In the process, you not only need time to get on with all these but also enough money to try and pay up debits accumulated and new ones opened.

As long as you have not finished all the requirements and have not cleared you name, you can be denied jobs, loans, education, housing, and transportation. For worst case scenarios, you can even get arrested for the crime you did not commit much less know about.

The trauma that can result from the experience is not easily forgotten too. The experience of thousands of victims is that it often takes months, even years, to recover. 

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the US alone. The fact that more and more people are reporting cases of identity theft and how they have become victims can attest to conclusion made by that department.

In the year 2002, 10 million people became victims of this crime. And an estimated 27.3 million Americans have been reported to be victims of the different forms of identity theft during the past 5 years. 

Even financial and business institutions are not spared. Billions of dollars worth of losses have also been noted which can be attributed to identity theft.

Identity theft is the number two most reported crime to the federal government.

These numbers are enough to make you consider identity theft as a serious crime that is getting more and more rampant everyday. Ever since this kind of crime had been noted in the early 1970’s, counteractions are being done. But however extreme are measure are, there is really no getting through the minds of these thieves.

There are basically two forms of identity theft.

The first and most common is when someone uses your credit card information. Your information have been gotten if it was lost or stolen. It can also be because of careless handling by an employee of a company where you used the credit card to make a purchase.

The second and more dangerous form of identity theft is when someone steals your identity, and opens up credit card accounts, or cell phone accounts in your name. They can also use your social security number when getting a job or your driver’s license to get a duplicate copy.

The advancing technology of today does not help any. Communications tools over the Internet are allowing criminals to think up new schemes and strategies. Besides that, identity theft can be planned and executed more easily online.

All these thieves have to do is pay a fee to an information broker to get an individual's Social Security number. Online databases also have in them address information, while an individual's mother's maiden name can be found in obituaries or other public documents. Obviously, bills are sent to a different address so they will not get to you and you will start panicking.

Understanding and having enough knowledge about identity theft can be your prevention measure. Be alert and aware so you will not be among those who have suffered the consequences of this crime.