5 Unknown Facts Of Identity Theft - What Most People Don't Know About Identity Theft

Most people like to believe they are fully aware of the dangers that Identity Theft poses. However, national government agencies have said themselves, they do not know every aspect of this crime because it rapidly changes everyday. As a matter of fact, they have also stated that there is no way to avoid this crime, it's only a matter of minimizing the risk. When it does happen, the question is then,"how can you keep yourself insured?", and "who can you turn to for help?". There are many unknown facts about this crime that most people don't really know.

5 Unknown Facts

Identity Theft Has Ranked Higher In Crime Than Drug Trafficking

1. As we all know, much of the news we hear about in Mexico and in the U.S is on Drug Trafficking and Cartel Wars, but the truth of it all is that Identity Theft has taken it's place in crime at #1 all across America. These identity criminals are now more in demand with illegal immigration rising due to Drug Cartel Wars, because they can create false documents. Why is there no huge focus on this crime in America when it ranks highest of any crime taking place right now? In fact ID Theft has hit it's all time high this year at just a little over 10 million victims.

Every 3.2 Seconds A New Identity Is Stolen

2. This might sound absurd, but it is well under estimated when it said that every 3.2 seconds a new person falls victim to this crime. It is TRUE! There are many studies at Universities that offer this information for free to view for yourselves. What people fail to understand is that there are many forms of Identity theft, not just your credit card. The more you learn on what different types of Identity Theft there are, the more cautious you will be.

It Can Take Up To 4 Years Or More To Fix Identity Theft

3. When someone becomes a victim of Identity Fraud, it can take up to 4 years to clear up all the damage. Not to include 71% of those victims still have to repeatedly attempt to fix inaccurate information on their credit file. Many times victims have no way of proving that their information was stolen, and have been forced to file bankruptcy, or begin paying thousands of dollars to repair their credit account.

Most People Believe Repairing Your Credit File Is Easy (It's Not)

4.Most people tend to believe that it would be easy to correct any fraud that could happen to them. Please do not be fooled. It is very difficult to repair your credit, not to mention time consuming. On average the current victim spends about 175 business hours trying to prove their innocence and correct the mistakes on their files. The problem is, it doesn't stop there. Don't forget just because you might have caught the fraud going on in your name now, the thieves still have your information, meaning they will strike again.

There Is No 100% Way To Stop Identity Theft

5. This one is plain and simple. As much as we would like to believe we can fully stop identity thieves, YOU CAN'T! There's no sugar coating this one. If a thief wants to steal your information he will. It doesn't matter if you think you are the most cautious person in the world. It doesn't even matter if you have an Identity Theft Protection Plan that claims they prevent Identity Theft from happening. It's sad to say but it is only a matter of time before you or someone you know becomes a victim of fraud.

In Conclusion...

Keep in mind there are hundreds of ways to minimize the risk of becoming a victim of Identity Theft. The most important however is that you find ways to become aware. Even though Identity Theft Protection Plans are not 100% guaranteed, you should find one that not only reimburses losses, but monitors your account 24/7, offers monitoring for minors, and most importantly, restores your credit.

Identity Theft Facts   Identity Theft By Family And Friends   Identity Theft - 5 Ways You Can Become a Victim - Identity Theft Protection and Credit Card Fraud   Five Myths Concerning Identity Fraud   A Review of Krolls Identity Theft Shield Program   

How Vulnerable Are You to Identity Theft?

In today's asymmetric threat environment you must practice situational awareness, follow computer security best practices and use plain common sense. The burden for keeping your confidential information safe and secure rests squarely on your own shoulders. Identity theft truly is easy for a criminal or unscrupulous person and a high reward, low-risk crime.

What level of vulnerability do you have? Read the questions below. If you answer "No" to one or more of the questions it is only a matter of time before your personal digital profile is successfully attacked.

1. Do you shred all printed material (unsolicited offers for credit cards, subscriptions, loans, etc.) that contains your name, address and account number written upon them? Identity thieves love to pillage through discarded trash that has been left "whole".

2. Do you employ extra caution when using social media? Sooner or later you'll be in contact with an illegitimate user and targeted when using social media. You must be careful. Identity thieves love the target rich environment of dating sites, electronic meeting sites and linked in sites.

3. Do you and members of your family carefully use mobile media? We have aggressively moved our personal digital profile into a world that is filled with threats. Active threat vectors are arrayed against your mobile computer or communication devices and are constantly probing for vulnerabilities. You will be "targeted". It's only a question of whether your security preparedness allows you to deter the attack.

4. Do you cautiously use public "hot spots" to access your computer? Public wireless access points are literally a playground for identity thieves. Your information will be stolen if you are without the protection of robust encryption mechanisms.

5. Do you routinely obtain and download software updates to your computer? An intruder has already been in your computer if you fail to routinely update your application software, operating system or browser version. Make it a habit to update.

6. Do you know what the word "phishing" means? "Phishing is another word for scam. Be alert. Sometimes these communications can appear to be real (i.e. from your bank or credit card company). Be suspicious of any contact that asks for confidential information. Contact the organization by telephone if you have any concerns.

7. Do you have Internet security software installed on your computer? You must have an up-to-date Internet security software installed and operating on your computer; otherwise, you are being negligent.

8. Do you actively practice threat and vulnerability analyses? Consider the threats around you and take steps to determine how you might be vulnerable.

9. Are your home and personal items secure? Make sure that you have your valuables and confidential information locked in a safety deposit box, home safe or otherwise protected.

10. Have you educated your spouse and children as to the threats against you and your family? The most innocent are frequently targeted. Predatory identity thieves want information that they can use about your spouse, children and the elderly. That is both intolerable and very dangerous.

11. Do you encrypt sensitive files? Using strong encryption on your critical files will increase the difficulty of a cracker or hacker gaining access to your information.

12. Do you share files downloaded from the Internet with others? Simply don't. Malicious people have countless ways to invade and steal from your computer. Avoid "opening the door" for them.

13. Do you use strong passwords and backup your critical information? You must. Weak passwords can be defeated. Electronic or mechanical failures will occur. The only question is when.

14. Do you routinely analyze a website's privacy policy before providing information? You invite the pilfering of your confidential information if you are without the knowledge of how a website plans to use your information.

15. Have you changed the password to your wireless router from that which was provided by the equipment manufacturer?

Identity thieves hope your password to your network is exactly as it was when it came out of the box.

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What You Should Know About Identity Theft

Internet identity theft is a major malicious crime these days. Just like any product on the market, your identity can be copied and reproduced without your knowledge and permission. Identity theft has become so common that you would not know for sure if the person you are dealing with online is actually the real person with whom you will be doing business. This has become a huge and common issue over the years, and it's prevalence is becoming increasingly alarming.

Identity thieves evolve over time, they are growing more intelligent and sophisticated in the schemes that they use to steal your identity. You never know, that innocent-looking bystander behind you could be skimming over your shoulder, taking note of all the personal information you key into your laptop. Or, that friendly friend in Facebook is out to get precious information regarding you, for him to use as he destroys your financial status. Or it could be an obsessed ex-lover who poses as you online, creating mad havoc on your personal life, damaging your online reputation.

Internet is a playground as huge as the universe, wherein anonymity is sometimes the game that people play. Someone who has hatred for you can use multiple accounts in an online forum, bashing your internet name, making it look like several people are talking about you maliciously. Anyone can do this. Anyone can use your name online. And they can smash your internet reputation to smithereens without your knowledge.

There are also identity attackers who can grab your pictures online and use them maliciously. Thousands of people, especially celebrities are victims to this. These unscrupulous individuals can edit your picture and make it look like you were doing something terrible, even dirty.

There are various ways to destroy your online reputation and your internet identity. It is just like being mugged physically, stealing your wallet, your personal things and posting them online for people to see. The results can be severe, as it could affect your personal, financial and social status. This is all the more true when you are not even aware that your personal identity had been stolen and damaged.

If you are a novice online user, you could be unaware of this, but your computer stores a myriad of personal information in your hard drive. This info can also be stored in your internet browser cache, temporary internet files and also your search history. Of course, this is to make your browsing experience better, but these files contain vital information such as your email address, passwords, credit card numbers and other personal data.

There are two ways that your data can be stolen from your computer: first, your data transmission can be intercepted over a client that is not secured, or through the use of malicious programs designed to gather information and have them delivered to the hacker.

How does one avoid online identity theft? The first and foremost thing is to be aware and cautious. Only trust the people you know personally. Do not share your personal information with anyone online, even those you are in constant communication with, because you would never know if it is really your friend with whom you are chatting or emailing with.

You can also disable the cookie function which is automatically activated in your browser. This way, your username, password, credit card information and other personal data will not be saved in your hard drive. Make it a habit to frequently delete the cookie files from your Internet Options.

It is also best to clear out your temporary internet files folder and the cache, which holds sensitive information. This way, you will be able to limit possibility of a hacker getting it from your system.

You should also use a high-quality computer security programs such as the latest versions of antivirus and antispyware software to constantly protect your computer against malicious programs. Your computer has a firewall by default, which should always be on, however, if you feel that this is inadequate, you can use additional applications and software for your security.

The last, but definitely not the least, is to monitor your online reputation continuously. Keep in mind that if you can bash other people's name online, they can do it back to you. The power of online anonymity is endless, which is why online reports/websites are becoming popular and richer from the millions of complaints posted on them everyday, most of which are easily made up, and maliciously so. Keep your name and identity safe, and if possible, limit posting your real name online.

If you have been victimized by this already, take intelligent measures to combat personal attacks made against you. You can contact an expert in online reputation management who can track the malicious attackers and help repair your identity online. Just keep in mind that it is best to be aware of the different options available to you.

Identity Theft Facts   Identity Theft By Family And Friends   Identity Theft - 5 Ways You Can Become a Victim - Identity Theft Protection and Credit Card Fraud   Five Myths Concerning Identity Fraud   A Review of Krolls Identity Theft Shield Program   The Urgency of ID Theft Prevention   

What Do Identity Theft and Your Credit Have In Common?

What do identity theft and your credit have in common? As a victim of identity theft, your credit can be ruined often times before you even realize you are a victim. The goal of an identity thief is to use your personal information for their economic gain. Once an I.D. thief has access to information such as your name, address, phone number, drivers license number or social security number many different accounts can be opened in your name. Common types of accounts opened are bank credit cards, store credit cards and utilities such as electricity or phone. Once the accounts have been opened the thief will then purchase goods or services without any intent of paying for them. When bank or store credit accounts are opened a common practice is for the thief to purchase items that can easily be resold such as jewelry or electronics. Since there is typically a grace period of approximately three weeks after the close of the billing cycle before payment is due, it can take eight or more weeks before letters and phone calls begin arriving from the creditor demanding payment. This may be your first indication that there is a problem. If the account was opened using an address other then your own, then statements or past due notices will not reach you that would have alerted you to the problem. Unfortunately you may not discover that you credit has been damaged until you try to open a new credit account and are declined.

Imagine what this would mean if you are trying to purchase a home or car. In the case of a home mortgage you will be outright declined with today's strict lending standards. When it comes to an auto loan you can plan on paying a sky high interest rate meaning you'll be driving less of a car for the money. If utility accounts are opened in your name it is likely that the identity thief has already had payment problems with a utility, otherwise they would have been more likely to open the account in their own name. It is entirely possible that the monthly bills will be paid until the I.D. thief moves to a new residence and then decides to not pay the final bill. After trying to collect payment for approximately 60-90 days the utility will turn the account over to a collection agency. Any account that goes to collection and is reported to the credit bureaus will have a significant negative impact on your credit. Again you may never know about this until you try to open a new account and are declined or are monitoring your credit. Who is most likely to steal your identity? Despite all of the publicity regarding identity thieves stealing company laptops or hacking in to computer systems containing personal account information of customers and employees the sad truth is that you are more likely to have your identity stolen by a family member.

Family members have much easier access to your credit/debit cards and online account passwords or pin numbers. Any unauthorized purchase using your personal account is a form of identity theft. How do thieves steal identities? Family members simply have to look inside your purse or wallet for account numbers and then either guess your online password or know where you have it written down. This makes it very simple to make unauthorized purchases. Professional identity thieves use many different sources to gather your personal information. They may hack into a company's computer system and steal thousands of files containing employee social security numbers or customer account information. Other methods to steal identity information include buying the information from a bank employee or a restaurant employee who uses a reader to scan your card. There are many ways for a determined thief to gain access to your personal information. Your best defense is to be alert to unusual credit activity and to monitor your credit. What is your identity theft risk factor? What steps do you take to protect your personal information?

Good habits to practice: Closely review your credit card and bank statements each month? Check bank and credit card statements for any unusual activity and question transactions you do not recognize. It has become more common for thieves to process small charges, under $10.00, on stolen credit cards with the hope that the card holder will ignore the charge. These small charges multiplied over hundreds or thousands of accounts can add up to lot money for the thief. Use a shredder for papers with personal information. A cross cut shredder is recommended. Shred all documents that contain any type of personal information even name and address. It may seem unnecessary but why give a potential thief anything easy to get. Use a cross cut shredder rather than a strip shredder. Cross cut shredders turn the papers into confetti sized pieces and make it very difficult to reassemble the pieces. When ordering new checks from your bank, have them mailed to your local bank branch rather than your home. A box of new checks sitting in your mail box is an invitation to have your checking account drained. It could be days or weeks before you realize that they were stolen since you didn't know they had arrived. When your bank receives your check order they will call you to let you know and also have you sign a log book that you picked them up.

Don't let mail build up in your box. Collect the mail from your mail box as soon as possible after it is delivered. Mail can be an easy target for someone looking to steal your identity. Mail containing insurance, medical, credit card or bank statements, utility bills, payroll checks or stubs and government correspondence such as Medicare can have valuable personal information. If you are going to be away from home and not available to pick up your mail in a timely manner simply have the post office hold it for you until you return.

Do not carry your social security or debit card pin number in your purse or wallet. Social Security numbers are the Holy Grail in the identity theft world. Never carry your Social Security card in your purse or wallet because if the purse or wallet is lost or stolen thieves will have a much easier time destroying your credit profile. Also, do not write down your ATM pin number and carry it with you for the same reasons.

Turn off receiving preapproved credit card offers. Preapproved credit card offers are like gold to an identity thief. To stop unsolicited credit offers go to http://www.optoutprescreen.com and follow the instructions. It can take 2 to 3 months for the offers to stop arriving in your mail box. This will not affect your ability to open a new credit card account but simply stop the offers being mailed to you.

Do not give personal information over the phone or internet. If you receive a call, email or text from anyone saying they need to verify account numbers, passwords etc DO NOT provide the information. Your bank or credit card company will never contact you and ask for this type of personal information, they already have it. The same holds true for any business you have a financial relationship whether they are an online or brick and mortar company. The best tactic to take is to never give personal information unless you initiated the contact. This way you can be sure who you are talking to.

Signs you may be a victim of identity theft:

* Statements no longer arrive as before. The thief may have changed the account address. * Unauthorized credit card purchases or bank withdrawals occur. *You begin receiving calls from creditors or collection agencies regarding accounts you did not open. * You are denied credit do to negative factors such as past due accounts when you know all accounts are paid on time.

What to do if your identity is stolen:

* File a police report

*Notify you bank if bank accounts have been compromised. You will likely need to close the existing account and open a new one. *Notify any creditors of affected accounts. Again, you will likely need to close the existing account and open a new one. *Issue a fraud alert with the credit bureaus. Contact any one of the three credit reporting agencies to initiate a fraud alert on your file. The bureau you contact will then notify the other two. *Closely monitor your credit on an ongoing basis. The easiest and most effective means to monitor your credit profile is to enroll with a credit monitoring company.

What will likely happen to your credit profile? You have worked long and hard to build you credit. A single 30 day late on your credit can lower your score by as much as 100 points. Multiple 30, 60 or 90 days late will hurt your credit even further and will make future borrowing either not available or very expensive. You will need to contact the credit bureaus in writing to dispute any entries on your profile for accounts you did not open. This is when a police report can be helpful to document the unauthorized account activity. The bottom line is that it is better to be overly cautious when it comes to protecting your identity and doesn't really take that much time or effort. Do not give out your personal information to anyone you did not initiate contact and shred, shred, shred.

Identity Theft Facts   Identity Theft By Family And Friends   Identity Theft - 5 Ways You Can Become a Victim - Identity Theft Protection and Credit Card Fraud   Five Myths Concerning Identity Fraud   A Review of Krolls Identity Theft Shield Program   The Urgency of ID Theft Prevention   

Identity and Theft: Solving The Identity Theft Nightmare

The worst thing about identity and theft is how serious an impact it can have on your life. The identity and theft scenario can truly be a life-altering nightmare. Every day, people suffer unimaginably negative consequences due to the misappropriation of their personal information. If you're not serious about protecting your identity, you're making a disastrous mistake.

The Screeching Halt

You're at the gas station. You need to fill up the tank to get back home and you're not carrying cash. You slide your handy credit card to the attendant and he slides it right back, letting you know their processor is declining the purchase. You're at the store, ready to pick up a few necessities when you get that pitying look from the cashier. "Sorry, we can't accept your card." Your checking account debit card isn't working any better. A quick call to the bank reveals that you're sitting on a negative balance. The bank may have even frozen your assets. You're broke.

Imagine your financial life coming to a screeching halt. Your liquid assets are gone. Everything else is locked down. No one wants to loan you a dime. You're completely stuck. Why? Because of the deadly combination of identity and theft. Because some low-life thief with a knack for working a flawed system has stolen and misused your identity.

Oh, and can you imagine getting pulled over for a minor traffic infraction and finding yourself in jail due to outstanding criminal warrants wrongly linked to your name and identification due to identity theft? It happens.

The Credit Crash

It's amazing how easy it can be for identity thieves to utilize your personal information to obtain credit. When they do, they tend to go on wild buying sprees, leaving you with the bills. You might be able to wiggle out of responsibility for those debts but by the time you discover them, you may find your credit numbers at rock-bottom levels--a problem that can take tremendous effort and a great deal of time to correct.

A wrecked credit score is a real problem, too. It can prevent you from obtaining necessary financing for major purchases like homes and cars. Identity and theft can also reduce or eliminate your existing available credit. Bad credit scores can force you to pay more for everything from cell phone contracts to car insurance. One identity thief can shove you directly into a deep credit hole from which it will be exceedingly difficult to escape.

The Lingering Pain

Surviving an incident of identity theft requires patience, hard work, an ability to jump through hoops and to slice through red tape, a great deal of time and the ability to work through any number of additional difficulties. With time and effort, however, you can get through the process.

Unfortunately, the negative impact of identity theft may continue to rear its head repeatedly - even years after the initial incident. You may continue to discover credit reporting errors linked to the theft. You may find yourself dealing with crazed collection agencies, threats of lawsuits, judgments quietly entered against you, warrants in faraway jurisdictions and a host of other major inconveniences. And having your identity stolen once makes it easier for it to get stolen again in the future. The pain and suffering an identity theft can spur may never really completely disappear.

When you consider just how hellish an episode of identity theft can be, the need for protection becomes obvious. An ounce of identity theft protection is worth far more than a pound of cure. Shielding yourself from identity theft may be the best investment you'll ever make.

Identity Theft Facts   Identity Theft By Family And Friends   Identity Theft - 5 Ways You Can Become a Victim - Identity Theft Protection and Credit Card Fraud   Five Myths Concerning Identity Fraud   A Review of Krolls Identity Theft Shield Program