Identity Theft Prevention Tips

Nobody would argue that technology continues to advance at the speed of lightning. One of the down sides of this is that it has made identity theft much easier for cyber thieves. This does not mean that the crime of identify theft is strictly relegated to online activities, that is not true at all. In fact, some victims of identity theft have never been online in their entire lives! But the pure volume of information that is available online and not protected as well as it should be makes virtually everyone a potential target.

More often than not, the victim of identity theft has no idea that the crime has occurred until it is too late. The first signs they notice that something is amiss would be something like doing some mall shopping and discovering that your credit card was declined for a purchase, where you are 100% sure that you are nowhere near your credit limit. You may brush that off as being an error with the bank's computer systems and use a different credit card, only to find that one is declined also.

Victims of identity theft feel invaded and angry that something like this could occur. The big problem is that the thieves are often difficult or almost impossible to catch. The reason for this is because by the time you realize that your identity has been stolen, it could easily be a month or more since the theft actually occurred, and the trail left for authorities to follow has long since grown cold.

The further problem is your efforts in trying to get this straightened out. You obviously need to contact the police as well as each of your credit card companies and your bank. But the reaction of credit card companies can be unpredictable, such as a notorious story about an identity theft victim calling American Express, only to be greeted by the representative's response of "sorry to hear that, so when are you going to pay your balance?"

Some of the signs that your identity may have been stolen would include:

• Finding all or most credit cards in victim’s name have been used or changed.

• Personal banking accounts such as checking and savings have been used.

• Victim’s social security number has been breached and used.

• New checking accounts may have been started using victim’s name and or information.

• New identification paperwork such as drivers license, social security card and birth certificate have recently been reissued or renewed.

• Personal loans may have been recently opened using the victim’s information even though the victim has not authorized any.

• Vehicles may have been purchased in the victim’s name.

• Homes are occasionally purchased using the victims name and/or information.

• Getting a personal credit report on the victim may show new accounts, breached contracts, and much recent activity.

• Bankruptcies may have been filed recently or attempted in the victim’s name and personal information.

Many people have been far too free with providing their personal information, and this is exactly what the thieves are counting on. For example, some grocery stores insist that your social security number be written on personal checks when purchasing your groceries. Do not do this, and if they insist, then find another place to get your groceries and do business. Your personal checks have your name, address, perhaps also phone number, and now with that information and your social security number, you are willingly putting yourself at risk and probably do not even realize it.