When you post on a blog, update your Facebook status or Tweet you probably don’t think much about your identity, but quietly someone maybe building a profile of you. Think about it.
Facebook/My Space/Linked In/ect…
Blog Posts
Tweets
Be careful what and how much you post
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With so much talk about identity theft and how common it is, some people often times forget what this is all about. In other words, they don’t really know what identity theft is. In short, identity theft is a serious crime that affects millions of people every year. To go along with this, it is a costly crime that not only takes money from consumers but from businesses as well.
In more detail, identity theft is when somebody wrongfully obtains another’s personal data and uses it in a fraudulent manner. For instance, somebody may use your social security number to open a credit card in your name. This is a common type of identity theft, but far from the only one.
There are many reasons why identity theft is so common. For one, there is only so much you can do to prevent it. Even if you try hard, your identity may still be stolen if only one piece of information slips through the cracks. To go along with this, some people don’t know they have been a victim of identity theft until many months or years after it has happened.
Now you don’t have to ask yourself “what is identity theft” any longer. This may be a short answer to the question, but it should give you an idea of what you are up against.
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Keeping tabs on identity theft stories from coast to coast can go a long way in keeping you out of trouble. The more you learn about identity theft the better chance there is that you will never deal with the harsh reality of becoming a victim.
Here are three identity theft stories that you will want to read:
1. Hacking Case Shows Company, Consumer Vulnerability to ID Theft
2. Company battles ID theft with mailbox lock
3. Three Indicted in Largest Corporate Identity Theft Case in History
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There are a dozen places that are fun to shop, especially on a low budget. Street fairs, flea markets, yard sales and a dozen other casual style events give you a great chance to shop without busting your budget. Just be careful how you shop.
Plastic- No
Even if you have the option to pay with plastic don’t. Hit up an ATM.
Check- No
You may be tempted, but think about all of the informal on a check.
It’s like an ID theft buffet.
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With identity theft on the rise and a large new vulnerable population (the unemployed) emerging there seems to be no end to job related scams. In order to help you keep safe while you search let’s look at the list of things a job ad will never as you for:
Safe and happy job searching!
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Using your credit card online is getting scarier and scarier. Given the ever increasing risks of your number being stolen you may want to consider some strategies for keeping your card number out of the databases.
There you have it 3 alternatives to using your credit card online.
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Reporting identity theft is not something that should be done lightly. If more than one person is on an account it can be hard to be sure that you have been taken. It can also get trickier with multiple cards to keep track of. So, when should you report identity theft?
Once you’ve got that down go ahead and report. The sooner the better!
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There are many things that you may know about identity theft. But at the same time there are probably some details that you don’t realize or remember. It is very important that you are well aware of identity theft, what it means, and how to protect yourself. Unfortunately, if you make one minor mistake or slip-up it could put you at risk for your identity to be stolen.
One thing you may not realize about identity theft is that anybody can become a victim. You don’t want to have the “it could never happen to me” attitude. If you do, you are closer to becoming a victim than you may realize.
Secondly, the way that your identity can be stolen has grown over the years with the advancement of technology and the internet. Fifteen years ago you would have never thought about your identity being stolen through a computer. In today’s day and age, this is one of the number one methods that criminals use. But don’t become so preoccupied with this that you forget about protecting your mail, keeping your personal information close to you, etc.
What you don’t know or realize about identity theft can come back to haunt you. Do yourself a big favor and stay educated on this subject. The more you learn the better chance you have of keeping your identity safe and secure!
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There was a notice, you probably didn’t see it in the mail, buried in that 40 page document. Many, if not all of the companies that you do business with want to share your personal information. It may be labeled something like partner companies or “data transfer”. Whatever it is called you want to opt out. As we covered earlier the less places your data is, the better. So here is our guide on how to opt out without that sheet of paper.
There you have it, opt out in a can.
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It is a shame, but every week there are hundreds of identity theft stories that hit the news. If you search online you can find many of them within a matter of seconds. While this is unfortunate for those affected, by reading these stories you can learn a lot about how to protect yourself, what to watch out for, etc.
Here are a few identity theft stories that should teach you a thing or two:
1. Three Indicted in Largest Corporate Identity Theft Case in History
2. Mass. Makes Changes to ID Theft Regulations
3. Students warned about identity theft as they head off to college
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