Identity Theft Solutions

Posts Tagged ‘identity theft’

Identity theft – also known as ID theft, identity fraud and ID fraud – describes a type of fraud where a criminal adopts someone else’s identity in order to profit illegally. It is one of the fastest growing forms of fraud in many developed countries.

In the United Kingdom identity theft is currently growing at a rate of 500% each year and, according to Which Magazine, a quarter of the population have either suffered from identity theft or know someone else who has.

In the USA, a report issued by the Better Business Bureau revealed that, in 2004, over 9 million Americans became victims of one of the many different types of identity theft with the total sum defrauded being $52.6 billion.

With figures like this, it’s unsurprising that there is a great deal of concern surrounding computer and internet security. After all, the internet is basically a mechanism for exchanging information and the possibility that some of the information exchanged may be more than intended is never far from many internet user’s minds.

It’s easy to imagine criminal masterminds worldwide using the internet to hack into computers in order to gain access to information with which to advance their devilishly cunning schemes. However, as detailed in the report, the reality is a little more low tech and the internet, far from increasing your exposure to identity theft can, if used properly, significantly cut your losses if you do become a victim this form of fraud.

According to the Better Business Bureau’s research the main methods by which criminals gain access to information used for identity theft fraud are as below:

1. Lost or stolen wallet, chequebook or credit card. 28.8%
2. Accessed as part of a transaction. 12.9%*
3. Accessed by friend, acquaintance or relative. 11.4%
4. Don’t know, refused, no answer. 11.1%
5. Information accessed by corrupt employee. 8.7%
6. Stolen paper mail or fraudulent change of address. 8.0%
7. Obtained some other way. 7.4%
8. Computer spyware. 5.2%
9. Information stolen from garbage. 2.6%
10. Computer viruses and/or hackers. 2.2%
11. Emails sent by criminals posing as legitimate business. 1.7%

* 12.9% resulting from transactions – 10.4% offline transactions, 2.5% online transactions.

In total, when the instances where information was accessed during transactions are subdivided into online and offline transactions, only 11.6% of the information used to carry out identity theft fraud was obtained from computers.

Of this more than fifty percent was obtained by the use of viruses, spyware or hacking – the risk of which can be significantly lowered by the installation of the appropriate protection software and by ensuring that this is kept up to date.

Not only did the survey reveal that the internet was not a major source of illegally obtained personal information, but it was also found that those fraud victims who checked their financial records using the internet, ATM machines or other electronic methods suffered financial losses which were, on average, 8 times lower than those of victims who used traditional paper statements to monitor their accounts. This significant reduction was attributed to the fact that the fraud was discovered more quickly thanks to “real time” monitoring.

Of course, that’s certainly not to imply that you shouldn’t exercise caution when using the internet or take care to protect the sensitive information which you have stored in your PC’s memory. However, as long as you install suitable virus, spyware and firewall protection, and ensure that this is kept updated, then the internet can be more help than a hindrance when it comes to avoiding identity fraud.

The crime of identity theft refers to a criminal offense that involves a thief stealing critical documents belonging to an individual that includes a Social Security number and a driver’s license number. If an identity thief is able to acquire such vital data, they are able to pretend to be someone else. Information that is stolen can be used to get money, services or products under a victim’s name, which is why you need to use best identity theft protection.

Immigration or some type of application can occur in situations where an ID thief has gotten their hands on fake documentation through the crime of identity theft. One of the largest identity theft problems is that a lot of the time, crimes committed by an ID theft criminal are generally ascribed to the the individual who had their identity stolen.

True name ID theft and account takeover are the two chief types of identity theft. With true name identity theft, the person stealing the identity makes use of another individual’s personal information to be able to get new accounts. Such accounts include a checking account to commit financial theft, new credit card account or a cell phone service.

Account takeover is a type of happening in which an identity thief uses private data that has been stolen and is used to obtain entry to another individual’s banking accounts. Quite often, the thief will take advantage of the stolen data to be able to buy additional goods while changing the billing address of the victim so that the victim never sees the bills with fraudulent charges.

Since no real verification is performed when purchasing online, criminals are finding it simple to buy items online. All that is required is only the exact numbers and they are good to go. Another excellent reason why you should utilize a identity protection theft.

Some ID thieves hack databases in order to get private data. This kind of crime, however, is not frequently done unlike the well known techniques such as looking at a person while conducting a financial transaction or digging through the garbage for some receipts.

You should always be aware when completing forms with a lot of personal information at the DMV or other places. There are criminals waiting to steal your personal information which often times leads to identity theft. Invest in a identity fraud protection product and protect your identity today!

Protecting your identity offline is just as important as protecting it online. 

Identity theft means to impersonate a real person. In short, identity theft is a crime against another person. Victims of the attack could face unwanted trouble and expense because of fraud or other criminal activities, thieves commit using their personal identity details.  It is one of the fastest growing crimes globally, costing victims, in the United States alone, over $5 billion annually. There are reports that some victims of identity theft can now spend as much as 600 hours recovering from the crime and cleaning up the mess.

Is identity theft something to be worried about?

The short answer is yes. Be very afraid. Identity theft or e-crime can happen easily and quickly.  The theft works in a range of ways- from crude methods to well organised scams.  Common examples of identity theft involves a fraudster collecting your personal information such as a social security number, credit card number, full name and address and other information that can then be used to either apply for a credit card or loan and then purchasing items with that credit card or loan using your identity.

Business or Institutions

Businesses can also be victims of identity theft. This another resource available to the identity fraudster who can gain access to the huge data bases that some businesses or institutions retain about their customers. They get your information by stealing files out of the offices where you are a customer, employee, patient or student, by bribing an employee who has access to your files or even “hacking” directly into the organization’s computer server. Unfortunately you as an individual are powerless to prevent this from happening

So how do I protect my personal information?

The Things You Must Not Do:

Don’t share your personal information with people you do not know and don’t provide it on the internet when applying for work etc.

Don’t be tricked by an email that looks legitimate or appears to link to a genuine website.

Don’t reply to emails sent by the bank requesting to log into your account to confirm your details. This scam is referred to as phishing. Delete the email immediately. These hoax emails are sent out at random and in large numbers and are not targeting you personally.

Don’t be naïve with your personal or financial information.

Don’t leave personal papers lying around or thrown into the general trash, because any information can be used by these identity fraudsters.

Don’t write down your Personal Identification Number (PIN), particularly not on your credit or debit card.

Don’t give personal information out over the telephone to anyone that calls you about anything. Legitimate callers never ask for personal information identifying you.

Don’t ever give out your personal information in response to an email, a web site you’ve come to through an external link or a pop-up screen that appears on a real web site.

Don’t give your credit card to a restaurant or retail employee to swipe somewhere else. Your credit card can be skimmed with a hand held skimmer small enough to fit into their pocket very quickly.

Don’t keep financial data on laptops unless absolutely necessary. Laptops are far more likely to be stolen than desktop computers. Encrypt all password lists and hide the file if you have to have it on your laptop.

Don’t forget to shred your credit card receipts and all other personal information that you don’t need to retain.

Don’t carry your birth certificate, social security card, or passport, unless it is necessary.

Don’t post private information on discussion lists or forums, even if they are alleged to be private.

Don’t leave documents such as registration papers, driver’s licences, utility bills or traffic fines in the glove box of your car.

Don’t put your driver’s license number or phone numbers on your checks.

Don’t use your credit card number on the Internet unless the site has a secured, encrypted system (look for “HTTPS” in the URL or the lock icon in the corner of your screen).

Don’t access your bank account or type personal information using someone else’s computer. There are many computer viruses that can sit on a computer undetected for many months and record entered keystrokes.

The Things You Must Do:

Do check your credit card statements (and other statements eg telephone, electricity and gas). Look for irregular entries or changes to the address line.

Do query mail and bills that are not being delivered. Your mail can be diverted to another address so that it can be processed by a identity fraudster.

Do report identity crime without delay. This will help limit the harm that it may cause to you or to others.

Do contact all creditors with whom your name or identifying data have been fraudulently used.

Do check with the organisation that has just contacted you before calling back. They will understand.

Do review your credit report at least once a year.

Preventing identity theft is a lot better than trying to recover from identity theft.  The police and your bank will work with you to solve any problems arising from identity theft. So be very vigilant because identity theft is a crime against you and your family.

Bob B Taylor is a webmaster and publisher of AvoidingIDTheft. He provides lots of handy advice and reviews about how to prevent identification fraud, including some great ideas about protecting yourself against identity theft on his blog site.

To define Identity Theft, one may refer to many different sources but, what it all boils down to is that it occurs when someone steals another person’s name and other personal information to fraudulently use such illegally obtained means of identification information for nefarious activities. It is an act of impersonation that uses another person’s personal information like a date of birth, Social Security number, address, and name as well as credit and banking account information for illicit means. It is also co-opting of an individuals personal information without the individuals knowledge and consent and, using this information to purposely deceive others. It is a deliberate assumption of another person’s identity which is most often used to gain access to their finances or, implicate them in a crime. ID theft has been also used for illegal immigration, terrorism and espionage along with changing identity personally. These are some of the most common ways in which one may define identity theft.

Identity Theft First Defined in 1996

To define identity theft, we can go back to 1996 when it first started getting the attention of the world and, was added to American vernacular. The Federal Trade Commission was greatly concerned by the criminal abuse of consumers’ means of identification through theft or other fraudulent means. To define identity theft, it needs to be understood that it is physically impossible to steal another person’s identity; however, stealing their identification is possible and, is now a part of a growing trend in white-collar crime in the US.

Many define identity theft as the unlawful use of their identification for unlawful purposes. Another line of thought, with regard to the definition of identity theft, proposes that the criminal actually deprives the owner of his or her identity when the thief replaces the victim’s identity with their own dubious reputation. A common thread one can see in defining Identity Theft is that it involves illegally acquiring the personal information of a victim in order to perpetrate impersonation of the victim’s identity.

One needs to define identity theft in all its different manifestations as the scheming minds of criminals can conceive of and put into action many clever schemes to dupe authorities as well as incriminate victims. Blackmail is also another instance of how identity theft may be used against unsuspecting victims. Now that a clear and concise definition of identity theft has been determined, a big step against this criminal act will have been won.

Identity theft fraud is affecting more than twenty-seven million Americans on a yearly basis which means that the need for adequate and strong identity theft fraud protection is very high indeed. Banks in particular need to have identity theft fraud protection as this form of fraud is something that can cause them to suffer a lot of heavy financial losses. It is therefore good to know that banks have begun using password protection in order to safeguard their online business transactions.

Ordinary Citizens

However, even ordinary citizens can make use of simple identity theft fraud protection and there are in fact quite a few measures that can prove to be very good and effective in safeguarding their best interests. The first of these identity theft fraud protection measures is ensuring that you never divulge your Social Security and credit card numbers to anyone that is not known to you personally or officially.

Second, proper identity theft fraud protection means informing the bank immediately after you realize that you have misplaced your checks or they have been stolen. These can be flagged by the bank which will then block payment against those checks.

Giving away your PIN number to your ATM card is certainly a big no no of identity theft fraud protection measures and so this is something that you should never do. Also, the more effective identity theft fraud protection measures require that you also ensure that you thoroughly shred all your financial documents and bills prior to disposing of them and even solicitations received by credit card companies must be shredded before disposal.

In case you have not received your monthly bills then a basic identity theft fraud protection measure is to immediately call the concerned company to find out the reason for the delay. Also, once you receive these bills you need to go over the details with a fine comb to ensure that nothing untoward is contained which would then point to an instance of identity theft fraud.

Lastly, the greatest identity theft fraud protection measure that you should take is to check your credit reports at least once in a given calendar year to ensure that all information on the report is accurate and correct. Any mistakes must be pointed out and corrected.

Today, identity theft protection is a must for virtually every person. Using a good identity theft protection guide can help you combat identity thieves in an effective manner and so preserve your sanctity and safety. This is especially relevant in today’s plastic money societies where identity theft is a common menace that requires suitable and strong action to keep the identity thieves at bay.

There are quite a few different though simple free identity theft protection measures that everyone can use in order to safeguard their personal details. Most identity thieves are known to use some very deceptive means by which to rob your personal information and among other means they will call you up posing as officials from your bank or credit card company and will ask you to furnish your personal details in order to ‘update’ their records.

Never Divulge Personal Details Over The Telephone

The simplest free identity theft protection option open to you in preventing such ruses from working is to make a point of never divulging your personal details over the phone. Another big ruse used by identity thieves is to call you up to congratulate you for winning a lottery or other prize. They then ask for your personal details in order to send you your winnings. If you again use the same free identity theft protection measure (not divulging your personal details over the telephone) you can defeat this fraudulent method.

Another effective free identity theft protection measure is to add your telephone number to the National Do Not Call Registry so that you won’t be bothered by such calls. Your workplace too is a place where identity thieves might strike without warning. Often, it could even be your co-workers that might make off with yours or their employer’s information.

Identity thieves will try and hack into your or your office’s computers and you might be otherwise fooled into divulging your very personal details. So, the best free identity theft protection measure in this instance too is to remember to never divulge your password to anyone and especially not over the telephone. It is however surprising how often people tend to give their passwords to complete strangers in the mistaken belief that they are helping someone out – often, a close colleague or fellow worker.

You can also affect free identity theft protection by making it a point of using more complex types of passwords that should ideally include both letters and numbers and the password should also contain at least ten characters.

Even ensuring that you don’t carry your personal information on your person in your wallet is another good free identity theft protection measure that can help save you from identity thieves. Today, there is also a pressing need for ensuring adequate identity theft fraud protection measures because America is being attacked by an epidemic called identity theft. It is believed that more than twenty-seven million people have been made victims of identity theft on a yearly basis.

If you worry about identity theft you are not alone. It has become one of the biggest worries of many people online and off. Even if you do not own a computer, your information is stored on computers elsewhere. What you can do in that situation is monitor your credit record regularly.

There are many programs that you can use to help protect your information on your computer and while you are online. You need to have anti-viral software, a good firewall, and spyware programs are also important. You need to protect against identity theft any way that you can.

If you do a lot of online shopping, make sure you are using secure websites to purchase your items. Look for a Veri-Sign icon, or other Trust icon, and a security message. This is important when you are giving credit card and bank account numbers.

There were over two hundred million personal IDs that were compromised in 2008 alone. Many are duped into giving their information through e-mail scams that take them to what they believe is a website that they belong to, but is really a mock page to get them to enter their information. You should not follow these links to re-enter any personal information. Contact the vendor directly to ask if there is a problem with your account.

Passwords are another thing that you can control. Change them frequently when it involves any account that has personal information about you, especially if it is financial information. Passwords should have a combination of letters, numbers and characters if allowed.

Take steps to be proactive in stopping identity theft in your life. Shred everything with any personal information on it as well as your computer protection. Contact someone immediately if you suspect that you have been compromised. Stay ahead of the game.

It has been often said that a good offense is a good defense.  This axiom stands true when it comes to identity theft.

Identity theft is that criminal act in which unscrupulous individuals gather sufficient personal information about an individual.  This information is then utilized by the individual to pose as the victim in order to access the person’s financial information and endeavor to open up new accounts to get merchandise for nothing.

Therefore, it is important for individuals to understand this criminal act and how pervasive it is.Identify theft information can share with concerned individuals the need to protect their personal information and the proper disposing of mail.

Protecting Personal Information

One of the primary precautions that identity theft information prevention will share with individuals is to protect personal information.  That personal information can include credit card numbers, PIN numbers, bank and credit card information, Social Security numbers, etc.

Therefore, when statements are received or other correspondence from financial institutions they should be disposed of properly.  Specifically, the documents should be shredded so as to make them unreadable.

Also, identity theft information on how to protect personal data recommends that certain documents not be carried in a person’s wallet or purse.  Those documents include copies of birth certificates and social security numbers.  With these documents it is best to keep them in a safe place.  Also preventative identity theft information suggests that the numbers of credits cards be copied and placed in a secure place as well.

Disposing Of Mail

Another identity theft solution to deter identity thieves is to properly dispose of credit card offers received in the mail.  Often, these credit card companies send to households unsolicited credit card offers.  Generally, these offers exclaim pre-approved credit cards and all the applicant needs to do is simply return the form.

For many households, they simply throw away these offers by placing them in the trash.  To prevent the potential of this identity theft information from falling into the hands of identity thieves, it is important to dispose of these credit card offers properly.  Therefore, the best way to dispose of these applications is to purchase a shredder and utilize this device for all sensitive correspondence including credit card offers.

Another identity theft information suggestion to minimize unsolicited credit card offers is to stop receiving these offers.   This can be accomplished in one of two ways.  One is by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT or visiting www.optoutprescreen.com.

Go here for more about Identity Theft Facts and Avoid Identity Theft

Being alive in this incredible age of technology can be a fantastic thing, however,it can also lead to dangerous situations that were not around in the past. Thieves today can be very gifted technologically, taking your personal data from on line websites. In the past a thief would have to acquire your personal information via a physical means like obtaining your purse or wallet. These days identity theft can happen through nefarious websites,hackers gaining access to your computer, or secure websites becoming compromised giving up your confidential information. Identity theft solutions are a necessary part of everyday life.

Some Tips To Help You

There are a number of organizations that furnish identity theft solutions.They try to educate individuals on what to look for if they believe they have become a victim.They also provide information about what to do if you believe you’ve already had your information stolen.

One bit of advice that many of these companies recommend is to examine your checking, savings and credit card accounts often.  Make sure there is no suspicious activity on those accounts  If you uncover some suspicious activity, you should report it at once to the credit bureau.  Not only does is protect your accounts from more damage, but it may actually aide in capturing the identity thieves!

Safe Web Surfing 

Another way you can avoid identity theft is by safer Web surfing and e-mail habits.Avoid clicking on a link from an unknown source and be careful what websites you visit. It’s just like real life, don’t take anything from a stranger!  Malicious e-mails, websites that promise free money or illegal downloads and instant messages from people you don’t know can all be a source of potential identity theft.  The Golden rule-don’t click on a link if you don’t know who it’s from.

Beware of Emails From Strangers

E-Mail can be a good way to correspond.  They can also conceal malicious links that may try to load viruses or other malicious programs to your computer.  These programs can search your computer for personal information and transmit it back to the criminals when it is found. Don’t click on any attachments in an e-mail that you don’t recognize.  If you do accidentally click on an attachment ,you should at once disconnect your computer from the Internet and start a thorough virus scan. 

In closing, identity theft solutions have numerous layers.  You can find services online that will help you asses your credit, and notify you of any suspicious activity.  Most of these services charge a monthly monitoring fee, but it’s money well invested considering what you stand to lose!

Identity Theft Solutions

As our economy worsens, identity theft crime continues to be one of the quickest growing crimes. This crime can be committed by a petty thief stealing purses to large overseas criminal syndicates using sophisticated strategies to steal identities.

Due to the increase in people’s identities being stolen, several companies have developed ways to protect your from identity theft, including LifeLock Reviews solutions. With millions of identities been stolen each year, there is huge demand for a way for people to prevent this crime. Standing still is not an acceptable option because the criminals are working hard to assume your identity.

Stealing identities is often a crime of opportunity. Your personal information somehow gets in the hands of a thief and they take advantage of the situation to make a quick buck. Most often, the crime is methodically planned out and carried out in such a method to fool even the most careful consumer.

In simplest of definitions, identity theft can be defined as the following: Someone, other than you, uses your personal information, including your name, address and social security number, to commit some fraud. This crime is generally committed for monetary reasons, with the criminal using your information to make money.

A criminal literally assumes their victims identity. The criminal passes themselves off as the victim and impersonates them so that lending institutions have no idea that they are really dealing with a thief and not the actual person. ID theft is a very personal crime that can put the victim in a financial bind.

Making money is not the only use for ID theft. It can also be used to assist those in the country illegally appear to be legitimate in the eyes of employers and government programs. With the crackdown on illegals being so strong, illegal immigrants are doing what they feel is necessary to stay employed and in stay the country and this includes assuming the identities of citizens.

It is important to be doing what you can to not to not become identity theft’s next victim. Victims find themselves in a difficult position as they try to make good their good name. Take every possible precaution to make sure that you do not fall victim to this crime by making us of a protect identity theft solution.

The truth of the matter is that this personal crime is on the rise and there is no sign of it slowing down. Because of the state of the economy, we are finding that more people are taking the desperate measure of stealing identities to survive financially. This makes a compelling argument to look into protection yourself with a protect your identity solution.