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| 6 Ways to Have Your Identity Stolen |
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| Written by Jed Jenson |
| Monday, 11 August 2008 14:49 |
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Research shows that 10 million individuals will become a victim of identity theft this year. Chances are you too will become a victim of identity theft unless you are aware of the ways your identity can be stolen. Once you know how your identity can be stolen, you will be able to defend yourself against becoming a victim. Therefore, your first line of defense is knowing a thief's offense. The following are six ways you your identity can be stolen. First, your identity can easily be stolen if you have lost or had your wallet stolen. Once a thief has obtained personal information from a driver's license, social security card or other identifying information found in your wallet, they will often open credit card and utility accounts in your name. They will also charge large amounts of merchandise on your credit cards. Thieves will also use your identity when applying for jobs in order to use your background to pass criminal screenings. Another way your identity can be stolen is by becoming too comfortable with your day to day happenings and let your guard down concerning your paper trail, especially your financial paper trails. Believe it or not, identity theft crimes are more likely to be done by someone you know or who you feel comfortable with. For example, if you employ someone to clean your home, you need to be sure that your personal papers are kept in a secure location within your home. Also, be aware of sales clerks, waiters or cashiers who process your credit cards for you. Untrustworthy clerks can duplicate your credit card receipt or use a special device to capture your data. Be aware of who you perceive to be trustworthy before you allow them access to your home or credit cards. A third way thieves can access your personal information is by scouring dumpsters or trash cans to get receipts from financial institutions or pre-approved credit card applications. They can use this information to create counterfeit checks or open credit card accounts in your name. Thieves can also steal checks, bank statements and other financial documents straight from your mailbox before you ever know they are missing. It is important to monitor your incoming and outgoing paper mail and shred all financial documents before trashing them. A fourth way thieves steal your identity is through telemarketing phishing scams. Callers may pretend to be an employee of a popular company, such as Wal-mart, and indicate that there was a problem with your payment. Most people fall for this type of scam hook, line and sinker. It is also important to be careful about what you tell others about yourself when on social websites or employment websites. Identity thieves are great at using any tidbits of personal information to take over someone's identity. The fifth way thieves steal your identity is by watching your actions at ATM's. Thieves are literally looking over your shoulder and stealing your information. You should always be aware of your surroundings when using automated teller machines. Thieves look to see what numbers you type in when entering your pin. They then follow you, wait for a chance to get your ATM receipt, and then gain access to your bank account. The sixth way to have your identity stolen is to fail to put protective measures in place to keep thieves from gaining access to your personal information. It doesn't matter whether you purchase identity theft protection services or put your own steps in place to protect your identity, the fact is, if you are not protected, you will have your identity stolen. When it comes to knowing how your identity can be stolen, what you don't know can hurt you. Learning the 6 ways your identity can be stolen is the first step in being knowledgeable about protecting your identity. What you choose to do with this knowledge is up to you. If you don't do something regarding your identity, a thief certainly will. About the Author: Jed Jenson publishes identity theft reviews, such as LifeLock reviews. To see another lifelock review, keep reading. Kindly provided by LJ-Marketing.dk You are welcome to use this article on your own website, if you include the link just before this text. |
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