subject: The Serious Malady That Is Identity Theft [print this page] There seem to be cases of identity theft everywhere we look. Anyone can be victimized regardless of age and financial status. The biggest problem in dealing with this crime is our inability to detect it when it strikes so that victims are often left dumbfounded when they learn that their debts have reached an ultimate high even if no purchases have been made. The effects are often severe and will take years to recover from.
So what should we do in order to lessen the effects and probabilities of identity theft?
- Be aware. First of all, we cannot make a move against something that we do not know. It is important to understand the ways of how an identity thief works in order to build a guard against important areas of our lives to prevent intrusions of thieves.
- Be vigilant. Once you are aware of identity theft and the works of a thief, then you will be able to identify the areas which you should protect and in this case, your personal information. Personal information that is relevant to thieves may include your name, address, birth date, phone number and most specially, your Social Service number. Be careful who you give these information to because you might be compromising yourself.
- Keep important documents in a safe place. Whether inside or outside your house, you must take extra precautions in handling your documents. Those that will be put to the trash should either be shredded or torn to keep dumpster divers from procuring it.
- Monitor your credit reports. Credit reports are documents that inform you of your financial status. It states your debts, payments to debts, applied loans or mortgages, bank accounts, and even personal information such as your address, employer, and even your criminal history. If an identity thief has accessed and charged credits to your accounts, you will be able to see it in your credit report, so regular monitoring is relevant for you to stop the crime before it worsens.
- Beware of phishing emails. Phishing emails are fraudulent emails posing to have come from legitimate establishments with the purpose of acquiring salient data from a person, such as usernames or passwords. It is often hard to discern these scams so it is better to visit the establishment's official website or inquire through phone when you receive suspicious emails.
It is also advisable that you update or install your antivirus or antispyware software with phishing filters. Some browsers now have phishing filters that are available online so, your choices are countless. Doing this may help you avoid identity theft. Remember that identity theft surely brings disasters to you.
