subject: Are You Ready For An Identity Theft Attack? [print this page] If your answer is no, then you are in troubleIf your answer is no, then you are in trouble. Better read on to have an idea on how you could prepare for an attack. Actually, there is no way you could ever prevent someone from stealing from you, much more your identity. Your identity is a vulnerable thing that is open to a thief if he searches for it.
Being prepared means that when an attack happens, you would be able to recover easily compared to when you have no idea of anything that is happening around you only to find out that you already have a tarnished reputation. Identity thieves work in the hope of taking all they can from your assets that's why they move in heartless motions so to speak.
One thing you can do to prepare is to know identity theft and to know it well. You can fight an enemy better if you know his strategies. Examples of strategies of thieves are dumpster diving, pickpocket, and phishing. When you get the idea of these strategies, then you can move on to protecting yourself and adopting a vigilant attitude.
Start your vigilance with important documents in and outside your house. Make sure to shred all documents before putting in the trash or be careful with them when bringing them out of the house. Don't put important IDs or documents such as your Social Security numbers in your wallet because wallets are the main targets of thieves. Also, be extra careful with your emails because you might get victimized by phishing emails.
Another way of being vigilant with your assets is the regular monitoring of credit reports. If you monitor your credit reports at a regular basis, you will be able to detect if someone has gained access to your accounts and is messing with it. That way, you will be able to report the theft when it starts to lessen your loss, and possibly, to catch the thief.
In some cases, people apply for credit freezes for their accounts. Some states allow this, while some would require that the applicant must have been or is a victim of identity theft before they allow the credit freeze. A credit freeze is a form of account security wherein no one is allowed to gain access to your accounts or your information without your authorization. It is a tight security for your accounts but will often cause delays in applications for loans and mortgages; other than that, your account will be untouchable.
There are also identity theft protection services that are now available in the market. If you feel that you need this form of protection, then apply for it; though of course, it goes with a fee. But what is $10 to thousands of dollars that you might lose?
Remember, awareness and vigilance are important to prepare yourself for an identity theft so be alert!
