subject: Two Very Important Suggestions To Reducing Identity Theft [print this page] It was not that long ago that the United State Government led by the Justice Department instituted a nationwide sweep in order to clamp down on identity fraud. Little coincidence that it was conducted as tax time gets going. Identity thieves have made out like the bandits they are when it comes to scamming people regarding income tax.
While it may or may not put a damper on the level of personal information stolen the the move needs to be undertaken on a regular basis. Identity fraud at the present time is not going anywhere. It is still at the top of the list when it comes to consumer complaints. But it is not all gloom and doom. Statistics show that it's declining. People also feel that financial institutions are doing a better job of monitoring it than ever before.
The mistake too many folks make however is believing that these same institutions will automatically protect you against the threat as well as fix it instantly if anything should occur. Sorry to say it still takes a considerable amount of time and effort on the individual's part in order to get back your identity. Factor in that in too many instances the identity thief never gets caught. According to the Gartner Group the figure is something like one in seven hundred.
For this reason it is crucial that you stay vigilant when it comes to avoiding identity theft and fraud.
1. Be Cognizant Of Who Is Actually Near You
The majority of identity theft still happens offline. An overheard phone call where you are providing sensitive information or someone sitting behind you at the local caf who is monitoring your activities are just a few examples. This does not mean you must be paranoid to the point you never venture out of the house. The goal is not to get so caught up in what you are doing that you are totally oblivious to someone else's intrusive behavior.
2. Family Oriented
This may be the epitome of being mindful of who is around you. Most identity theft occurs when the person who was victimized knows all too well the person that did it. Relatives, close friends and neighbors top the list and among these three the number one culprit is a family member. For starters they make a calculated guess that your suspicions will never point towards them and for another even if you do find out they stole your identity just what are you going to do about it?. Sure you may get angry and vow never to associate with him or her ever again. But that will be as far as it goes. You won't call the police. On this they are counting on.
It makes sense that you do not want to cross that bridge so don't put yourself in that position. No matter who it is do not let them have access to your personal information. If someone comes to your house make sure anything of a sensitive nature is tucked away in a secure place.
