subject: Protect Yourself from Identity Theft [print this page] If you haven't been a victim of identity theft before, there's a chance you know someone who has been - and what a miserable occurrence it is. Being the victim of a random crime is a horrible experience and one that can cause a lot of stress and upset, so it's a good idea to do what you can to protect yourself.
In the age of the internet, where many of our online banking and payment transactions take place online, it's important to stay protected. Thanks to the nature of the web, it has become in many ways easier for criminals to get a hold of your personal details and use them to steal from you - though, with the adequate protection, you can reduce your chances of being targeted significantly.
Identity theft, also known as identity fraud, is the name given to the situation where a criminal uses the identifying details of a victim, such as their name, address, date of birth and mother's maiden name, to obtain goods, a bank account, passports, loans or services all under the victim's name, meaning they remain anonymous and less likely to get caught for breaking the law. Having your identity stolen can have many consequences, such as massive debts being run up in their name all without them even realising. When they find out it can be a shocking revelation and lead to even more stress and hardship as the victim finds themselves in the middle of a legal mess, which may take months to resolve - and that's before they even begin to think about the affect this fraud might have had on their credit rating.
There are many ways by which a thief can get your details, and it is sometimes through our own negligence that our details wend their way into a thief's hands. For example, by throwing out bills and account papers without destroying the sections with our personal information, it is possible that you are handing your details to a thief on a platter - it is not uncommon for criminals to raid bins in search of private information. Similarly, by putting too much information on social networking sites can be asking for trouble. On top of these, thieves can get your details by hacking online accounts, stealing purses and wallets, diverting your mail and several other ways.
It's important, therefore, to get some identity theft protection in case this harrowing event ever happens to you. This can take form as identity theft insurance, which covers you in the event of a crime, as well as simply taking more precaution with your accounts and information. Identity fraud is an unfortunate part of life today, but there are steps you can take to prevent it.
