This article is not directly related to ID theft, but the prevention of fraud is very similar to that of ID theft and should be beneficial to the majority of you
The Consumer Federation of America, one of the country’s biggest consumer watchdog groups, released a warning recently: the more desperate you are financially, the more vulnerable you are to the predations of unscrupulous white-collar criminals. These are scammers who wont’ hesitate to turn your worry to their cruel advantage. Thus, in the wake of the past year’s economic troubles, more and more Americans are potential victims of fraud. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the most supreme tools that can put the brakes on identity theft is a good paper shredder. Though this might not cross the mind of many as an essential tool, there is a reason why so many financial security experts strongly recommend them not only to individuals but to businesses as well.
For the most part, once an individual throws out his or her trash, there is no legal recourse to it and there can be no expectation of privacy. This means anyone is free to go through a person’s trash once it is in a public area waiting for disposal. As unsettling as rifling through trash may sound, it is one of the top methods by which identity thieves get their hands on prized information. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the newer forms of identity theft is known as medical identity theft. As commonly associated with this type of fraud, medical identity theft occurs when an individual uses somebody’s personal information to obtain costly medical treatments. The number of ways an individual can end up with the personal information of another varies; however, medical fraudsters end up with their hands on the medical insurance numbers of their victims as well. This poses a number of dangers. While it is inconvenient to be left with large medical bills, the fraudster’s medical history becomes entwined with their victim’s. This can leave the potential for deadly mistreatment were a victim to receive the wrong type of blood for a transfusion or a drug that he or she is allergic to. Read the rest of this entry »
The fact that over half a million people will be victims of identity fraud every year has made identity theft programs a product of interest for many. The average working adult is likely already busy leading a hectic life balancing home with a professional career; therefore, spending days and nights trying to watch one’s back to keep from becoming a victim of fraud is simply unfeasible. Read the rest of this entry »
Was Jesus Christ the first recorded victim of identity theft?
Because it has recently become so widespread, many assume identity theft is a whole new phenomenon. However, identity theft has been practiced by the less than scrupulous throughout history. In the early times when personal records were scant, it was not unheard of for identity theft to be perpetrated for the gain of status, authority or even a stately inheritance. Even as the world became more organized, slipping into another identity to gain access to money, goods and benefits was still a rather easy task. Read the rest of this entry »
When it comes to identity theft prevention/protection, anyone who has credit cards, a bank account and a credit score wants to do whatever they can to avoid becoming a victim of fraud. Luckily, there is much the average citizen can do to keep their personal information out of the clutches of thieves. This often means consistently using the simple but highly effective concept of common sense. Read the rest of this entry »
When one hears of identity theft, it is easy to imagine that a thief would want a lesser known name that would not attract too much attention. However, many criminals target celebrities and other well known individuals counting on the fact that they have larger assets to plunder. There have been many cases of identity theft involving everyone from famous television personalities to CEO’s to sports stars. Though celebrities and the like are often privy to certain advantages, they will never be immune to identity theft. Read the rest of this entry »
Protecting an individual’s financial well being often means implementing plenty of identity theft precautions. However, it also means having plenty of identity theft legislation in place as well. Though there has always been some form of identity theft regulation on the books, a number of laws and guidelines have been renewed, rewritten and reinforced over the last several years. This was done in order to keep up with the changing climate of fraud and to help victims have some form of viable recourse. Because the problem is so widespread, legislation is written in languages that address both individuals and businesses. Read the rest of this entry »
Identity theft is the act of using an individual’s or business’ private information without permission to obtain goods, benefits or money. Identity thieves have been known to steal another person’s identity in order to escape punishment for committing crimes as well.
Read the rest of this entry »
Like any other kind of crook, an identity thief is an opportunist. Most of their time is simply spent waiting for an individual to get careless with their information. Whether it’s tossed out in the garbage or lifted from a restaurant, there are a number of places that this can happen. The vast majority of identity thieves set themselves up wherever they will have good access to an individual’s personal information. Most often, this is any place where financial transactions are handled. For example, Abraham Abdullah was an identity thief who managed to steal millions from well to do victims while working as a busboy in an upscale New York eatery. Read the rest of this entry »
A common subject reported on in newspapers and on television, many have become quite aware of the cruel inconvenience of identity theft. However, a true understanding of the situation often does not come until an individual is in the midst of being a victim. In general, identity theft is a crime perpetrated by using sensitive information to gain money, benefits, goods or a combination thereof. It has wreaked havoc on a number of industries, including banks and other lending institutions as well as government agencies, real estate, retail and other types of commerce. Law enforcement agencies, from local levels on up to federal bureaus, are often overwhelmed with the number of claims that pour in on a daily basis. Read the rest of this entry »
Identity thieves will advance on a Social Security number with the intensity of sharks smelling blood in the water. This is because a Social Security number is the magic key that allows a thief to not only open new lines of credit but gain other crucial information as well. Once a thief has a Social Security number he or she can then get the victim’s credit report that details their address and phone number. Once put together, a thief can live a large part of their life on the dime of another person. The worst part is the victim may never even find out until months or years later. This is especially true if the individual is someone who does not check his or her credit report on a regular basis. Read the rest of this entry »
Dealing with identity theft is not something that is not commonly found on an individual’s list of top ten things to do. Unfortunately, it is something that, when it does occur, must be dealt with swiftly, adeptly and without hesitation. When it comes to identity theft, perpetrators are counting on time to be on their side. By practicing safe, smart habits and staying alert, one can often keep the upper hand on the underhanded. Read the rest of this entry »
There are two things an individual can do in the unfortunate event of either becoming an identity theft victim or suspecting the possibility of becoming a victim. Putting a credit freeze and fraud alert on one’s credit report is essential for stopping fraudsters before they start. With either of these options, creditors will be made aware of the suspicious circumstances for the individual they are considering extending a line of credit to or opening an account for. Plus, a creditor will be made to contact an individual specifically in order to establish any type of credit at all. Read the rest of this entry »
There have been a number of security measures implemented by banks, government institutions and many other organizations in order to prevent identity theft. Whether it is pictures, encoded data or holographic images, the unwavering will of criminals has found a way around nearly every single security precaution in place. Rather than one size fits all safety features, the new science now relies on the use of an individual’s unique and distinct identifiers to thwart thieves. Read the rest of this entry »
These days, there are as many child victims of identity theft as there are adults. Children make for the ideal target not only because their clean credit history but because it is likely to be years before the damage is discovered. Though it is possible for a child’s personal information to be gleaned from such places as insurance forms and similar records, the perpetrators of child identity theft are often more close to home. Unfortunately, the vast majorities of these crimes are committed by parents, a guardian or close relative of the child. As many will agree, having one’s identity stolen is hard enough; the added element of having it done by what is supposed to be a trusted family member only adds further insult to injury. Read the rest of this entry »