Your electronic tax filing is denied. For consumers who believe they are a victim of identity theft, the FTC recommends you take immediate steps to protect yourself such as placing fraud alerts on your credit cards, filing police reports, and filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. However what is amazing is the truth that regardless of the constant alerts and pointers from government bodies, lots of people continue to be unaware and careless with their financial dealings. Almost every worldwide government agency responsible for identity theft issues will tell you the same thing: The first step to fighting identity theft is to minimize the risk. Anyone can become a victim of identity theft, but you may not realize some of your habits may be increasing your risk. Making small changes to your everyday habits may help reduce the odds of becoming an identity theft victim. Most people associate identity theft with this form of crime. However, the Internet is providing new ways for people to steal your personal information and to commit fraud.
Identity theft is a problem for millions of people. Regular monitoring of your credit reports is one way to help detect suspicious activity that may indicate fraud or identity theft. To further safeguard your identity, you are able to sign up for credit monitoring services. Additionally, these services will give reports to the clients on an everyday basis, and usually they deliver when their clients look for one. If you receive an email that threatens to disable an account or delay services until updated information is received, contact the company directly. If you notice a charge you don’t remember making, contact the company immediately. Don’t leave the envelope in your mailbox or your office’s outgoing mail. In offline transactions don’t provide credit card numbers, financial account numbers, and personal identifying information over the phone unless you know the communication line is secure. Remember: The more private and secure you keep your personal identifying information, the less susceptible to identify theft you are. Learn more about how you can evaluate your online practices and settings. You can tweet her online @AuroraGG. Some hackers may use trial and error to guess your passwords, using details about your work or home life that can be found online.
Use your existing bank or credit card accounts to make unauthorized purchases. One of your best defenses is to cross-shred any written documentation of PINs for debit or credit cards or bank accounts. One of the most serious and damaging types of identity theft is when criminals use identification with your information to escape criminal charges. Do your research and ensure the one you pick is secure and double-blind (meaning the passwords are encrypted so app or site administrators can’t see or access them). There are therefore many ways where individuals who you dont know usually takes advantage of you, without you even knowing. With these documents thieves could to obtain a job and file fraudulent income tax returns, apply for travel documents, file insurance claims, or even provide your name and mailing address to police and other authorities if involved in other criminal activities. While the FTC does not have criminal jurisdiction, it supports the criminal investigation and prosecution of identity theft by serving as a clearinghouse for identity theft reports, part of the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel report database.
On the law enforcement side, most police departments have almost completely stopped investigating identity theft. Computer forensics plays a big role in helping law enforcement officials identify both the victims and perpetrators of identity theft. So, take precaution before you become an identity theft victim. Do not fall victim to identity sham – learn how crooks take identities, things you can do to reduce your own risk, and the capabilities Identity Restoration (IDR) coverage offer through a lot of Insurance companies. If a thief is able to access this personal information, he or she can use it to commit retail fraud detection services in your name. Here is a checklist to use when reviewing your Equifax credit report. You can also create a myEquifax account to get two free Equifax credit reports each year. You can start by thinking of ways to better safeguard your personal information to help keep it out of the wrong hands.