Scott P. McKay

Identity Theft: 5 tips to avoid becoming the next victim

Learning tips on avoiding becoming the next victim of identity theft. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes across the world.

Identity theft and credit fraud are among two of the fastest growing crimes across the entire world. In 2008 an estimated 10 million consumers were affected by identity theft which is a 22% increase from 2007. Amazingly though about 43% of all cases reported stemmed from low-tech methods of stealing someone’s identity like stealing a wallet or purse, while only about 11% accounted for online methods. Of all of the identity theft cases reported last year at least 70% of them occurred within one week from the time the victim’s identity was stolen.

Here are some tips you can use to help keep your identity safe:

1.      Safeguard your personal information. Make sure to shred any documents containing your personal information before discarding them and do not give your information out to anyone calling you over the telephone.

2.      Make sure to routinely monitor your financial accounts and credit reports to detect any suspicious activity.

3.      Do not click on links sent in unsolicited emails. You could instead type the web address directly into your browser if you are interested in visiting a site.

4.      Never use passwords that would be easily discovered like your date of birth or the last 4 numbers of your Social Security number.

5.      Keep all of your personal information in a safe, secure place at home. Do not carry your Social Security card around with you in your wallet or purse.

Identity Theft is a very serious crime. Becoming a victim of identity theft can ruin your credit quickly if not detected early on. If you ever do detect suspicious activity you should immediately file a police report and contact your creditors and the credit bureaus.

You can find out more information on what to do if you think your personal information has been compromised by visiting the Federal Trade Commission’s website at www.ftc.gov. If you are also interested in learning more about how to monitor your credit reports you could try visiting one of the many free websites out there like FreeOnlineCreditGuide.com where you can find out important information about how to manage your credit.

Article Tags: Identity Theft, Personal Information

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