Every year one in ten Americans will be victimized by identity theft. That’s approximately ten million people a year. With statistics like that, it’s no wonder that so many Americans are worried about giving out their personal information to just anybody.
Every year one in ten Americans will be victimized by identity theft. That’s approximately ten million people a year. With statistics like that, it’s no wonder that so many Americans are worried about giving out their personal information to just anybody. Consumers want to know that their private information is secure and that they can trust those whom they divulge their personal information to. Luckily there are many laws that protect consumers from identity theft.
One of the measures used to prevent identity theft is the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, also known as COPPA. This law protects kids from identity theft online by giving parents the full rights to decide what information websites are allowed to ask from their children. All websites directed toward children or general audiences that include under thirteen year olds must comply with the regulations that this act enforces.
There is also the Red Flags Rule which requires that many businesses and even organizations that do not collect profits must provide written notification of their Identity Theft Prevention Programs. This program is designed to give warning sign, like a red flag, that someone may be stealing this person’s identity. This rule was actually voted on just last year, and President Obama announced that they would be changing the rules so that fewer organizations qualified for these requirements.
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act is another important privacy measure that requires that financial institutions explain all of their practices for sharing consumer data. This means that all banks and lenders, as well as insurance companies, accountants and even financial advisors provide written notification to consumers about which information will be shared with outside parties and what outside parties will the information be shared with. This act also requires that these financial institutions implement measures to guard consumers’ personal information.
It is a valid concern to worry about your identity being stolen, with the high incidences that occur in America today. But at least if you keep your information safe by only giving it out to trusted websites then you can avoid being a victim of identity theft. Knowing your rights as a consumer can also safeguard you so that you can know when something is legitimate and when it isn’t. If you are concerned about a site or other financial institution be sure to look it up before you trust it. One way to do this is to do a web search for information on the company. If you can’t find any information then go with your gut- if it feels like a fake it probably is!
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