Identity theft has become a serious crime worldwide especially with the advent of electronic commerce. The statistics on victims of identity theft or fraud show that the numbers of continue to increase. Fortunately for consumers, there are a variety of identity theft protections that can be used to protect themselves from thieves or online hackers.
Ways In Which Identity Can Be Stolen
There are a number of ways by which a persons identity can be stolen.
Offline, this can be achieved by stealing mail, scavenging through garbage, the skimming of credit cards when credit card transactions are being carried out, through telephone interviews or by bribing other organizations to disclose your customer information.
Online, personal identities are stolen via phishing, spyware, autocomplete and password auto default.
To avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, consumers must be vigilant and ensure that they are well protected when conducting business transactions. If you can afford it, you may want to enroll in an identity theft insurance scheme of which there are many available. If insurance premiums are out of the question there other ways to protect yourself and, even with insurance, these steps should be followed.
Basic Identity Theft Protection
When disposing of paper documents that contain personal information make sure to shred them thoroughly first.
Do not divulge personal information over the phone unless you know exactly who you are talking to. It is common for individuals to pose as employees of credit card companies, insurance companies and even club house memberships. Where it's, possible meet in person with representatives of these companies.
To protect against credit card fraud, monitor usage by checking your statement for unusual transactions debited to your account. Also check your credit reports occasionally.
Whilst online, there are various ways by which consumers can protect themselves from identity theft hackers. When purchasing online, make sure to do business only with merchants which have the Verisign seal. This is a proof that the site is protected against hackers and spammers.
When receiving emails, be sure you know where it's come from if it's asking for personal information from you. To avoid getting attacked by spyware, as much as possible do not upload and install software over the Internet. Download software from legitimate sites only. Many lesser known software downloading sites are not legitimate and were made to steal passwords and other pertinent information from users. When using public internet cafes make sure to turn off the autocomplete function especially when entering usernames and passwords. The computer may be used by another customer and who may find the words that you entered. If possible avoid using public computers when conducting online transactions.
Consumers are prone to various identity theft activities whether online or offline. But by being vigilant and taking simple steps the risks of falling victim can be substantially reduced. Identity theft protection is primarily a matter of common sense.
