Identity Theft

Identity theft is not just a crime that happens when someone loses their wallet. It happens thousands of times a day and only takes a computer. Now thanks to the life changing computer tool, the internet, and the fact that so many people around the world use it to do their banking, pay their bills and taxes, shop, and communicate with others, our most personal and sensitive data is freely available to any thief who knows how to get it. Plenty of thieves have the skills.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the country and tops the complaints through the Federal Trade Commision (FTC). This means that identity theft is growing faster than murder, theft, and even terrorism. You read that right - more people are victims of identity theft than murder or terrorism. The impact of identity theft is unbelievable. One identity theft ring in New York City alone defrauded 30,000 people out of over $2.7 million dollars. And these are the criminals who have been caught? How many criminals are out there right now targeting personal financial information?

Assuming that your credit card company and bank will reimburse you the lost money from identity theft, that doesn't mean that is all these thieves can do. These identity thieves use your personal information such as name and address, date of birth, and social security number to get new credit cards or even obtain huge loans. And all of the bills get sent to you. Even if you can eventually prove that you were not involved, the cost to defend yourself against all of the collection activities, along with the huge time investment into fixing the situation, and the damage to your credit and reputation is staggering.

You need to actively protect your identity from thieves at all times - both online and off line. Here are some tips that will help you do just that:

• Purchase a shredder. Shred all documents that contain any of your personal information. Cross-cut shredders are the best kind, but any kind of shredder is better than none at all.
• Do not give any of your personal information out to anyone you do not know. This includes on the phone or via the internet. Do not trust anyone with your personal information unless you know what they are doing with it and what it will be used for. It's your personal information - you have the right to ask these questions!
• Never click a link in any e-mails that asks for your personal or financial information, even if it looks like it's from your bank. Go directly to the website by typing the web address in the address bar of your web browser. Better yet, call your bank and ask if they have sent this message to you. Chances are they haven't sent you anything!
• Use Anti-Spyware Software to get rid of any identity-stealing software from your PC.