Identity Theft Articles http://www.identitytheftarticles.net Identity Theft Articles, Identity Theft Stories, Identity Theft Facts Tue, 08 Mar 2011 11:10:24 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 20 Steps to Protect your Identity http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/20-steps-to-protect-your-identity http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/20-steps-to-protect-your-identity#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:29:25 +0000 pat http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/?p=217 Identity theft. We’ve all heard of it, but do we really understand how serious and prevalent it actually is? Believe it or not, identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in the US, according to the National Crime Prevention Council. As a matter of fact, almost $50 billion dollars was stolen via identity theft in 2006 alone. Its not just money that is lost when identity theft is perpetrated, however, it’s time as well. The mean resolution time is at an all time high. It takes approximately 40 hours per victim to resolve the crime itself, but over 600 hours getting his or her finances straight, according the Identity Theft Resource Center.

This crime seems very far away and anonymous, but, although the majority of identity theft perpetrators are strangers, over 30% are acquainted with the victim. Here are the numbers; 13% of perpetrators are employees of victims, 11% are the victim’s relatives, 10% are friends or roommates, 5% are co-workers, 4% are former spouses or significant others, and 2% are caregivers of the elderly or disabled. These figures really bring home the seriousness and inevitability of this insidious crime.

The statistics tell the story, and the story is a frightening one – but what can you do to protect yourself from this growing crime? The following are 20 of the best methods to combat identity theft:

1. Get a shredder: There are many models and types available at great values. They should be used to destroy all-important papers, but most particularly, pre- approved credit applications received in the mail. Credit card receipts should also be shredded every month.

2. Watch for “Dumpster Divers:” Shredding can also help in this area, but always be careful to think about what you’re discarding, and how it might be used to steal your identity.

3. Avoid “Shoulder Surfers:” Be wary of anyone getting too close at the ATM machine or when using phone cards. They could take your pin number and access your accounts.

4. Don’t Have Checks Delivered to Your Home: Always have checks sent directly to your bank and pick them up from there.

5. Don’t Send Checks from Home: Send them through the post office, or drop them in a US mailbox for maximum security.

6. Cancel Unused Credit Cards: Destroy and discard any credit cards you haven’t used in 6 months or more.

7. Don’t “Pass” on Passwords: Add passwords to all accounts and never use your mother’s maiden name. Make up a new word to use that doesn’t relate to you personally in any way.

8. A P.O. is the Way to Go: A post office box or locked mailbox is the most secure way to receive sensitive mail.

9. Do Business With Companies that Shred Too: Make sure all the doctors’ offices, financial institution and other vendors that you do business with also destroy your confidential information.

10. Only Carry What You Need: Don’t keep extra credit cards or social security numbers in your wallet. Memorize what you need to know and keep actual cards or documents to a minimum.

11. Don’t Give Out Personal Information Over the Phone: When someone you don’t know calls you, never give out any personal information.

12. Keep Your Social Security Number Under Wraps: Don’t include your social security number on checks or credit card receipts. It’s not necessary and it can be a very risky practice.

13. Don’t Give Up Your “Digits:” Putting your telephone number on your checks is never a good idea and can be used to gather your personal information.

14. A Picture’s Worth A Thousand Dollars, (or more): Try to order credit cards and business cards with your own picture on them for extra security.

15. Don’t Put Your Credit Card Number Online: Unless you are making transactions on a secure, encrypted site, don’t put your credit card number online.

16. Leave Your Address At Home: Any time you make a credit card purchase, do not put your address, phone number or driver’s license number on your statement.

17. Monitor Your Monthly Statements: Carefully review your monthly bank and credit card statements for any transactions you don’t recognize.

18. Review Your Credit Report: Order this information at least twice a year from the credit bureau and look for anything that seems incorrect or fraudulent.

19. Fix it Fast: Immediately correct any mistakes on your credit report via written response, with a request for return receipt.

20. Get on the Do Not Call List: Make sure your name is taken off any promotional lists and call the 3 credit reporting agency phone numbers to opt out of pre-approved credit card offers.

Jeff McRitchie is the director of marketing for MyBinding.com. He writes extensively on topics related to Binding Machines, Binding Supplies, Shredders, Binders, Index Tabs, Laminators, Laminating Pouches and more.
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]]> http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/20-steps-to-protect-your-identity/feed 0 Simple Steps to Protect yourself From Identity Theft http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/ways-to-prevent-identity-theft/simple-steps-to-protect-yourself-from-identity-theft http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/ways-to-prevent-identity-theft/simple-steps-to-protect-yourself-from-identity-theft#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:36:44 +0000 pat http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/?p=226 If you have been keeping up with trends, you probably realize that identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes of this century. Contrary to popular belief, the primary cause of it is not because more people are online since the crime of identity theft is not limited to online transactions or online banking. But it is caused by people not paying attention to the contents of sensitive information that they receive, online or offline, and not guarding that information with the care that it deserves.

Would you throw your banking account numbers with password and security codes into a trash can without shredding them first? Dumpster diving to retrieve information just like this has been a popular pastime for many thieves, and many of them are being rewarded for their efforts by being able to get enough private information about you to where they can open new accounts and get new credit cards in your name, but have the actual cards sent to a fake address somewhere. The first time you become aware of it is when a bank you have never heard of calls you and asks when you are going to start making payments on an overdue credit card account that is charged to the hilt, and you did not even know it existed!

It is even worse if you do things online. That is not to say that you should not do things online or shop online, but at the same time, you need to be smart about how you do things so that you do not leave yourself wide open as a potential target for these identity theft thieves. Most of this is just common sense if you think about it, but we should look at some of these things so that you can think twice about the next time you see it.

Never open an email attachment from someone you do not know. It may say it is from your late Uncle Fred about the money he left you in his will, it may claim to be from the IRS, or it may even claim to be from your Internet service provider or your bank. Do not open it. Even if you have the latest anti virus software, sometimes things can get past that software.

Never click on a link in an email from someone you do not know. The email could claim to be from the phone company or your bank or your stock broker or whatever, but never click on a link, which will typically ask you to verify your account information. They would never ask you to verify your account information this way. If you are wondering about it, call them on the phone and ask, but never click that link.

You know all that mail you get (not email, but regular postal mail) that contains those pre-approved credit card offers? What do you do with them? Do you just throw them in the trash? Those offers frequently have more than enough information to where someone who is dumpster diving can get that pre-approved card that was offered to you. Go to your nearest office supply store like Best Buy or Office Depot and get yourself a shredder, then shred those documents before you throw them away to avoid this type of situation.

Identity theft is not a pleasant experience, and if you do not check your credit report every now and then, it could be several months before you realize anything is amiss, at which point the thief is long gone. The best offense is a great defense, and that old saying applies to protecting your information against identity theft as much as anything else.

Are you protected against identity theft? Get more information about what it is, how to protect yourself from it, and what to do if you are a victim at Protection Against Identity Theft at our web site at http://www.identity-theft-info.com.
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]]> http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/ways-to-prevent-identity-theft/simple-steps-to-protect-yourself-from-identity-theft/feed 0 Identity Theft Protection From Spector Spyware Threat http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/ways-to-prevent-identity-theft/identity-theft-protection-from-spector-spyware-threat http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/ways-to-prevent-identity-theft/identity-theft-protection-from-spector-spyware-threat#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:36:42 +0000 pat http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/?p=225 Identity theft protection is quickly becoming a hot topic. Every day, computer users are haunted by stories of people falling victim to identity theft. The biggest culprit in this recent rise in cyber crime is spyware, the buzzword that is on the lips of every internet user. Experts are now saying that nothing is 100 percent secure on the internet anymore, and users must take steps to protect themselves.
Although computer users are becoming much more adept at protecting themselves from online identity theft threats such as viruses, the public is only just now starting to take notice of the huge increase in crimes enabled by the use of spyware.
A couple based in Philadelphia was recently arrested for their illegal use of the spyware program Spector, which is a widely available program that anyone can buy for under $100. Spector is a keylogger, and once installed on a computer it has the ability to record all keystroke activity and send it out to virtually anyone—including cyber criminals. Spector is able to record information such as passwords, credit cards, social security numbers, and other sensitive information.
The company responsible for SpectorSoft is currently defending itself, stating that its program was never marketed as a way to steal information. Instead, they wrote the program to be used “legitimately” to keep tabs on business employees, spouses concerned about affairs, and keeping a watchful eye on teenagers’ internet surfing habits.
However, because of Spector’s ease of use, it enables almost anyone to become a cyber criminal. According to Robert Graham, security executive at Atlanta based Errata Security, 99% of the people who download programs like Spector do not use it for legitimate reasons.
Spyware like Spector enables cyber criminals to easily gain access to sensitive information such as banking usernames and passwords, credit card information, social security numbers, and more. Just because a banking site labels itself as secure does not mean that a user is protected from a keylogger. Since keyloggers reside on the user’s computer, they record keystrokes in real time, and can steal and send password information before the user even submits that information across the internet to a banking site.
Is identity theft protection possible? Can users protect themselves from the threat of spyware? Is there a way to remove spyware from an infected computer? The answer, thankfully, is yes. There are several spyware removal programs on the market that do an incredible job of finding and removing dangerous spyware programs such as Spector.
Users must be careful, however, since there are many “rogue” anti spyware programs that are actually spyware themselves. The best bet is to purchase a spyware program from a reputable software vendor, such as ParetoLogic or PCTools.

TheWiseSurfer.com is an independent website reporting on spyware issues and also provides recommendations and reviews for the best spyware removal software programs.
For more on Identity Theft Protection, visit Identity Theft Protection at thewisesurfer.com.
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]]> http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/ways-to-prevent-identity-theft/identity-theft-protection-from-spector-spyware-threat/feed 0 Identity Theft Increases During Busy Shopping Times http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/ways-to-prevent-identity-theft/identity-theft-increases-during-busy-shopping-times http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/ways-to-prevent-identity-theft/identity-theft-increases-during-busy-shopping-times#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:11:22 +0000 pat http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/?p=223 Identity theft continues to be one of the fastest growing crimes of this century, and is thought to also be the largest and fastest growing white collar crime in the US. It becomes increasingly easy for identity thieves to get enough of your personal information to steal your identity especially during busy shopping times of the year.

The easiest way for a thief to steal your identity used to be via dumpster diving, an activity where the thieves would sift through people’s trash to get their personal information. Just think about how often you get a pre approved credit card offer in the mail. If you have decent credit, you probably get multiple such offers each and every week. Or what about those bank statements from 5 years ago, or perhaps your credit card statements after you have paid the bill? Most people simply throw them in the trash without even ripping them up, which makes them prime property for these dumpster divers. It does not take a rocket scientist to piece even a ripped up statement back together so they have enough information to steal your identity.

For virtually ANYTHING that you discard into the trash that has your personal information on it, invest in a paper shredder. These are readily available at just about any office supply store for about $35, and the amount of potential grief this could save you is far more than the purchase price of the paper shredder.

Many people think of identity theft as being financially related, where the thieves use your identity to get money or buy products using your good credit reputation. While this is certainly the most common benefit for identity thieves, there are also others. For example, using your identity to get health care coverage or social security benefits is something gaining more visibility as time goes on. This puts an additional strain on the already skyrocketing costs of health insurance, and could also affect your health records at your doctor’s office since those records are no longer accurate if they are actually treating someone else for an ailment that you do not have.

Identity theft can cause extreme situations, so do not think for a minute that while it might be an inconvenience, it is not the end of the world. Consider a case a few years ago where a teacher whose identity had been compromised was charged with prostitution. Although it took months to resolve and the teacher was eventually cleared of the bogus charge, the school district finally just let the teacher go because it was far more trouble than it was worth to continue fighting against the charge, which is something people will remember and really wonder about as time goes on.

The cost to the victim can be enormous. On average, an identity theft case costs the victim more than $92,000 in financial loss, the thief has written more than 70 checks in the victim’s name, and has opened about 8 credit card accounts in the victim’s name. Be aware that if you do not discover the theft within 60 days of the transaction date, some credit card companies will still hold you responsible for the charges.

Be careful with your personal information, since becoming a victim of identity theft can take months and even years to straighten out.

For more insights and additional information about <a href=”http://www.idtheftprotectiontips.com” rel=”nofollow”>Identity Theft – Do Not Become A Victim please visit our web site at http://www.idtheftprotectiontips.com
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]]> http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/ways-to-prevent-identity-theft/identity-theft-increases-during-busy-shopping-times/feed 0 How You Can Get The Best Possible Identity Theft Protection http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/how-you-can-get-the-best-possible-identity-theft-protection http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/how-you-can-get-the-best-possible-identity-theft-protection#comments Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:59:30 +0000 pat http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/?p=111 You may ask yourself, “Why do I need identity theft protection?” If you’ve ever thrown away a receipt, lost a credit card, or received a questionable email asking for personal information, you are making yourself a victim of fraud, and a great candidate for identity theft protection.
How many promotional statements have you tossed that may have your mailing address and full name indicated right on them? Identity theft often doesn’t require much to leave you in a financial mess.
The question becomes, “What can the average person do to ensure that personal information is kept personal, and to guard against possible theft?” Here is a list of suggestions that will help you get the best possible identity theft protection.
Look at your credit reports. These reports contain the kind of information an identity thief is interested in, and the statistics that you should have a good understanding of, in terms of theft protection. The report shows what accounts you have and how you pay your bills.
The law allows you to obtain a free version of this report at least once a year. If an identity thief is operating with your information, this report will show it in some way.
Review the credit reports. Look for any benchmarks that would tell you of possible theft, like inquiries from companies you haven’t contacted, accounts you didn’t open, and debits on accounts that can’t be explained. Check to see that all personal information is correct and that an Identity Thief hasn’t tampered with it.
Review your financial statements. Look at your accounts and billing statements on a regular basis. Watch for any changes that seem odd, like debits that you can’t account for and other things that could be the sign of possible theft.
Many victims of identity theft are the last people to know about the situation. Identity theft protection only works if you put it into action before a situation can occur. Sometimes you may only discover you’ve been victimized when you are declined for a car loan or mortgage because of something negative on your credit report.
You may find out about credit cards you’ve never owned that were applied for by an identity thief through a phone call from a collection agency looking for money on unpaid debts. Investigate these occurrences with your bank as soon as you become aware of them to.
Knowing your own security vulnerabilities and how to protect yourself against identity theft are prime methods of its protection. In a world of online shopping and paper statements, it’s your best defense against having to deal with the fallout of a quick, easy crime many people are committing.

Get all the information you need on getting the best identity theft protection from Mike Selvon’s identity theft portal, and leave a comment at his identity theft blog.
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]]> http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/how-you-can-get-the-best-possible-identity-theft-protection/feed 0 Identity Theft Statistics Now Show That There Has Been An Increase In Id Theft Online http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/identity-theft-statistics-now-show-that-there-has-been-an-increase-in-id-theft-online http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/identity-theft-statistics-now-show-that-there-has-been-an-increase-in-id-theft-online#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:41:27 +0000 pat http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/?p=34 Identity theft is one of the most troubling problems of the modern world. Although it is hard to come by good identity theft statistics, one thing is clear. Credit card theft and other forms of theft of identity are on the rise. If this was not troubling enough, consider the fact that you never know when your identity is being stolen. You will only find out days, weeks, or even months later. It is almost impossible to prevent identity theft. At best, all you can do is take steps to make it easier to recover your identity.
Identity theft stats do make one thing clear: people who take steps to protect their identities are much less vulnerable. Identity theft statistics tell us that people who keep good financial records, make sure that their Internet accounts are well protected, frequently change passwords, and regularly check their credit, are less likely to be victimized. When they are the victim of identity theft, these people can resolve the issue much more quickly. It is easier for them to prove that their identity has been stolen and that they are not responsible for any purchases that have been made in their name.
Statistics on identity theft, however, tell us nothing about which steps are the most important, and which ones can be ignored. Because identity theft is such a new problem, identity theft statistics are not all that sophisticated yet. The only solution is to take all the steps that you can to protect your identity. This can prove costly, but it is worth it! For example, according to recent identity theft statistics, if your computer is well secured you are several times less likely to have your identity stolen.
According to identity theft statistics, it is as important to take precautions when you go on vacation as when you are at home. When you are traveling, particularly if you’re going for an extended stay, you are vulnerable. You will not see the mail coming into your house, and will be unaware of unusual charges on your bank account until it is too late. Fortunately, identity theft protection works whether or not you are at home. Identity theft statistics, in fact, do not indicate a significant difference in security between people who are home, and people who are traveling abroad. As long as you protect your identity, you are at a much lower risk of having it stolen. The most important thing is not to delay. Every day without theft protection is another day when you could be victimized.


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    ]]>     http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/identity-theft-statistics-now-show-that-there-has-been-an-increase-in-id-theft-online/feed 0     Top 5 Actions to take when you are a victim of Identity Theft http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/top-5-actions-to-take-when-you-are-a-victim-of-identity-theft http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/top-5-actions-to-take-when-you-are-a-victim-of-identity-theft#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:59:41 +0000 pat http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/?p=113 Identity theft is one of the highest rising crimes in the country. Statistics released by the Better Business Bureau showed that in the past five years nearly 27.3 million people have been a victim of identity theft, 9.9 million in 2003 alone! Consumers need to become more aware of this crime, take steps to avoid becoming a victim and know what to do if they find, or even think they might be a victim of identity theft.

    Simple steps can be taken to try to make ourselves less of a target. Be sure you shred all personal documents, mail, old credit cards/checks or any type of financial information. Be aware that true companies will NEVER ask for your credit card or social security number over the phone. Never leave ATM receipts at the machines. Be careful what websites you give information to. You may know nothing about a website besides its website address. You never know who is at the other end of the website, a possible predator waiting for your personal information. All of these documents can allow you to become a victim of identity theft. You need to remember it only takes one bit of information to increase your possibility of having your identity taken by a stranger.

    If you find or even think you have been affected by identity theft there are steps you need to take promptly to reduce the damage that can be done to your credit report.

    1. Call the Credit Bureaus and put a “Fraud Alert” on your credit files.

    Call at least one, if not all three of the credit bureaus (transunion, Equifax and Experian) and inform them that you have had your identity taken. They will put a “fraud alert” on your personal credit file. This will make it nearly impossible for anyone to open any type of credit account with your information. If any type of credit application comes across the bureau, with this alert placed on your report, they will have to contact you to verify the credit application is yours.

    2. Contact local authorities

    Make local authorities aware of the crime so that they may begin to look into helping your instance and possibly stop it from happening from someone else. Say you had mail stolen out of you mailbox, other neighbors may have been or may become a target for the predator. You will also, after reporting the crime, have documentation of the crime to give to creditors if your credit report has already been tampered with. The process of getting information off that has been damaged by the crime is often a long, tedious task and at least you will have the police report to back up your claims of false information on your credit report.

    3. Close accounts you think have been affected

    As mentioned, the process of getting information off of your credit report after becoming a victim of identity theft can be a very long a grueling task. You need to be pro-active and get accounts closed that may be tampered with before damage can be done. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, nearly 70% of people who had been victims of identity theft said they were still trying to get items on their credit reports that had been affected removed from their reports.

    4. Contact the FTC and file a complaint

    The FTC has generated a database to help law enforcement and give them a better understanding of identity theft and find ways they can help prevent acts in the future as well as ways to assist victims in the future.

    5. Watch you credit report for unknown changes

    You are you most powerful ally. Become proactive and rely on no one but yourself. Take advantage of free credit reports, sign up for monthly services that will give you alerts when there are any changes to your credit report.

    Identity Theft is a horrible, crime which has very personal affect, which can cause deep emotional distress to think that someone is out there with your identity. Take steps to avoid becoming a victim today.


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    ]]>     http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/top-5-actions-to-take-when-you-are-a-victim-of-identity-theft/feed 0     Identity Theft: Skimming You Blind http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/identity-theft-skimming-you-blind http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/identity-theft-skimming-you-blind#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:45:57 +0000 pat http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/?p=115 In a recent study done by Unisys Security Index, sixty six percent of those surveyed stated that they feared somewhere along the way they would become victims of identity theft. That’s not really surprising since it ranks as the number one consumer complaint for the eighth year in a row.

    Identity theft however came in a close second behind fear of debit card misuse. In a way they are connected by a form of identity fraud known as skimming. 

    When you were a little younger, skimming probably meant throwing rocks along the water and seeing how many times it could bounce across the surface. Now it’s taken on an added meaning which if you are not careful can rob you of every penny in your credit card account.  

    Skimming can happen at any store or restaurant where you use your credit card to make a transaction. For instance at a restaurant you hand the waiter or waitress your credit card. They leave your line of vision and swipe the card through an electronic device known as skimmer. In less than a second the skimmer stores your credit card information. No doubt if some crooked employee is skimming your card then they have probably done this to quite a number of people.

    However it doesn’t stop there. The connection with debit card misuse can be a number of things but usually it’s the form of the automatic teller machine. An unsuspecting person goes to make a transaction but after inputting their personal identification number, a message pops up stating the machine is out of order. No problem right? Just retrieve your card and go find another atm. Except that unbeknown to you, a skimming device was put in place to read your card information as well as your pin number. It doesn’t take too long after that for thieves to drain your account.

    Therefore after you have used your card to make a transaction, check back frequently that everything appears to be in order. Unfortunately skimming along with the advent of new technology and the tweaking of the traditional tried and true methods of thievery will guarantee that identity theft remains at the top of the consumer list for a long time to come. 

    Article written by Daryl Campbell at Identity Theft and Fraud. Drastically reduce your risk of becoming an identity theft victim
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    ]]>     http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/identity-theft-skimming-you-blind/feed 0     An Identity Theft Prevention Primer http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/an-identity-theft-prevention-primer http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/an-identity-theft-prevention-primer#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:47:14 +0000 pat http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/?p=117 Identity theft prevention has become more important than ever, with the whole world connecting through the internet like never before. The new convenience of online transactions taking place in the blink of an eye has lured people away from bank lineups to check their accounts or pay their bills. Before you log-on to pay your bills, you should consider a few things about identity theft prevention.
    It becomes important for consumers to know the principles of identity fraud prevention, since the concept is tied so closely with theft prevention. The two ideas really go hand in hand.
    So the question becomes: How much personal information can the average person find about him or herself online that can be damaging if it fell into the wrong hands?
    When considering theft prevention and the personal information readily available via the internet, it may surprise some people to know that even the most essential statistics quickly arrive at a criminal’s fingertips.
    For example, sites like Anybirday give out, you guessed it, anyone’s birthday. A birth date is a critical piece of information for people concerned with identity fraud prevention, since most thieves are looking for just this type of personal information to commit identity theft.
    Other websites should be of concern for those trying to optimize identity theft prevention measures. Record search sites like Completed Detective and Find Someone can locate previous and current addresses with only a person’s first and last name. Criminal and civil court records are available through public databases.
    Of course, the biggest possibility for identity theft comes from online accounts. While the Internet Age has made it easier for us to do our banking and pay our bills, any online account has the potential to be compromised. These include:
    * Bank Accounts
    * Services like PayPal
    * Accounts for your bill paying services.
    * Individual accounts with online merchants
    A poor practice of identity theft prevention is online accounts protected by a simple password or PIN (personal identification number), like your birthday or your mother’s maiden name.
    Many people are inundated with passwords and stick to simple ones they can remember. That’s a huge advantage for an identity thief. A good password should have a random numbers, letters, and special characters like an exclamation point.
    Guard your passwords, personal identification number (PIN), and anything that could be used as an answer to a security question, like your mother’s maiden name. Even the most trusted person you know could unknowingly let your private passwords slip.
    The internet can be convenient and fast, but it is also a haven for possible information compromise. These simple suggestions are the first steps towards identity theft prevention and there are many more suggestions out there, all you have to do is take the time to protect yourself.

    Get all the information you need on identity theft prevention from Mike Selvon’s identity theft portal, and leave a comment at his identity theft blog.
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    ]]>     http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/an-identity-theft-prevention-primer/feed 0     Statistics of Identity Theft: Numbers Tell It All http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/statistics-of-identity-theft-numbers-tell-it-all http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/identity-theft-statistics/statistics-of-identity-theft-numbers-tell-it-all#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:21:20 +0000 pat http://www.identitytheftarticles.net/?p=72 Identity theft has risen from 4.2 million to 6-7 million cases throughout the last 5 years in which ecommerce has grown over the Internet. Potential victims are unaware of the thieves’ intentions until they receive their credit reports and make their claims. Statistics of identity theft are approaching alarming numbers as thieves use more complex scams to handle others’ information. It may include creating phony web pages and replaying server directors to send potential victims to their sites to enter their information. How can this be occurring so easily in the new, advanced society? Apparently the internet opened the door most identity thieves have been waiting for years.E-CommerceThe first cases of identity theft popped up once the internet created a sweeping presence in the business markets. Identity thieves created ways to pop up in IPO servers to gather some information from listing companies. These identity thieves create phony business accounts under previous victims to gather intelligence on future victims. With the phony business accounts available, the listing companies gave away the information to numerous identity thieves which increased the identity theft statistics around the globe. The numbers continue to climb at this moment because many victims are unaware of their information being mishandled by the companies. Privacy Act laws made it clear that companies must keep information confidential.Chaotic ResultsHighest rank in cases regarding identity theft occur offline because of the misuse of information. The statistics of identity theft are not surprising due to the thieves walking around preying on innocents as if it were a game. Out of the most degrading acts of identity theft are the “friendly hellos” in which identity thieves offer to help the elderly with house chores to handle their financial conditions. These individuals are not aware that the friendly hand that was offered to them is being used to take their savings or spending their social security checks in the wrong way.Protect Your IdentityMany of the identity theft statistics have something to do with internet transactions in which the victims were unaware of their information being collected for malice reasons. Placing A firewall prevents illegal access to your personal network or computer. Generally, they assist in protection from spyware, adware, worms, Trojan viruses, and hackers. Please set your security levels at the highest possible to protect your vital information from spybots that will linger through your computer system. Your social security cards, birth certificates, and other certified documents should be placed in your safety deposit box. The bank’s safe is more than enough to consider real security of your belongings. Help lower the identity theft statistics affecting numerous individuals across the globe.

    Click on any of these links to find out more about stop identity theft, identity theft statistics and internet identity theft.
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