The Facts About Identity TheftIdentity theft is a crime that takes place when someone steals your identity and uses it to drain money from your accounts, purchase items by credit in your name, obtain credit cards or loans from banks, or pay for embarrassing web services such as porn web sites. Since the thief has no intention of giving out payment for any of these actions, this can leave you with a huge black mark on your record, and turn a good credit score into a poor one practically overnight. Not only do identity fraudsters steal money from you and steal others using your name, they cripple your credit rating so badly that you may have severe problems qualifying for any future credit or insurance, or even finding a decent job. You can end up losing some of your property, such as a house on mortgage, or losing your job. You can find yourself under investigation by the police, too, damaging your good reputation. This is especially true if your identity is used by someone else to commit a crime, which could be anything from a traffic violation to receiving stolen goods to accessing a child porn web site. What does someone need to steal your identity? Your social security number, your date of birth, and personal information such as your address and phone number may be enough for someone to take on your identity. In fact, when you fill in a form for such things as a credit card application or even a deposit form at your bank, you are providing information that can be used in identity fraud. That is why you should not carelessly toss out such information or documentation--shred it or cut it into pieces before throwing it in the trash. Many identity thieves steal others’ identities by “dumpster diving” or sorting through someone else’s trash to obtain personal information. Note that on the Internet, it is very easy to fill up forms on web sites, leaving you vulnerable to identity theft. The information you type in is often saved in your computer memory as well, and someone with the right skills can access it. You are especially vulnerable if you: i. Enter personal information on a non-secure computer, such as a public terminal at a web café ii. Forget to log out of an account after finishing your business, especially on a public web terminal iii. Leave your computer at home or work unprotected and accessible to others iv. Use a common password for different personal accounts, including your email, bank account, online store accounts, and memberships on sites like eBay and PayPal v. Do not use a firewall program or anti-spyware software You need to take steps to protect yourself. Be more defensive with your private information. Make sure that it does not fall into the wrong hands. To Be Continued Click Here To Read More
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