Identifying Identity Theft Ploys
Most people realize that identity theft is becoming an ever increasing problem. If you've ever been a victim of identity theft, you know how much of a hassle it can be not to mention financially devastating.
Understanding some of the tactics that identity thieves use can help you avoid becoming a victim.
A variety of methods are used to steal your personal information, some of which are the following:
Dumpster diving - the thieves look through your trash in an attempt to find personal information, such as can be found on bills, bank statements, credit card statements and the like. They will also get information from tax statements, preapproved credit offers, and even old check stubs. Never simply throw this kind of information in the trash. Instead, investing in a small personal shredder that can make this information unreadable is wise.
Phishing - have you ever received e-mail spam or a pop-up message attempting to get you to send money or reveal personal information? This is called phishing, and the thieves will pretend to be legitimate businesses, financial institutions or even the government in an attempt to get your information. These solicitations can look entirely legitimate, including the use of official logos, taglines, etc. But most businesses will not use such tactics unless you have agreed in advance to be contacted in such a way. And government agencies such as the IRS will never contact you in such a manner. Never respond or send information to online sites that are not secure and that you are not absolutely certain are legitimate.
Skimming - sophisticated thieves can actually install a special electronic storage device at legitimate businesses that allow them to steal your credit/debit card information. They can actually in some cases transfer that information to themselves through wireless methods. These are hard to detect, but should you notice something that appears to be out of the ordinary on a credit card scanning device, do not scan your card and do report it to the business involved.
Change of address forms - the thief will simply fill out a change of address form to divert your billing statements to another location. Be aware of when you normally should receive common billing statements, and promptly notify the sender if not received.
Physical theft - the actual theft of wallets and purses, mail, etc. is still very much an issue. You should promptly report any such missing items to the authorities.
By understanding the above methods of committing identity theft and employing some of these simple suggestions, you can go a long way to keeping it from happening to you.
Another suggestion is to frequently check your relevant accounts online and look for suspicious activity, immediately reporting the unknown activity to the appropriate party.
Working together, we can all reduce the recurrence of identity theft.
