Curiosities Blog

The problem of Identity Theft

Identity theft is one of the most troubling problems of the modern world. I could not believe the identity theft statistics that were recently released. At this point one out of every four people will have to deal with this issue. This area is so new that the government does not have a way to even begin to address these staggering identity theft statistics until new laws and regulations are established to police the internet.

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.

Those who go through identity theft have a lot of problems that can follow them around for years to come. Sometimes, it is impossible to get your credit repaired after something like this happens.

So what about the whole identity fraud and security issue with the net? Do you thing your credit card number is in the hands of a cyber-crook? Or maybe you’re worried about your social security number and/or bank transactions being viewed by a third party. Well, to set your mind at ease a bit, I will tell you that 95 percent of all identity theft happens off the web. I know, I know, that’s not totally reassuring, but it should relieve you some when surfing the web for Christmas gifts. It’s doubtful that your personal information will be received by third parties. The cool thing about reputable web-stores is their security. The majority of them have very secure transaction pages. This way your credit card information is on lockdown.

One of the most important things anyone can have in their home office is one or two paper shredders. When you throw away important documents, you run the risk of someone going through your trash and picking them out. If someone wants to commit identity theft, all they need is your name, birthday, and social security number. They may then take out loans, or more likely credit cards in your name. You may be able to get things straightened out if this were to happen to you, but chances are good that your credit will be ruined, and even though you were the victim, you may end up owing the money anyway.

How to protect yourself from identity theft?
the only sure form of protection from identity theft nowadays is to live as a hermit with no contact with technology at all. This, obviously, is not a practical solution for any of us. The only other solution is constant vigilance. If you really want protection from identity theft, you should use strong encryption whenever possible, have a firewall to protect your computer, check your credit information and credit score every month or two, and document every monetary transaction you make. This is too much work for most people, and even many security experts – colleagues of mine – do not do all of these things. Nevertheless, they are necessary if you want protection from identity theft.

Having your identity stolen is an incredible pain in the neck even if you have done all you can to ensure your protection from identity theft. Still, it will be much better than if you have no proof or documentation of your activities.

Add comment agosto 27th, 2007