Identity Theft Articles

If the term identity theft brings to mind images of ‘bad guys’ rummaging through your garbage looking for an account number or spying eyes ready to memorize your PIN numbers and passwords - think again. It could be as simple as someone signing into a forum using your account or as serious as having a mortgage taken out in your name.

Not protecting your sensitive information makes you a prime target for identity theft. The consequences could be an unnoticed $20 charge on your credit card or credit agencies knocking on your door.

What Is Identity Theft?

Identity theft or identity fraud is any inappropriate use of your personal and financial information. The misuse of your Social Security number, credit card, bank accounts, passwords or any data specific to you is a crime.

Um…So What Is It Really?

Identity theft is hours wasted trying clear your name of something YOU didn’t do or say.

What’s in a name?

You decide to take out a mortgage, a college loan or buy a car and you realize that your credit is not up to par. It’s not only your credit that’s affected, but the name associated with every other account under that name.

Is It Really the End of the World?

In order for you to clear your name as a victim, you’ll need to file a police report, put a freeze on your accounts and fill out a fraud complaint with the FTC…And wait…And wait some more…

Victims spend an average of 330 hours recovering from identity theft. Wouldn’t you rather be doing something else with that time?

Still Not Convinced?

Take a look at these stats. In 2005:

• 2.2 million - car accidents
• 2.2 million - burglaries
• 1.2 million - stolen cars

All these incidents added up don’t even amount to half of the amount of victims of identity theft in that same year

• 15 million - victims of identity theft.

Some statistics go as far as to claim that every 79 seconds a thief steals someone’s identity, opens accounts in the victim’s name and goes on a buying spree.

An Identity Is Only As Strong As Its Weakest Link

The very basics of security starts with you - never reuse a password!

Nowadays everything can be done online - working from home, shopping, paying a bill. In order to protect your identity, you need to protect it online. Start with your weakest link: passwords.

Makeshift or do-it-yourself solutions are not enough. You need to use an application designed specifically for the task, online password managers. This online vault should be using fundamental online security like anti-phishing, AES encryption and host-proof hosting.

And Remember

Reusing the same password across accounts is like using a hypodermic needle - all you need is for it to be compromised once and everything else associated to it is at risk.