Along with all the great things that come from the internet, there is also the bad. It doesn’t get any worse than identity fraud. By now you probably know someone who has been a victim of identify fraud if you haven’t been victimized yourself. There are a number of scenarios in which an identity thief can take control of your identity and cause havoc in your life. Make sure you are taking proper measures to protect yourself from identity thieves.
1.) Check Your Credit Report- There are three major companies which offer you a once a year review of you credit report at no cost to you. If predators have gotten your social security number and used your identity to apply from credit, cars, or a mortgage, it’s likely that this activity will show up on those reports.
2.) Only use Trusted Websites- Internet predators will use a scam called phishing in order to acquire your name, address, and social security number. It is important to verify that you are entering your most secure information into a trusted source and not falling prey to a scam.
3.) Don’t Give Your Information to People You Don’t Know- This is especially true where it concerns your e-mail. Internet predators will send thousands of e-mails in hopes of luring a few people who will turn over their most secure information. If that happens, its mission accomplished for the scammer, who will use your information to apply for credit or get larfe cash advances in your name.
The red tape involved in getting your life back is enormous. It can take years to unravel the mess that occurs when a theif uses your name and identity to fund his activities. Be smart with your name, birth date and address and especially your social security number. All it take is one instance of your information falling into the wrong hands.