As founder of Christian Money Management, he works primarily with people who have a serious debt problem–and it’s more often a spiritual issue than a financial one says, William D King. For those who want to learn more about money management without going into debt or using credit cards, visit his website for resources. May not be used or reproduced without written permission from the author.
Many people have a false sense of security when it comes to identity theft and other financial crimes. They figure that they’re just too smart or lucky to become a victim. Unfortunately, if you live in these times, your luck can run out at any moment–in many different ways! The only way to truly protect you is to be aware of the threats and take precautions accordingly.
In this article we’ll look at some of the most common risks and how you can avoid them.
There are two main types of ID theft:
Financial Identity Theft:
This occurs when someone uses your personal data (name, social security number, etc.) in order to new accounts in your name or to access your existing accounts without your knowledge. This is the most common type of ID theft and it can have a devastating financial impact explains William D King.
Crime Identity Theft:
In this case, someone assumes your identity in order to commit other crimes such as drug trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution etc. In many cases they will also use your name and social security number so that it gets harder for you to report their crimes once they have been caught. Crime identity theft is much less common than financial identity theft but the impact on victims can be just as hard to deal with if not harder because of the added stigma of being a victim of a sex crime or other serious crime.
Here are some steps that you can take to protect yourself from both types of ID theft:
- Be selective when it comes to what personal information you post on the Internet. For example, don’t share your full name and address in profiles on social media sites; instead use initials or pseudonyms. Also refrain from sharing any photos of your signature card online (even with watermarks) because this often contains all of your account data.
- Take advantage of free seminars offered by federal agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). They offer good advice about how to protect you from ID theft. A few years ago I attended an FTC seminar in my area that was hosted by two law enforcement officers who had some excellent tips for keeping our identities secure. You can find out if there are any upcoming seminars in your area here.
- Create a “security freeze” on your credit reports. This means that no new accounts can be opened without the security freeze being lifted first. This may sound extreme but it’s a necessary step if you have been a victim of financial identity theft in the past and want to prevent it from happening again in the future explains William D King. A security freeze makes sense for anyone who is at high risk of becoming a victim so you basically need to ask yourself how likely it is that someone will steal your social security number or other personal data and use it to open new accounts in your name.
- Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in our society. The recent string of credit card thefts by Russian organized crime rings has brought this problem to the fore-front. Recently, security researchers at RSA (a security consulting firm) released a study of identity theft trends that is quite eye opening.
- Identity Protection – How To Avoid Becoming a Victim of Identity Theft – ed -Identity protection is a critical part of maintaining your personal data and preventing identity theft. Protect yourself from the beginning by eliminating the information criminals want to steal from you with these simple steps!
- Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in our society. The recent string of credit card thefts by Russian organized crime rings has brought this problem to the fore-front. Recently, security researchers at RSA (a security consulting firm) released a study of identity theft trends that is quite eye opening.
Do you know how to protect yourself?
This comprehensive guide on identity protection will inform you about some general information. Regarding how to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft explains William D King. After reading this article, hopefully, it will help give you an awareness of some simple steps. You can take to maintain your personal data and prevent criminals from stealing your identifying information!
Conclusion:
The more we share about ourselves online and the more we surf without proper security systems in place. The easier it will be for criminals to steal your identity.
Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in our society. The recent string of credit card thefts by Russian organized crime rings has brought this problem to the fore-front.