ID Theft
The fastest growing crime in America!
The Federal Trade Commission says that Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America.
What is ID theft?
ID theft is the act of stealing one's identity and using it as the thief's own. For example I steal your ID and pretend to be you. I can drain your bank account, make new credit cards, use your health insurance and ruin your life.
Credit cards
Credit cards contain RFID chips in side of them that a criminal could use to get your information using an RFID reader.
Read more here.
False websites
Criminals use false websites to lure people in and have them enter personal information that could lead to ID theft.
Read more here.
Read more here.
Scams
These scams may be free computer scans, the software installs and looks for personal information.
Read more here.
How can you protect yourself?
You can protect yourself by using a document shredder to destroy unwanted documents containing personal information, this includes bank statements, credit reports, receipts, anything that contains personal information.
Another way to protect yourself is to only give personal information to websites that you trust. Make sure that you're not on a fake website.
Another way to protect yourself is to only give personal information to websites that you trust. Make sure that you're not on a fake website.
What do you do when your ID is stolen?
- First inform the credit reporting companies that you are victim of credit fraud.
- Order credit reports (you get a free credit report from the three credit reporting companies)
- File a identity theft report.
Written by:
Colin Loyd