Identity Theft Statistics
Identity theft statistics can be quite an eye opener for many individuals. Many of us know how to reduce the likelihood that we will become a victim of identity theft, but that is the extent of our familiarity with the subject. Identity theft statistics should never been used as a license for letting down our guard. Regardless of what state you live in, you still have to take steps to reduce your risk of identity theft. Identity theft statistics from the US Federal trade Commission in 2001 indicate that 42% of complaints relate to identity theft. With nearly 90% of the American population featured in these files which are freely traded amongst marketing firms, the illegal access sought by identity theft criminals has been made remarkably simple.
Identity theft statistics are used by insurance companies, banks and law enforcement agencies to study the consequences and methods of these crimes. There is evidence that the identity thieves will increase so there is great interest in this information.
Identity theft is also a federal crime, and many federal agencies are working hard to combat identity theft. Federal law provides many protections for victims of identity theft. Identity theft is fraud committed or attempted by using the identifying information of another person without his or her authority. Identifying information may include such things as a Social Security number, account number, date of birth, driver's license number, passport number, biometric data and other unique electronic identification numbers or codes. Identity theft is considered as the professional crime of the 21st century.
Protecting yourself against identity theft involves nothing more than protecting this personal information, particularly the high sensitivity items. Anyone with knowledge of just one of your high sensitivity items can do a lot of damage. Protecting or recovering your identity is no easy task. It requires keeping track of information, following up with all the right agencies if your identity is stolen.
Victims often do not realize they have been victimized until weeks or months after the crime has been committed, and can provide little assistance to law enforcement. In short, identity theft has become the fastest-growing financial crime in America and perhaps the fastest-growing crime of any kind in our society, because offenders are seldom held accountable. Victims of identity theft often have a great deal of difficulty clearing their credit records, during which time their own credit rating and ability to obtain loans is often significantly impaired. In the most extreme cases, an identity thief may actually pretend to be you - obtaining identification cards, bank accounts, loans, and jobs using your name - where you don't find out there is a problem until you get hounded by bill collectors, contacted by the government about unpaid taxes, or even find out that a bankruptcy has been filed in your name.
Contact the toll-free fraud number of any of the three consumer reporting companies below to place a fraud alert on your credit report. You need to contact only one of the three companies to place an alert. Contact one of the credit report companies. Ask them to put a statement on your credit report that says, “Do not issue credit to anyone without contacting me personally”.
Box, use that instead of your home addres. Never have your social security number printed on your checks -- you can add it if it is necessary. Box instead of your home address or your work address. Never have your Social Security number printed on your checks (or anywhere else.) Do not have your driver's license number printed on there either: you can always write this information down later if needed.
File a police report if you find that you are a victim of Identity Theft . A police report known as an Identity Theft Report contains specific details of the theft and may provide you with certain legal rights in the case of Identity Theft. File a report with your local police or the police where the identity their took place. Get a copy of the report in case the bank, credit card company, or others need proof of the crime later on.
Secure browsers allow you to communicate with our Web site in a protected session by encrypting information that flows between you and the site. To verify your session is secure, look for https: instead of http: in the URL address line, and a secure symbol (for example, closed padlock or key) on the status bar of your browser located on the lower part of the screen. Securing this information is easy?simply visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228. You?ll be able to get one free credit report each year from each of the three major credit bureaus.
Banks never ask that you never send detailed account information in an e-mail. This is because they are more than aware that criminals might intercept your e-mails. Banks may wish to make available to their customers information about how to prevent identity theft and necessary steps to take in the event a customer becomes a victim of identity theft.
Check with your state's DMV to see if another license has been issued in your name. Put a "fraud alert" on your license if your state's DMV has a fraud alert program. Check your credit report now! Also, every three to six months thereafter.
Shred bank statements, pre-approved offers, and other sensitive documents before throwing them away. It's a good idea to opt out of special credit offers that come in the mail. Shred all financial statements, billing statements, and preapproved credit card offers and the like before throwing them in the trash. Cross-cut shredding is best.
Include a phone number where you can be reached. Includes alerts and unlimited online access to your credit report. Also, your own personal caseworker will guide you through the steps of resolving identity theft, e.g. Include letters, numbers, and a special character or two. Do not use dictionary words.
The best way to prevent identity theft is by using LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention.LifeLock's job is to protect your good name. As a consumer, you have rights that allow you to take more control over who uses your identity and how they use it. LifeLock does nothing fancy. Well, I take that back… they have done something fancy. LifeLock's solid product and $1 Million Total Service Guarantee coupled with consumers' ever growing focus on identity theft puts you in the power seat to harness our massive growth.
Read more about Identity Theft Statistics here!
Read more about Identity Theft here!