Identity Theft is a sin

Identity theft is such a big crime that it would not be wrong to call it a sin. It ruins the victim’s life form upside down. It occurs when a criminal gets illegal access to the victim’s personal data in order to get finance.

Identity theft is one of the most extensively mounting crimes in the world. The worst thing is that one may get victim of this crime even if he or she is extremely careful. Even a single mistake can lead you to damage of your credit. These criminals are really difficult to catch because they play with your identity.

There are million ways to get access to your personal data starting from your social security number to your credit card and your web databases. Similarly these thieves have billion tricks to steal your personal information. All of your personal information like your security numbers, your credit card number, your account number, telephone number and home address can be leaked out and if it does, it can be misused in many ways.

In many countries like United States and Canada, there are many cases when people reported that some one has used their account without their permission. They have lost their money due to someone illegally using their credit card. In worst cases, the fraud has not only stolen the money from their accounts; they also have taken loans and opened new accounts under victim’s name. In these cases, poor victim not only lost his/her money but also has to fight for his damaged reputation.

Internet is a blessing for all of us. But for some people it has been a curse. Hackers and Phishers know how to hack your passwords and get access to your credits on web. It is easier to play fraud on web than in real world. Sometimes they send you spam emails to trap you. These emails carry attractive packages for people. They direct you onto some new link and when you want to enter into that link, they will ask your personal information. Never be a fool to give away your information to these links. You will be entering your data right into their databases.

If you have received mailed in applications for "preapproved" credit cards, but you have thrown them in the bin without tearing up the enclosed materials, criminals may retrieve them from the garbage and activate them without your knowledge. (Some credit card companies, when sending credit cards, have adopted security measures that allow a card recipient to activate the card only from his or her home telephone number but this is not yet a universal practice.) Also, if your mail is delivered to a place where others have ready access to it, criminals can just cut off and redirect your mail to another location so that they will receive them.

In these cases, the criminal might change the billing address of you credit. The billing reports will be received on a new address which will keep you unaware of all the explosive activities being done by your credit card. You will get to know when it is too late for you to act against the criminal.

Identity theft: Dangerous Crime

Identity theft is a dangerous crime which occurs when a fraud misuses your identity with the help of your personal information for his purposes. Personal information might include social security number, credit card, driver’s license number and much such information like that. The fraud might use this information for many illegal activities.

The victim is left with bad credit and long term recovery procedure of retrieving financial health. Victim will not only suffer through financial loss but also his social reputation would be highly damaged. Finance can be recovered easily but the reputation is hard to earn and hardest to recover back.

Identity theft has ruined many people’s lives before this law was made. In many cases the criminal misused the credit card of the victim to get many loans, cars, and guns and had the courage to call the helpless victim to tease him. Prey could not help this situation because there was no such law or agencies to take action on that.

Today, laws and agencies try their best to help but even now there is no complete security for your information. You have to be extra vigilant while handling your personal data. You personal data may be leaked out due to following carelessness on your side:

• If you throw away your important information into dustbin without properly shredding the paper.
• If you loose your wallet or your mail.
• If you put your personal data on the web unnecessarily.
• If you keep giving away your information out in public on a phone.
• If you are in habit of using your credit card or ATM card most often.
• Even if you are not that careless, they may steal your information from a loan or credit application form which you filled in a public organization like banks and hospitals.
• They may hack in to your systems to steal away your files.
• They may be your close relatives to deceive you.

Of course no one can make sure above situations never happen; but you may minimize the damage. Here are some tips which may help you in this regard:

• Keep a regular check on your credit reports to make sure you are the only user.
• Never carry your social security number along with you.
• Never give away your social security number to anyone unless you are sure about their authenticity.
• Do not put your socials security number or driver’s license number on your checks.
• Carefully destroy your papers with secured information with the help of a paper shredder.
• Do not reply to any suspicious mail.
• Make sure the mail box at your home is properly locked.
• Make an effort to reduce the number of preapproved credit card offers that you receive.

These ordinary sounding tips will help your soul at the end. Remember it is better to prevent the disease than to cure.