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.

Tips to Prevent Identity Theft

Anticipation is always considered better than treatment. In case of identity theft, it is considered highly recommended. To call identity theft a sin would not be wrong as it has totally ruined many people’s life. Identity theft takes away the money and the reputation as well.

Identity theft can ruin your money and can misuse your name in many illegal activities. The thief might take loan under your name and/or even open a new account(s) with your name. Thief will disappear as soon his game is over and you will be the one suffering all the consequences like answering to police and other agencies.

These criminals are smart enough to get access to your data without you noticing that. All they need is your social security number, name and residential address to ruin your credit. With all this precious data in their hands, they may get your date of birth; mother’s maiden name and every necessary statistics require opening a new account.

If the above information is already leaked out, criminal might get several credit cards under your name. These cards are the easiest to get; all they need is your driving license with a picture ID and your social security number.

Awareness is the key to success to prevent your self from being a victim. There are many steps which you might take to minimize the risk up to a great level.

To protect your identity with credit cards: you must check the credit card application process of the stores where you are applying for credit cards. Check how much secure their process is. Only apply for the credit card at a store if you are fully satisfied.

You also need to check and discuss this matter with all private companies or business organizations you deal with. Ask them how they dispose of the documents from their clients and how much secure their database is.

Never entertain such queries on phone when they ask you for the verification process claiming to be your bank manager or someone like that.

If you have any intention to dispose of your documents, always use the paper shredder so that no one gets this stuff from your bin. Do not carry all of your credit cards or checkbooks along with you in your wallet.

Never write your credit card number on checks. Have a regular check on your bank statements and if you have applied for a credit card and it is taking too long to receive you, you better ask your bank again, Do not use one credit card for high bills and do not throw away your receipts after shopping.

These ordinary sounding guidelines will save you from lot of trouble at the end.

Safeguarding your Social Security Number

Social security number is an identification number which is owned by every person starting from a business tycoon to an employee in ordinary organization. With the raise of communication technologies, the number identity theft is increasing rapidly. These social security numbers are being used in every financial transaction, billings, savings and daily shopping. Social security number alone is sometimes enough to get loan, deposits or cash credits.

There exist some other security numbers like your Automated Teller Machine number, credit card numbers and master card numbers but these are used for high end potential credibility. These are approved and released only on the strict and stiff screening process. With the help of these cards, the card holder may not need to carry bulk of cash while traveling abroad and can access his/her account from anywhere around the globe.

World of technology has indeed provide us with convenience but it brings along some problems too. Identity theft is the biggest problem people are facing nowadays. You need to be really careful if you do not want to face this situation. Follow the instructions given below to minimize the risk:

• Never give away your telephone number and residential address without any specific reason to just any body you have just met. Blind trust on strangers can cause big trouble to you.
• Do not use transparent bag for your important document; keep these under key and lock even in your home and in your office room. Sometimes you may have some employees spying on you. Friends and/or close relatives with financial needs can misuse your secured information to get access to the money.

• Some accidents are beyond our control like hacking of your website or the company’s database which carries your information. In these cases, you can minimize the risk by keeping a regular check on your bank reports. In these report every single money transaction is given and you may check if something is not correct.
• If you receive any call for the verification process of your identity number and account information, do not entertain the queries. If insisted, tell them to hang up the call, and call back your bank to confirm if they have asked for any such verification.
• Never provide your personal information to any website if that is not protected with a Security socket layer.

We owe it to ourselves to be on guard against anyone seemingly of doubtful character. There are many reasons why Identity Numbers Social Theft does exist. Some start this just as a habit to deviate from the usual norm of conduct, and insist on doing things negative. Some wants it because it is the easy way to earn. Remember it is harder to recover this damage if it’s done once. Having attained full control in the “hide and seek” from the law games, it is futile to get immediate solutions.

Identity theft versus plain robbery

Identity theft can not be compared to an ordinary theft. It covers many categories. This is not just stealing of one number or a mistake done or misunderstanding of any data which might be common to salesperson. It is actually a fraud which is done by deception behind the stealing, misunderstanding and lie.

Identity theft is the perfect combination of robbery and fraud which is done in order to create crime in the immigration, spying, access to someone’s property for financial gains. It can not be compared with plain robbery where rob

ber takes away just the money.

In case of identity theft, a victim not only loses his/her money but his social reputation is also on stake. These criminals will take control over victim

’s credit card, telephone number, website passwords and social security number. All of this information is enough for a fraud to misuse person’s name in many different ways.

These criminals may get the authority over name an

d can do millions of crime under your name. They are fearless than normal robbers because their own identity is hidden in this case. They play behind the stage with your name on the board. Identity theft and fraud is one bundle of gigantic crime package that could start with a concerned demand of one’s social security, or telephone number.

These crimes do not end here. Once they are finished with your money, they will start misusing your closed friends and trusted relative’s data. These criminals get greedy every coming day and you and your family will suffer badly. It is highly recommended to avoid getting you and your family into such painful situation.

You must perform every single step which is required to keep these notorious criminals away.

1) Never give away your social security number to anyone unless the person proves his/her identity to you.

2) It’s uncommon that someone asks for your middle initial (mother’s surname). If it happens never give away until you have all your satisfaction. Banks and other organization already have this information in their records so it is not possible that they would call you to ask this information again.

3) If you have any intention to discard your card and important document copies, always use a paper shredder before throwing them in bin.

4) Do not trust any service man that came to you with the renewal of your credit card and ask for your personal information. If they insist tell them to prove their authenticity or bring along the letterhead of the original office.

5) Keep a regular check at your mail box; so your letter with plenty of information may reach only your hands.

Cure to Identity Theft

If you have been the victim of identity theft, do not consider yourself alone. There are many helpless people like you who have been the injured party of this cruel crime. So if you have been the victim of this crime, do not stay quiet, share it with the right people who may guide you in right direction.

If you have fallen prey to this crime, contact police and/or authorities as soon as possible. They can direct you to right path telling you what is right for you. Never ignore this theft and do not deal it like a normal robbery. Identity theft has its long term after effects. Identity theft does not mean that you lose your property and money but it also takes away your good social reputation. Money is hard to earn but it is recoverable, but if reputation is broken, it is hardest to get back.

You can report authorities to tell them the real situation because without that, they might be considering you the culprit. They will never be able to figure out that someone else is illegally using your data and credit card. To tell them the real story, you will have to be super active and fight this growing criminal bandwagon.

Reporting your area police is the first step in this regard. You will have to visit the closest police station and tell them what happened to you. Some people have this feeling that police will misunderstand them and would not trust their story. This might be the rare case because these authorities are handling such situations almost daily. They might not help you recover from trauma but they will help you catch the criminal.

You should take all the documents required as evidence. You must bring along bank statements which prove the misuse of your credit card without your consent. Also take the documents which show the opening of new credit card without your authorization. Take all accounts and credit lists which have been affected by this fraudulent act.

In addition to police, you must also report this theft to the Federal Trade Commission. They are the one who have expert investigation team which search the crime in more depth. In most of the cases, police takes help from this investigation team to examine the felony.

Go to http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ to register your complaint and for additional steps to take if you’ve been victimized by identity theft. The Federal Trade Commission may not be able to help you regain what was lost when your identity was stolen but their far-reaching investigations and statistics analysis can be helped if you report identity theft.

Your creditors also get affected by the accident which strokes you. After you have reported into Police Station and FTC, you must send copies of police report to these creditor and financial institution you work with. Attach a letter of explanation along with that explaining you have been the victim of identity theft. They are your business dealers so they have the right to know to get them protected.

How to cure identity theft?

Identity theft is becoming the biggest crime throughout the world. Identity theft occurs when a person steals the personal information of any other person and misuses it for his own purposes. The advent of technology and cyber world is also increasing this crime every day. On internet it is easier to access personal information. The rapid increase in the usage of credit cards and ATM cards is another reason of this identity theft.

No doubt every person finds it easy to do transactions and shopping online. It seems convenient but it is risky too. When a person puts his personal information on websites, it becomes easier for the hackers to get access on your information.

These criminals can use your credit information for many crimes without you being aware.

The reason for the increase of this crime is that any person who possesses credit cards or even social security number can be a potential victim of this theft. This is considered dangerous because a person is unaware of this damage until the criminal’s game is over.

There are many ways that can make this identity theft possible. If you are in habit of putting your personal information on internet, you can be the most probable victim of this crime. If you loose your wallet with your important information or if the personal documents are stolen, you can be a victim. Your personal information can be stolen if you leave them unlocked at home or in office.

Sometimes the use of credit cards in utility store can be dangerous. Frequent use of ATM card can also be the cause of leakage of your personal information. Do not ever tell proudly the amount you are carrying in your bank accounts. Your bank mailing address should be the one where you are available all the time.

The hard fact behind this crime is that there exists no single solution to completely neglect this theft. One can minimize the risk but still there is a probability of falling into that category. One needs to be aware of all the cases and options to minimize the risk.

You need to be very careful while using your credit card. If you are not using them frequently, you can have a regular check on your credit reports. This will give you detailed information of all the transactions and billing and you may know if anyone else is using your credit card. There exist some steps which you may take if you found out someone else misusing your card.

The first thing you must do soon after figuring out some suspicious activity is to contact a fraud department. They will start a fraud alert on your credit and you will be notified at every single activity with your credit card. Like if the fraud tries to open a new account with your name, or he would try to change the billing address.

You must also file a complaint with FTC that will help the agency understand the problem in detail. Identity theft and the problems that victims face on such circumstances. This will be able to help in formulating better solutions to the increasing identity theft problem. Awareness is the key to preventing identity theft. Being responsible for protecting how we divulge our personal information can help greatly in making us avoid being unwilling victims.

Identity Theft: Get Insured

Identity theft was never considered that practical before the advent of technology and cyber world. With the rising technologies these hackers and phishers can be compared to the con artists from the fantasy movies and suspense-thrillers.

Problems expand when the cyber world is involved because you will have to worry not only for your credit cards and wallets but also for your online data. This online information can be hacked and misused for plenty of crimes.

According to FTC, there are more than 160,000 reported cases in the United States in the year 2002. Need of the hour is to find some solution to keep yourself safe or at least minimize the damage. Identity theft insurance gives money back the victims of identity thefts for the cost of restoring their identity and repairing credit reports.

There exist many different kinds of identity theft insurances varying from company to company. Some companies include identity theft insurance as part of their home insurance policy. Some sell them as a stand alone policy or as a support to homeowners or renters insurance policies.

These policies are affordable as they charge almost $25 and $50 for $15,000 to $25,000 worth of coverage. Identity theft insurance provide compensation for the expenditures like lost wages, phone bills and certified mailing costs. Sometime it may also include attorney fees with the prior consent of the insurer.

Complaints about identity theft have rushed forward from about 40,000 in 1992 to 750,000 in 1998, according to regulators.

Las vegan Julia had a worst experience of identity theft when she had to stay in jail for 3 days and had to pay a fine of $15,000 because she lost her purse with personal information. Thief misused her credit card and she had to suffer for two years till her life get back to normal track.

Clark Country metro police receive almost 70 new cases of identity thefts in only one week. According to a report, identity theft is considered as the fastest growing crime in America and no wonder soon we all will be the victims.

Ted Burke is a former law enforcement agent who has spent many years dealing with identity theft victims. "They really didn't have an antidote or way to stop the bleeding until we came about.” Bruke is now working in Nevada as the senior regional vise president of prepaid legal services. This company is spread all over in America. Bigger the company - higher the risk of being a victim. That is why his company has now started partnership with Kroll Inc., which is the biggest investigative agency in United States. The mission is to provide an insurance policy for identity theft victims.

These companies will provide extra shield to your credit every time. These shields will be monitoring your credit details and transaction activities all the time and will be reporting you time by time. This way you will no longer stay unaware of any change occurred to your account or credits. These shields have been the considered the most effective way to guard your identity till now.

Ted Burke adds, "It gives them peace of mind. They can sleep at night knowing we're watching their back 24-7, 7 days a week no matter where they are or what they are doing, we are taking care of them."

Identity theft shield benefits will cost your family anywhere from $10 to $12 a month. Pre-paid legal Services has been in business for more than 30 years and operating in Nevada since 1989.

Online Identity Theft

Internet has no doubt brought many facilities for the people of today. People may deal with business transactions more easily. They no longer have to follow those long tiring procedures of going to bank and waiting for their turn. No one can restrain taking advantage if he or she has the facility of internet. But usually people are unaware of the harsh realities of these fancy looking conveniences.

Identity theft occurs when some person misuse someone else’s identity for his own purposes. In the United States, the highest cases come from age ranging 30 to 39, obviously those from the group of productive working class.

According to a research, almost 700,000 people get involved in these identity theft cases every year. Every single person spends an average of $1000.00 for the damage. Imagine the tragedy if each of them will spend 3 days clearing themselves instead of personally earning. This is simply clear that this crime is highly affecting the world’s economy and the damage rate is higher than the recovery rate.

The need of the hour is to keep double care of your belongings so that you may not regret later. You might lose your identity very easily like the loss of you wallet, which has you credit cards and signatures. Your reputation of being famous financially can also make you target. Using ATM cards most often and trusting on your employees or colleagues blindly.

If you own a bank account or a credit card or even social security number, you might be the unwilling victim of identity theft. The worst thing in this theft is that the real person stay unaware of the theft until the damage is done. Thief will misuse his credit card, will apply for loan and can change the billing address leaving the actual person unaware of the damage.

Similarly your personal data in online world is not safe enough to trust blindly. Any reputable company will take extra care to keep precious data of the customers safe. Some companies do hire hackers to jot down the loop holes in their systems so that no hacker from outside the world can attack their systems. To kill these criminals, you have to take help from people like them for they can only understand their minds.

Internet world is no doubt attractive and we visit almost every other website without thinking twice. But visiting any new web link will expose your system’s internet protocol address to these people. Which means you are telling them your location and service provider? These webmasters can look through your web history and online traffic as well; eventually will bring out your secured information causing trouble for you.

The existence of the track records, naively created by simple browsing, enables crime makers to arbitrate through your codes to your local computer. On the contrary, reputable sites leave scripts for a simple reason of making the browsing convenient to returning visitors.

Identity theft cases are more alike other identity theft cases where a person looses his identity out of nowhere. You may never specify your safe steps which can be followed to avoid this theft. But again extra vigilance is required to stay away from such bad consequences.

Tips on Avoiding Yourself from Identity theft

What exactly is identity theft and why it is affecting so many people’s life? The news of the people being victimized by this identity theft is increasing every day. It is not only the identity; people’s lives are getting changed with this dangerous crime. If one wants to avoid this theft and stay away, one must understand it in depth.

Identity theft is basically defined as the theft where person’s money and reputation is on stake. A thief steals person’s secured information and misuses it to get access to money and property. Although personal information is held with care yet there are million of loopholes from where this information can be leaked.

In identity theft, your identity can be stolen by just your credit card and your signature on it. Once your identity is stolen a person can pretend to be the owner of that identity and get hand on the money. Credit card is not the only gate for these thieves. They can be the hackers and hack your information from internet.

Money is not the only target of these criminals. They can do many crimes using your identity and in the end you will be the one paying the consequences. These criminals can steal your credit card records and call your card issuer to change the billing address. Once it is done, they can then charge purchases on your account without you knowing it.

If a person changes the billing address, you will be facing massive damage because you will find out late about the theft. In this situation that fraud might open another account using your identity and he has to pay no bills. You will realize this as a problem when the delinquent accounts turn up on your credit report.

The worst situation comes when the fraud opens a new account with your name and gets a new identification card with your name but his picture. He may take huge loans and bad checks under your name. After his game is over, he will be running away from police bravely showing your name and you will be the one facing police.

Police may arrest you when the criminal does not appear in court. A warrant will be issued in his name, which is in actual your name. Now you might be feeling the bad face of getting your identity stolen.

If you want to keep yourself protected from such criminals, you need to be extra vigilant with your information. Consider it like diamonds in your hand and keep them under key and lock. Do not ever speak your personal information aloud in crowd. When you are in stores doing some shopping. Never hand over your credit cards to the shop keeper.

Try to minimize your risk, limit your use of ATM cards. Never carry your check books along with you. For your credit accounts, you can report it to the different fraud agencies who can issue a fraud alert on your account. This alert would notify creditors to contact you every time a new account is being made under your name. You can also have your affected credit accounts closed to stop further infringement. Report also your problem to the police as well as the FTC in order to make the necessary legal arrangements and cases in the event that the perpetrators are apprehended.

Can You Stop Credit Card Identity Theft?

Nowadays credit card security has been the biggest issue. No doubt the use of credit card has been increasing with every rising day but this brings along security threats as well. It has been a common trouble that these thieves get hands on your security number and they can misuse this for their own purposes. Such kind of threat is known as Identity theft where a person’s personal identity is on stake.

If you are a credit card user, you can be an unwilling victim of this theft. There exist many ways of Credit card identity theft. Due to this transaction and financial contracts being handled through computer or internet, people’s personal information is somewhat safe now. This online way of money transaction has made credit card identity theft much defenseless.

In credit card identity theft, a thief claims to be the owner of the card and does purchases from this money. If you do not keep your information safe, your money can also be used by anyone else without your notice.

Credit card theft is possible in many different ways. If you use your credit card often you must be the most probable victim of credit card identity theft. People who use their credit card more commonly have the highest risk to leak their personal information. You might not hand over your credit card to the shop keeper, instead use it yourself. The signature on your credit card might be stolen and copied for any misuse.

Your private information should be on your own uphold because a lot of crimes can be committed using your own records. It can be as easy as calling your own credit card issuer to change your billing address once they get crack of your credit card information. The fraud can then run charges on your account without you even knowing it because your bills are being sent to a different address.

Your credit card information can be further misused to create a new account on your name. You must be very careful while using your credit card as this information can be leaked and misused without you being aware of that. That fraud might use your credit card in some illegal activities and the bill of all these activities will be included in your report card.

This will be much difficult for you to use your credit card in any nice and quality place if the record of your credit report is not clean. You might be unaware of these fraud activities with your credit card and you may end in an investigation by police. He or she might be doing the wrong deeds with your credit card but you will be the one facing court and law in the end if you stay unaware. So be extra vigilant while using your credit card.