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What is the best method to guard yourself against identity theft?
Is identity theft a crime?


Identity theft could be any kind of fraud, deceit or crime that causes losses of private data including usernames and passwords, banking details, credit card numbers, Social Security Numbers and health ID's, that is then used without your consent for fraud, and other crimes.


Nearly 9 millions Americans have their identities stolen each year , according to the FTC1, and at least 534 million records of personal information have been compromised since 2005 as a result of attacks on the databases of corporations, government institutions, bodies and other organizations2. If these breaches were spread evenly over the U.S. population of 310 million, everybody would have been a victim of identity theft. stolen one-third of the time.


For some consumers, identity theft is a nagging troublesome issue, and they're able resolve their problems and restore their identity. For others , restoring their identity can cost hundredsor thousands of dollars, require weeks to finish, cause huge damage to their name as well as result in losing job opportunities, even influence the refusal of loan applications for housing, school or cars if potential lenders or employers see the damage to you credit reports. Certain consumers have even been arrested for crimes committed by somebody using their identities, and needed to prove they were not the culprits.


How can identities be stolen?


Customers are victims of identity theft by way of a variety of exploitations. It is possible to be victimized by the old-fashioned ways , where thieves (including relatives!) steal mail from your mailbox look through your trash for bank and credit card statements take purses, wallets and wallets and even create an extra copy of your credit card - maybe when your waiter or employee leaves to complete your payment.


Online identity theft occurs when victims fall for tricks such as phishing scams and confidence scams as well as download malware on their smartphones or computers that steals their data; use wireless networks that're unsafe; withdraw money from an ATM with a rigged by a skimming device that stores your data; or share your passwords with shady people as well as having their personal information stolen when data breaches are discovered on corporate in government, educational and other websites.


What can I do to protect my personal information online?

Here are a few crucial ways you can stop identity theft online:





Make sure your phone and computer are protected by using up-to date, strong security software. If your phone or computer is infected , malicious software Additional security measures are helpful since you've provided the criminals with an access point to all online activities. online actions. Also ensure that any operating system updates have been installed.





Learn to recognize scams and fraud. Though some phishing scams are easily identifiable, other scams that involve phishing in emails, IM, on social networking websites, or on websites might appear authentic. The only way you can ensure you do not fall victim to a fraudulent phishing scheme is to avoid clicking on a link that is sent to you. In the case of an example, if the email says it's an email from your bank with all the appropriate logos and recognizes your name, it may be from your bank but it could also not be. Instead of clicking the URL provided, look up it yourself with an internet search engine. This will ensure that you have landed on a legitimate website, not some fake up fake site.





Use strong passwords. Unsecure passwords are a theft thief's dream especially if you make use of the same password in all. Once they know the password to your account, they could track your accounts in your financial account and create chaos. It is essential to have passwords that are in length (over 10 characters) with a strong password (use top and bottom cases of letters, numbers and symbols) Also, it should have nothing associated with private information (like name, date of birth birthday, birthdate, pet). Two-factor authentication and password managers (2FA) are the two the best methods for managing passwords.





Review your credit scores. By law you have the rights to receive three free credit reports each year; from Experian, Transunion, and Equifax.





These three credit bureaus work together through a website called AnnualCreditReport.com so you can quest all three reports at once in one of the following ways:





Visit the website. With this highly secure website you can view, and download your credit card report.





Call toll-free: (877) 322-8228. They'll walk you through a basic verification procedure by phone. After that, you'll receive the reports by mail to you.





Request by mail. If you reside in one of the states, fill out the form and send the completed form to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. (Get more details.)





Be aware that once you request your report, you'll need be patient for a full year to receive it free and again from the same credit reporting company. (Of course, you are able to request a copy your credit report at any point.)





Examine Identity restoration . Examine if there are any new credit card transactions and loans, as well as other transactions on your account you are not aware of. If there are, you should take urgent steps to make sure they are be canceled and investigated.





Freeze your credit. Criminals use stolen IDs as a way to open new credit lines. They can stop attempts to use your identity simply blocking (called freezing) your credit account so that any new credit can't be provided without additional data and controls. Most states have laws that give you the right to get a free credit freeze. However, even when states do have no legally binding requirements, the major credit bureaus will offer a security freeze service at a very low cost.





To determine if there is any cost associated with placing a security freeze on your credit. Also, to temporarily lift that freeze if you decide to apply for credit, check out the State Freeze Requirements as well as Fees.





Always go to websites that are reputable when making purchases. If you aren't sure about the reputation of a company you're planning to buy from, do your homework. How do they rate by others? Do they have a good ranking with Better Business Bureau? Do they use a secured encryption for financial and personal data? Hypertext transfer protocol Secure (https) as its name implies is a safer alternative to the earlier Hypertext transfer protocol (http). The new protocol was developed to ensure the security and security of websites therefore it is important to see "https" in a website's URL every time it requests financial or personal details.





Stay alert. Be on the lookout for common signs of identity theft, including:





Incorrect information on your credit reports, including you Social Security number, address(es) or employer's name.





Not receiving your bills or other letters. If your bills don't arrive or come late, contact your creditors. An unpaid bill may mean that an ID thief has gained access to your account and has changed the billing address of your account to conceal the crime.





Receive new credit card offers to you which you didn't apply for.





A credit approval being denied or being forced to pay high-interest rates with no reason.





Receiving emails or notices about late payments for goods or services you did not purchase.





Be cautious of public WiFi and think twice before using a public WiFi network. Virtual private networks, also known as VPNs are tools designed to help secure yourself from surveillance on network security. WiFi networks.





Implementing these eight steps regularly to both defend and monitor your credit score will lower the risk of having your identity stolen. This will also alert the user immediately in case a issue arises. Internet security products that provide identity theft protection protect against the specialized malware that aims to get personal information from you by recording your keystrokes or recording your browsing sessions. Make sure you protect usernames, account numbers along with other personal details against spyware and other online security threats targeting important personal information.


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