A very common crime committed nowadays is identity theft. While this information has been on the news, and a major topic of discussion for several years, a lot of people are still unsure about what it is and how it happens. No one is safe from identity theft. This most disheartening thing about it is that the victims are completely unaware of what is happening. Here are a few examples to help introduce you to some of the various ways identity theft criminals work, and how they are able to get access to someone's personal information.
Rummaging through trash seems to be the most common starting point that thieves choose to retrieve information they can use to commit identity theft. They will walk along a street that has trash bags out on the road because it is pickup day the next day and they will either go through the bags right there if they don't think anyone's looking or they may even pick the bags up and take them home with them to go through them more thoroughly. The best way to avoid this is to make sure that you are not leaving bags of garbage out on the street any longer than necessary. It is a good idea to shred your documents before you toss them in the garbage. You definitely don't want to throw away driver's licenses or health cards without first completely destroying them.
You have probably heard about identity thieves who swindle information from people by calling them at home and asking questions. Usually they will call pretending to represent a credit card company or a financial institution, and they try to get you to verify information like your name, address, or social security number. To prevent something like this from taking place, it is important to double check and be certain that you know who you are talking to on the phone.
Another popular avenue identity thieves use to steal your personal information is called phishing. Phishing is done online through the internet by sending certain types of malware applications to your computer, which then gives them access to your files and other information they can use to actually open credit accounts under your name that they will proceed to use. One of the scariest and most dangerous things about being on the Internet is your constant vulnerable exposure to criminal agents who can steal your identity at any time. To combat this, you should make sure your ant-virus software is always updated.
These were only a few examples of the way that people can hijack your identity and begin ruining it for their own malicious practices. The main thing to keep in mind is to always protect your identity as much as you can. If you get a hint of suspicion that someone may have stolen your identity, you should contact the authorities immediately. - 32534
Rummaging through trash seems to be the most common starting point that thieves choose to retrieve information they can use to commit identity theft. They will walk along a street that has trash bags out on the road because it is pickup day the next day and they will either go through the bags right there if they don't think anyone's looking or they may even pick the bags up and take them home with them to go through them more thoroughly. The best way to avoid this is to make sure that you are not leaving bags of garbage out on the street any longer than necessary. It is a good idea to shred your documents before you toss them in the garbage. You definitely don't want to throw away driver's licenses or health cards without first completely destroying them.
You have probably heard about identity thieves who swindle information from people by calling them at home and asking questions. Usually they will call pretending to represent a credit card company or a financial institution, and they try to get you to verify information like your name, address, or social security number. To prevent something like this from taking place, it is important to double check and be certain that you know who you are talking to on the phone.
Another popular avenue identity thieves use to steal your personal information is called phishing. Phishing is done online through the internet by sending certain types of malware applications to your computer, which then gives them access to your files and other information they can use to actually open credit accounts under your name that they will proceed to use. One of the scariest and most dangerous things about being on the Internet is your constant vulnerable exposure to criminal agents who can steal your identity at any time. To combat this, you should make sure your ant-virus software is always updated.
These were only a few examples of the way that people can hijack your identity and begin ruining it for their own malicious practices. The main thing to keep in mind is to always protect your identity as much as you can. If you get a hint of suspicion that someone may have stolen your identity, you should contact the authorities immediately. - 32534
About the Author:
These days, nobody is safe from identity theft. It is one of the fastest growing crimes internationally. And it can happen to you. Learn more about how to stop identity theft at Identity Theft Facts.
