Getting Rid of Identity Theft

Identity theft occurs when any unauthorized individual uses other person’s identity –name and other personal details - to commit fraud. This deception results to ruined reputation, excessive credit debt and in worse case, lead to wrongful arrest of the victim. Moreover, the thief can open a bank account, get loans, buy real estate under the victim’s name; and ultimately, all financial statements and bills are diverted to the victim’s own account.  To such degree, the victim is left in floating debts while the thief is long gone.

Identity theft is a worldwide security problem and the number of cases is growing astoundingly since the widespread use and application of Internet in 21^st century. With the advancement in technology, thieves are also becoming sophisticated. Anyone is a potential victim of identity theft.

To solve this problem, there are several advices from experts to prevent identity theft from coming to pass. Simple ways include the following:

• Careful dissemination of personal information;
• Never give out your full trust – thieves can always pretend as official representatives of a company;
• Avoid consigning information over phone lines;
• Keep credit cards, bank cards, pay books, social security card and credit items in a safe, private place. Avoid carrying them unless you need them;
• Avoid entrusting your personal details on websites.  When buying online, as much as possible, never share your personal details;
• Shred documents that contain your personal data and other information before junking them;
• Scrutinize your monthly bills, credit card reports and other financial statements. If there are some things that are missing or unfamiliar, contact your providing company; and
• Last but not the least, be vigilant in your surroundings.

Apart from these simple tips, there are some companies that give identity theft coverage or service. One company that comes into mind is the Trilegiant Corporation. Security services of the company include daily credit reporting, credit scoring and identity theft protection.