By: Gordon Thomson
Here's a hard-and-fast rule: Don't give your Social Security number to anyone unless it's absolutely necessary. More than 12 million Americans fell victim to identity theft last year. According to researchers losses topped $21 billion, with the costliest data breaches involving fraudsters gaining access to people's Social Security numbers.
That said here are a few means of stealing your Identity that you should be aware of:
Here's a hard-and-fast rule: Don't give your Social Security number to anyone unless it's absolutely necessary. More than 12 million Americans fell victim to identity theft last year. According to researchers losses topped $21 billion, with the costliest data breaches involving fraudsters gaining access to people's Social Security numbers.
That said here are a few means of stealing your Identity that you should be aware of:
- Do not leave your laptop unattended in the coffee house (how many times have you seen that).
- Public Wi-Fi connections: The ID thief thanks you from the bottom of his heart for logging in to your bank or credit card’s site to check your balance, or even checking your email with a public Wi-Fi connection. It’s so easy to hack in and see exactly what you’re doing!
- Shred all bank statements, financial record, old check books and those "pre-approved" credit card offers etc. before throwing in the trash (thieves actually do go through your trash seeking information they can use to steal your ID) .
- Ladies don't leave your purse in the shopping cart (the thief will get your wallet faster than you can pick a fresh cantaloupe, maybe you think you can stop the credit cards before they can use them, no way!. Besides they might just turn their back and take one card then return the wallet to your purse while you pick bananas, one card you might not miss for an hour or two and that is all it takes for them to go on a shopping spree).
- Change of address: it is quite common for the bad guy to file a change of address and send all your mail to a P.O. Box where he can compile a dossier to be used to apply for credit cards, new bank checks and loans in your name. (If you don't receive mail for a couple of days talk with your local postmaster right away).
- Mail: it is recommended that you install a secure mail box to prevent the thieves from stealing your mail right out of the box.
- Cloned credit cards: with information stolen from your trash the thief can press a duplicate in minutes with special foils and laminators, burning your name and card number onto blank cards that can be bought online.
- Phishing: With technically savvy identity thieves, phishing scams are popular. They send you emails supposedly from your bank requesting you verify a recent purchase asking for your logins and passwords, If you receive this kind of messages do not open it otherwise you could be inviting a virus that will rob your computer of all personal information. Also be wary of those phone calls claiming to be from your bank or credit card company informing you that there’s been some strange activity on your account and ask you to confirm personal information like passwords or social security numbers so they can verify the activity on your account.
- Skimming: The ID thief is pretty inventive and always one step ahead of bank security. They will install plastic devices called skimmers to regular ATM machines and gas pumps that allow them to register all of your bank information once you insert your card. Sometimes they even put up an entire fake ATM machine for a few days then moving it to the next location before the heat is on.
