Identity Theft – Avoid Becoming A Victim To Identity Theft

Identity theft is a challenging and scary situation to be in. Unfortunately, identity theft is on the rise. You need to know how identity thieves operate and then what to do if you become an identity theft victim. If you are informed, you can take steps to make it less likely that identity theft will happen to you.

The first thing to understand is how a person gets the information necessary to assume your identity. They are looking for your credit card statements, credit card offers, tax information, new checks, credit card numbers, etc.

Here are a few ways these people can get your personal information:

• go through your trash at home or at your job


• steal your mail


• steal your purse or wallet


• complete a “change of address form” to get your mail at another location


• phishing – posing as legitimate companies on the phone or through email, claiming there is a problem with your accounts and asking for your info

These are just a few of the ways identity theft experts can get your information. So, how do you know if you’re an identity theft victim? Here are some signs:

• you notice that you aren’t receiving your bills anymore


• you’re denied credit that you think you should qualify for


• debt collectors for accounts you never had are calling you


• you receive credit cards that you never applied for

One of the best ways to keep tabs on this is to order your credit report on a regular basis. If someone is opening accounts in your name, it will all be in your credit report.

Basically, you need to be as careful as you possibly can. Something as simple as shredding all financial documents (once you have no use for them) instead of just throwing them away is a good first step. That way, if someone goes through your trash, they won’t find anything usable.

You can also use a credit monitoring service. These are services that will monitor any activity in your credit file, usually for around $10 a month or so. Anytime they see activity, such as a credit check, new accounts, etc, they notify you so you can verify that the activity was caused by you and not someone trying to steal your identity.

Identity theft is a real threat. Do all you can to keep yourself out of this dangerous situation.