Identity Theft Protection
Identity theft protection is an on-going battle as your Social Security number, bank account numbers, and personal information are all an identity thief needs to steal your identity. The identity thieves come up with new scams all the time to try to get their hands on your personal data and then use it for their financial gain. Here are the most popular types of identity theft that you need to be aware of and get proactive identity theft protection in place to prevent it.Mailbox Raiding & Dumpster Diving Identity Theft
Mail from banks, institutions, and even new credit card offers contain valuable personal information which identity thieves can use to drain accounts and open new credit cards in your name. They get the information by stealing mail right out of your mailbox, or as in the case of dumpster diving, out of the trash after it has been thrown out.
Phishing Identity Theft
If you’ve ever received an email from a “bank” or other financial institution asking for account information, identity thieves could have been phishing for your identity. Clicking on their link will send you to a site that looks the same as the actual institution, but actually belongs to the identity thief. When you enter your information, the thief has stolen your identity.
Vishing Identity Theft
A combination of the words “voice” and “phishing,” vishing is like phishing, except the thieves use the phone instead of email. Identity thieves may leave a message pretending to be your bank or some other company. When you call back, they’ll steal your personal information.
Medical Benefits Fraud Identity Theft
Increasingly, identity thieves have started seeking treatment using another person’s name and medical insurance information. They can get it by stealing your wallet or hacking into a doctor’s or hospital’s computer system.
Spyware Identity Theft
Spyware is a malicious computer program that installs itself on your PC and then allows thieves to record your personal information – like a credit card or debit card number, password, or Social Security number.
Skimming Identity Theft
Skimming is a way for a thief to get your ATM or credit card information by installing their own card reader on an ATM machine. When you pass your card through the skimming device, it records your card information.
Corporate Data Breach Identity Theft
Trusted businesses, like your employer, your local bank, and other organizations have a great deal of your personal information stored on their computers. Thieves can gain access to this information by hacking into the network, by posing as a business partner, or after an employee loses a computer, disk or box of files.
Social Networking Sites Identity Theft
Identity thieves are using social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace® to find out your personal information. Identity Thieves use the information they find on the site to pretend to be someone they’re not and coax other information out of you – like your Social Security number.
Child Identity Theft
Child identity theft works the same way as it does for adults: the identity thief acquires a child’s personal information, then creates fraudulent accounts in their name. But because children usually don’t have financial accounts until they are older, no one may find out about the theft for many years, allowing the problems to be greatly compounded.
Senior Identity Theft
Seniors are particularly vulnerable to identity theft, because most have significant accumulated wealth, and are often unable to monitor their accounts carefully. Many are also less knowledgeable about technology, and more trusting of strangers and marketers, increasing their vulnerability.
Student Identity Theft
College students are another high-risk group. School registration days and frequent unsolicited offers for new credit cards provide many opportunities to share personal information and Social Security numbers. Combine that with frequent address changes and unforwarded mail makes students a group ripe for picking by identity thieves.