In this age of increasing technology, one crime that has increased exponentially in our society is identity theft. Identity theft occurs when one person steals and intentionally misuses the personal, financial data of another person for their own personal gain. Thieves will usually charge large amounts of debt or commit crimes in another persons name, causing problems that can take years to fix.
Though this new trend may be troubling, there are many things to do to protect yourself from the potential for loss to identity thieves. One prime example of protecting yourself is through regular and vigilant searching of your credit through the credit bureaus.
Under a new law that has recently been enacted, the three main credit bureaus must allow me to check my credit score for free at a minimum of once per year. They also will allow you to check your credit score ratings, but often at a nominal fee. Your credit report will allow you to see all accounts that have been opened in your name. If anything looks amiss, you are allowed to dispute these findings at no extra charge to you.
Though checking your credit through the credit bureaus is a good start, there are several additional things that you can do to improve your protection. One very important thing to do is to shred all documents containing any personal information, this type of material is a prime source of information if not shredded. It has often been reported that identity thieves will sort through the trash looking for information on potential victims.
Another surefire way to safeguard yourself from having your identity stolen is to carry the bare minimum of ID with you. In the case that you are mugged or lose your purse or wallet, thieves and potential identity thieves will have little to go on. Your social security number is especially important to protect, so don’t carry your social security card in your wallet. It’s best to leave it locked away in a safe location at your house.
Lastly, be sure to keep a record of all account numbers of your credit cards and banking information along with the direct telephone numbers to your financial institutions. This can help to speed along the process of reporting a crime and can help prevent thieves from doing major damage to your credit.
Identity theft is a growing problem, especially as technology begins to increase its influence on society. One way to protect yourself is to check my credit score through credit bureaus. You can now check your credit score ratings one time per year from three main bureaus. Other steps can be taken to protect yourself, such as shredding important documents, carrying as little identification as possible, and maintain a record of all account numbers and phone numbers for those institutions. Never carry your social security card, as this is very dangerous and just asking to be stolen.
- Daniel Lesser

