Because of the rise in identity theft, more people are conscious about protecting their identity. While one might think that the internet is responsible mostly for rise of identity theft crimes, much of it simply has to do with being careless. While this is true to an extent, many identity theft victims were just too careless with their identity. Identity theft also occurs when people don’t shred documents containing personal information, such as a bank or credit card statement. The following discusses just who is being affected most by this crime.
From 2006-2008, the U.S Bureau of Justice reported that five percent of Americans were identity theft victims. The problem is only expected to get worse, according to experts.
The most commonly used method used by thieves to steal another’s identity is what’s referred to as dumpster diving to obtain personal documentation. Thieves sort through garbage in an effort to acquire any type of document, whether it be credit card information, utility bills, or bank statements, that will provide them with the amunition needed to accomplish their objective. Law enforcement has encouraged people to pay bills electronically to avoid this from happening. This would not only prevent dumpster diving, but also bills and statements being stolen from the mailbox as well. Shredding documents in this case is enough to prevent identity theft.
Middle to upper class Americans are most likely to identity theft victims. Statistics show that those who have a household income more than $75,000 are at greater risk than those who have lower incomes.
Over a two year period, approximately $17 billion has been lost by financial institutions because of identity theft. Only about 25% of victims however lost anything substantial, as the others recovered from their losses well thanks to credit card companies and banks. The statistics may be skewed a bit, because many victims decide not to report the theft because little to no money was lost and they didn’t believe that anything could be done about it. However, it’s important for identity theft to be reported not only so the thieves can be punished, but to continue to raise awareness.
How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft
Identity theft is here to stay. Thieves will continue to find new ways to steal identities to stay ahead of the curve. Any computers or smartphones that you own should have identity theft software. There are a number of credit monitoring programs available that will provide even more protection. Though, it’s the simple things like shredding personal documents, not carrying your social security card around, and essentially not being careless with your identity that matters most. Finally, always know that it can happen to you.
See Also: Identity Theft Protection Services
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This post was written by admin on April 11, 2011














