C.w. Linart asked:
In preparing to write a series of articles on the subject of identity theft, I waded through lot of statistics. Each number worried me more than the last. There was a lot that I did not know about this crime, even though I personally know people who have been victimized.
For example, it was news to me that only 20 percent of identity theft involves credit card fraud. According to numbers recently released by the Federal Trade Commission, identity thieves use stolen information in a variety of ways. Without giving criminals any new ideas, let me just say that becoming a victim of ID theft can mess up your whole life, not just your credit score.
Another surprising reality: Only 11 percent of identity theft is committed by high-tech means. In fact, 48 percent is committed by a person known to the victim. Taken together these two pieces of information say that the secretary at your insurance agent’s office or your wife’s ne’er-do-well cousin is more likely to steal your identity than is some pimply hacker in former East Germany. Even if you shred every piece of paper, always look over your shoulder at the bank, and touch a computer, you could still become a victim. Unless you monitor everyone you do business with (and all their employees) and every person you know, you are vulnerable.
Identity theft become so common and continues to grow because it is an easy crime to commit and a difficult one to catch. Incidents of fraud commited by persons using stolen identities increased by 22 percent between 2007 and 2008 alone. As a matter of fact, the occurence of identity theft has risen steadily for ten years. With the economy being what it is, a continuation of this trend seems likely.
People who commit this crime are not your standard criminal. Often they see ID theft as almost a “victimless crime” since recent fraud protection legislation puts most of the financial responsibility on lenders. Criminals — many of whom are just desperate — move quickly once they have your information. The average fraud takes place within a week of the stealing of personal information.
The damage happens fast, but repairing it takes an average of 70 aggravating hours. Sometimes the damage is never undone completely. Some victims do not find out that they are victims until months or years after the criminal has stolen their identity. Sometimes the IRS audits a victim for income earned by the criminal, perhaps a felon who used the victim’s identity to get a job. Other victims get a rude awakening when it turns out that the thief has committed other crimes using their identity. Can you imagine learning about a criminal record (yours) that you had no idea existed? It happens.
Prevention is the best medicine. Identity theft is a lot like a disease in that preventing it is preferable to treating it. If you are unlucky enough to get the disease, early diagnosis is essential to successful treatment.
That brings me to a bit of good news: Tools have been developed to help you protect yourself. Look for those in a future article, or just click the link at the bottom of this article to try it for yourself for free.
Whatever you do, do not take this lightly! If you have anything to lose, someone is trying to take it.
Edna
In preparing to write a series of articles on the subject of identity theft, I waded through lot of statistics. Each number worried me more than the last. There was a lot that I did not know about this crime, even though I personally know people who have been victimized.
For example, it was news to me that only 20 percent of identity theft involves credit card fraud. According to numbers recently released by the Federal Trade Commission, identity thieves use stolen information in a variety of ways. Without giving criminals any new ideas, let me just say that becoming a victim of ID theft can mess up your whole life, not just your credit score.
Another surprising reality: Only 11 percent of identity theft is committed by high-tech means. In fact, 48 percent is committed by a person known to the victim. Taken together these two pieces of information say that the secretary at your insurance agent’s office or your wife’s ne’er-do-well cousin is more likely to steal your identity than is some pimply hacker in former East Germany. Even if you shred every piece of paper, always look over your shoulder at the bank, and touch a computer, you could still become a victim. Unless you monitor everyone you do business with (and all their employees) and every person you know, you are vulnerable.
Identity theft become so common and continues to grow because it is an easy crime to commit and a difficult one to catch. Incidents of fraud commited by persons using stolen identities increased by 22 percent between 2007 and 2008 alone. As a matter of fact, the occurence of identity theft has risen steadily for ten years. With the economy being what it is, a continuation of this trend seems likely.
People who commit this crime are not your standard criminal. Often they see ID theft as almost a “victimless crime” since recent fraud protection legislation puts most of the financial responsibility on lenders. Criminals — many of whom are just desperate — move quickly once they have your information. The average fraud takes place within a week of the stealing of personal information.
The damage happens fast, but repairing it takes an average of 70 aggravating hours. Sometimes the damage is never undone completely. Some victims do not find out that they are victims until months or years after the criminal has stolen their identity. Sometimes the IRS audits a victim for income earned by the criminal, perhaps a felon who used the victim’s identity to get a job. Other victims get a rude awakening when it turns out that the thief has committed other crimes using their identity. Can you imagine learning about a criminal record (yours) that you had no idea existed? It happens.
Prevention is the best medicine. Identity theft is a lot like a disease in that preventing it is preferable to treating it. If you are unlucky enough to get the disease, early diagnosis is essential to successful treatment.
That brings me to a bit of good news: Tools have been developed to help you protect yourself. Look for those in a future article, or just click the link at the bottom of this article to try it for yourself for free.
Whatever you do, do not take this lightly! If you have anything to lose, someone is trying to take it.
Edna
