Table of Contents
What is identity theft?
Identity theft is a personally identifiable information type of crime that happens if a person tries to use another person’s personal information like name, credit card details, and social security number without their permission to commit money fraud or other crimes on behalf of someone. Identity theft is a big problem in the US as According to consulting firm Javelin Strategy & Research, there were 13 million victims in 2019—and it cost them $3.5 billion in losses.
Best Identity protection services :-
IdentityForce – Uses AI to notify about threats earlier
LifeLock – Comes with many features and Antivirus
IdentityIQ – Social Security Number Monitoring
ID Watchdog – ID Theft Resolution Service
Experian IdentityWorks – Credit card Monitoring
Aura – Comes with Device Protection
Credit Sesame – Free Credit Reporting
PrivacyGuard – Customer Service
Zander Insurance – Insurance Bundling
IDShield – Family Plans
IDnotify – Value Identity Theft Protection
What are the different forms or types of identity theft?
There are many types of identity theft such as :
Account Takeover Fraud: in case someone accesses your account without your permission.
Debit Card Fraud or Credit Card Fraud: if someone uses your card without your permission.
Driver’s License Identity Theft: it contains your personal information and can be misused.
Biometric ID Theft: to unlock or access your devices.
Synthetic Identity Theft: by accessing all your details thieves can access your account and can do different identity theft.
Medical Identity Theft: it can result in charging bills for medical services you never took.
Home Title and Mortgage Fraud: someone can get false ownership of your home and can get mortgage loan on it.
Lost or Stolen Passport: false travel documents can be made for someone else.
Internet of Things Identity Fraud: any flaw in the data security of the system can lead to the leakage of your personal information.
What is the best defense against identity theft?
1. Password-protecting your devices
2. Use a Password Manager: instead of using the same password for all accounts and websites, use different passwords and take the benefit of using a password manager so that you don’t have to remember passwords.
3.Watch out for phishing attempts
4. Never give out personal information over the phone
5.Keep your physical private documents safely secured
6. Don’t carry all the cards with you, so that if it’s stolen, you can minimize the impact.
7. Be aware of identity theft fraud protection: Dont’ take the security of your data loosely.
~Always monitor your credit cards and bank statements, protect your devices and accounts, avoid phishing and other scams and keep your documents out of the wrong hands, and you’ll be able to rest knowing that your information is safe from thieves.
How do I know if my identity is stolen?
According to the Federal Trade Commission of US,your identity is stolen if you get –
- Calls or notices about unfamiliar debts or bills
- Missing mails
- False information on your medical records
- The IRS tells you that a tax return has already been filed in your name.
- Changes on your credit score or report which are not familiar.
What to do if someone stole my identity?
You can follow these steps once you realize you may be a victim of identity theft to minimize the damage caused by identity theft.
- File a claim with your identity theft insurance service ,if you have taken any.
- Notify the companies of your cards and accounts.
- File a report at the Federal Trade Commission.
- Contact your local police department.
- Place a fraud alert on your credit reports.
- Freeze your credit card if you find any unfamiliar transactions.
- Sign up for a credit monitoring service.
- Scan credit card and bank statements for unauthorized charges.
Report identity (ID) theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online at IdentityTheft.gov or by phone at 1-877-438-4338. The FTC will collect the details of your situation accordingly.
Laws for identity theft in US
201 CMR 17.00 (Massachusetts personal information protection law)
Accurate Credit Transactions Act
Credit Billing Act
Credit Reporting Act
Should I take identity protection services?
Identity theft service is worth the price, which starts on average at $10 a month.
The average loss from identity theft was $1,343 in 2017, according to the Department of Justice, so your spending around $120 a year on identity theft protection is worth it. Also many other services comes with insurance for identity theft, which can award the user up to $1 million.
