Identity theft was the number one consumer complaint at the Federal Trade Commission a year ago. So far in 2015, the data breach problem that drives so many identity-related crimes has gotten worse. The massive compromises at Premera and Anthem put a combined 91 million records in the way of harm. These are some identity theft facts you’ll wish you didn’t know. But don’t lose faith just yet … There is hope.
It is a danger you face every day. By just purchasing lunch having a debit card, taking your charge card and driver’s license or making a purchase on the internet, you may be exposing yourself to identity theft — among the fastest-growing crimes in the world.
This past year, the U.S. Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Forces, one of the chief federal agencies fighting cyber-crime, detained 1,200 criminals who were responsible for the loss of almost $500 million.
The bottom line: Be scared, be very fearful.
Do not look now, but that is merely the beginning of these identity theft facts that are frightening:
1. Hackers Are Always One Step Ahead.
Online fraudsters are technologically savvy and skillful at staying ahead of authorities. That means these criminals are constantly getting away with it. Threats evolve so rapidly that before police even possess a handle on techniques that are old, hackers have moved on to new ones.
2. There Is No Anonymity
Science Magazine reported that “anonymized meta data sets” containing product purchase info were re-identified using the people that made the purchases by looking at Instagram posts and tweets that matched the purchases. That’s scary dangerous. You can do everything right and still get “got.” The fraudsters out there mining the veins of personal data for financial gain are not bad at what they do. But should you presume you’re likely to get got and take some proactive measures – including monitoring your bank and credit accounts frequently for hints of fraud – in many situations it is possible to have a head start when it actually happens.
3. It’s Getting More Difficult to Find.
New account fraud is tough to find unless you’re continuously looking at your credit report or have a credit monitoring system in position, as you can picture. The thing is, the longer fraud goes not noticed, the more difficult the procedure is to get solved. Typically, consumers detect 45% and third parties identify 55% of fraud. Charge card businesses and often banks discover fraud, but require the collaboration of consumers in order to pinpoint fraudulent transactions and inquiries.
4. Even Kids Are at Risk
It’s long been known that children in the foster care system were more likely to become the target of identity-related offenses. This was because of the truth that when kids move in using a foster family that is new, their personally identifiable information moves with them. The important thing in these offenses is of course use of the data that is required. There are services available that protect a kid’s credit. It is also a really nice graduation present to check on your kid’s credit, and make sure there isn’t a history there.
5. It is Not Easy to Erase, That Is, Until Identalocker Came Along
Even with vigilant watch and hard work, it might take a couple of weeks or up to many years to get your finances back into “pre-larceny” order. Unraveling all of the ways you’re defrauded can be cumbersome, especially with new account fraud and endangered social security numbers. Once you believe you’ve coped with a scam, another could pop up costing you more time and money to make things right. The prospect may be overwhelming.
Arm Yourself With Identalocker
There isn’t any silver bullet to prevent identity theft. The Bureau of Consumer Protection, an office of the Federal Trade Commission, offers numerous ideas to resist identity theft before it happens and, in the worst case, after the fact. But Identalocker was designed with the idea that consumers deserve an even playing field, and that’s why we’re here to help.
Your first step is to join our 100% free Identity Protection Reports Program. It takes 20 seconds to sign up by clicking here and it will provide you with up to date industry information, the newest trends to be on the lookout for, and the best strategies for safeguarding you and your family.
If you’re still not satisfied and you’re looking for a way to erase your information online or subscribe to a premium service that will monitor your status 24/7, you should look at Identalocker’s premium products Platinum ID Theft Protection and Info Eraser.
Ready to stop worrying and start getting protected?
