Most people find out when a collection agency tracks them down for past due accounts, a utility cuts off service, bank accounts are drained, or a vehicle is repossessed. By this time, the damage may already be done and the thief has moved on to a new victim. The best way is to check your credit reports at least once a year to see if there are any credit accounts in your name that you did not authorize.
Actually, most cases of identity theft stem from people you know who have access to your personal identification documents at home or at work. The Internet is to blame for its share of scams that persuade consumers to unwittingly divulging their private identification and there have been cases of database breaches that have exposed private information, but there is little data to support widespread fraud based on this method
Technically, it is easy to obtain critical identifying information of most citizens because it is stored everywhere in a filing cabinet or in some computer database. Just think about what information your have volunteered to the government, banks, medical offices, your employer, the local utility company, and the video rental store. Fortunately, most criminals are not technically savvy or gutsy enough to commit several more felonies to defraud companies and government agencies to obtain duplicate identification containing their image and signature to complete the process.
First get a free credit report online you can get one free report per year from the three major reporting agencies. It is a hassel to navigate the website to actually get the free report. but if you are nervous about Identity theft then pay the fee and have updates from your credit report at just a click away when you want to check them. Also check your e-mail fully. I found out someone was using my ebay account that way I got a email letting me know a watched item was ending soon. I was furious. I called my wife to tell her and guess who was the theif. lol
check your credit report from freecreditreport.com
if you can't do that then go and check all and i mean all of your statements to receipts you obtain. Check and make sure you are the only holder of all your cards and keep an update on your statement to see if any new items show up that you didn't purchase.
well if you see that you are missing your credit cards and things have been charged with your credit and debit card that you didnt buy! to solve this, cancel your card, and if that person uses it again then he/she will be caught. if that person doesn't use it again, you might have to go into court and find a way to prove that you didn't buy those things.
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Most people find out when a collection agency tracks them down for past due accounts, a utility cuts off service, bank accounts are drained, or a vehicle is repossessed. By this time, the damage may already be done and the thief has moved on to a new victim. The best way is to check your credit reports at least once a year to see if there are any credit accounts in your name that you did not authorize.
Actually, most cases of identity theft stem from people you know who have access to your personal identification documents at home or at work. The Internet is to blame for its share of scams that persuade consumers to unwittingly divulging their private identification and there have been cases of database breaches that have exposed private information, but there is little data to support widespread fraud based on this method
Technically, it is easy to obtain critical identifying information of most citizens because it is stored everywhere in a filing cabinet or in some computer database. Just think about what information your have volunteered to the government, banks, medical offices, your employer, the local utility company, and the video rental store. Fortunately, most criminals are not technically savvy or gutsy enough to commit several more felonies to defraud companies and government agencies to obtain duplicate identification containing their image and signature to complete the process.
First get a free credit report online you can get one free report per year from the three major reporting agencies. It is a hassel to navigate the website to actually get the free report. but if you are nervous about Identity theft then pay the fee and have updates from your credit report at just a click away when you want to check them. Also check your e-mail fully. I found out someone was using my ebay account that way I got a email letting me know a watched item was ending soon. I was furious. I called my wife to tell her and guess who was the theif. lol
check your credit report from freecreditreport.com
if you can't do that then go and check all and i mean all of your statements to receipts you obtain. Check and make sure you are the only holder of all your cards and keep an update on your statement to see if any new items show up that you didn't purchase.
well if you see that you are missing your credit cards and things have been charged with your credit and debit card that you didnt buy! to solve this, cancel your card, and if that person uses it again then he/she will be caught. if that person doesn't use it again, you might have to go into court and find a way to prove that you didn't buy those things.
Check your credit reports for any applications you did not make!
copy of your credit report (you are entitled to one free copy a year) see if there are any discrepancies or recent inquiries that you have not done!