In this highly technological world we are living in, we cannot really say we are safe from identity theft. As a matter of fact, we are more prone now to identity theft due to the advancement of technology. According to TrustedID CEO Scott Mitic, electronic theft may not be the most common form of ID theft but it is the fastest growing. He even suggested going online and find companies that offer anti-spyware protection, which everyone should have. So far, many people have been practicing precautions against identity theft through free software offered by companies which prevent them from opening or downloading doubtful files.
One of the best ways to prevent identity theft is by informing as soon as possible the credit bureaus once your credit card is missing or stolen. You have the option of simply putting a fraud alert on you’re your credit reports or freeze your credit.
“These two mechanisms work in similar ways-someone cannot simply get your name and address and apply for credit in your name, because lenders must check with consumer first when these freezes are in place. These are highly effective ways of reducing most of the most dangerous forms of identity theft,” Mitic said.
Aside from protecting yourself, you should also learn to protect your children’s identity from being stolen from them. Knowing how electronically inclined kids are today, your child is no exception to identity theft. You can protect your kids by regularly checking on their credit reports. Usually, kids who are already working on their own sometimes fail to check on their credit reports and it is up to you as a parent to do so. You will be surprised to find out if your child of no legal age already has a credit report that’s because his identity was stolen.
Mitic added, “Consumers and parent should be checking their children’s info by going to the three credit bureaus once per year and inquiring as to whether or not there is a credit report.”
There are many other effective ways of protecting yourself against identity theft. You can avoid sharing important details about yourself in social networking sites, on emails, or even with those who are close to you. Checking your credit report is also an important precaution you should take to make sure nobody is pretending to be you.
Writer: FPrevendido