The Top Five Misconceptions Relating To Identity Theft
Identity theft has been on the wane for the last couple of years. The bad news is it remains the number one consumer complaint and has remained so for the past twelve years.
There is a lot of information floating around with regards to this crime which includes numerous myths which can easily have you going in the wrong way.
1. Safeguarding The SSN Is All You Have To Do
You will see this on the local and national news a lot. More than a few professionals may tell you this is all you need to protect yourself against identity theft. Unfortunately that is not the case. The fact of the matter is identity thieves can steal your personal information in a number of different ways without the need to swipe your social security number. Among them is shoulder surfing, skimming, and going through your trash commonly known as dumpster diving.
2. Any Fraudulent Charges Are Your Responsibility
Don’t allow any company to pressure you into this if you have been victimized. You are not obligated to pay any fraudulent charges thieves rack up on your accounts. However businesses and debt collection agencies don’t care about that. They just want their money. No problem. As long as you remember you aren’t the one doing the payback.
3. It Won’t Happen To You
Name the crime and chances are that everybody at one time or another has said that. Identity theft does not play favorites. While it may be on the decline eight million people last year still had their identities stolen. Considering that the number usually hover around ten million as well as the alarming number of ways thieves can pilfer your information and there is little doubt identity theft can happen to you.
4. Most Identity Thieves Get Arrested
Since law enforcements and financial institutions have been more aggressive in dealing with identity theft you figure the arrest rate would be pretty good. Reconsider that thought. According to a study done by the Gartner Group only one in seven hundred identity thieves ever gets arrested. No doubt you have seen news reports of law enforcement officials cracking a major fraud ring. While this is true the overwhelming majority of thefts go unreported let alone anyone getting apprehended.
5. Most Identity Thieves Are People You Have Never Met
Not true and this in many ways is what makes identity theft the epidemic that it is. In many instances the victim knows exactly who the person is that stole their identity. A neighbor, friend, coworker, but mostly a family member. This should also give you a good indication as to why most identity thieves do not get arrested. As bad as it is along with the damage done many people that have been victimized refuse to take the next step of preferring charges against their friends and/or loved ones.
Processing your request, Please wait....
