In reading The State paper recently, I noticed an article entitled "ID Theft, Fraud Rising, Report Says." The article highlighted that Identity Theft is on the rise in South Carolina and across the country, and it remains the top reason for consumer complaints for the 9th year in a row. A consumer advocate indicated that these types of crimes tend to INCREASE during a recession. Also, during 2008 in SC, ID Theft/Fraud cost consumers $14.2 million.
How can you protect yourself from identity theft?
Identity theft is nothing new, but the "digital age" has made it easier than ever to gather, organize, and transmit large amounts of information--including the credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, and account information that identity thieves need to do their dirty work.
But the news isn't all bad. The 3 main steps to protecting yourself from identity theft are simple and I will summarize them in a 3-part series. Make them a habit to lower your risk for Identity Theft.
Step 1 of 3: Keep your information safe.
Don't give identity thieves a chance. There's a lot you can do to protect your personal information:
· Shred documents with personal information (including account numbers, or your Social Security number or birth date).
· Shred credit card offers and other offers that a thief could make use of.
· Protect your Social Security number. Don't carry your Social Security card with you, in case your wallet gets stolen, and don't write it on your checks.
· Only give out personal information if you know the person or group you're dealing with and you initiated the contact-whether by phone, mail, or Internet.
· Instead of clicking the link in an unsolicited email, type in the web address yourself. (Email links can redirect you to a scammer's site, tricking you into entering personal information in an unsafe place.)
· Make your password hard to guess. Choices like your birth date, mother's maiden name, or Social Security number are too obvious. Instead, try a random or made-up word, and include at least one number.
A couple more interesting facts for South Carolina: Identity Theft victims are usually younger than 18 or older than 65 & Identity Thieves are most often relatives or friends.
According to www.IDTheftCenter.org: Victims now spend an average of 600 hours recovering from this crime, often over a period of years. Three years ago the average was 175 hours of time, representing an increase of about 347%. Based on 600 hours times the indicated victim wages, this equals nearly $16,000 in lost potential or realized income.
For full information on how to respond to identity theft, visit the FTC's "Deter, Detect, Defend" website.
