Identity Theft Protection: What You Should Know

Identity thieves don't care whether you are rich or poor, and they don't care whether you have good or poor credit. The good news is that you can do some things for identity theft protection. This article provides a few tips.

By Greg Shuey

Everyone has heard about identity theft, because it has been in the news very often. Most people think it can't happen to them, but this is far from the truth. Identity thieves don't care whether you are rich or poor, and they don't care whether you have good or poor credit. The good news is that you can do some things for identity theft protection.

There are a variety of simple things we don't think about that we can do for identity theft protection. People are very used to certain habits that can make them targets for identity theft. What do you do with your junk mail? Do you throw it away or recycle it? Either way you are leaving it around for someone else to pick up.

Thieves will take from a variety of sources. It is not just credit cards they are after, but social security numbers, debit cards, and even phone calling cards. Recently, a General Accounting Office report said that they estimate at least 750,000 people are victims of identity theft every year.

There are many ways that thieves can take your identity. One of the easiest ways is to send you an email from what appears to be your bank or another institution you know asking you to verify your information. Before you do, get on the phone and ask the bank if they do this, because usually they do not.

Another way thieves have gathered information is to go to a restaurant and make a deal with a waiter. The waiter is guaranteed $50 for every credit card they send through a skimmer, which is supplied by the thief. The skimmer is as small as a credit card, and a good waiter can process 100 credit cards a night, giving your information to the thief.

Although most people have heard how to avoid identity theft, there are still people who may not understand what to do. Here are a few ideas for identity theft protection: