Identity Theft And How You Can Avoid It

By Author: Jesse Whitehead
Total Articles: 130
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Having your identity stolen can cause a lot of problems in your life. No one wants the stress of having to straighten out all the mess caused by identity theft, yet it occurs with great frequency each year to millions of people in the United States and around the world. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ensure that you do not become the latest victim of identity theft.

You may not even realize it, but there are a number of little things you may do that put you at risk of identity theft. One such thing is throwing away your mail. For instance, throwing out the unsolicited credit card application that was sent to you in the mail can cause you a lot of problems. "Dumpster divers" looking for information to steal can easily retrieve these discarded documents from the trash and use it to your detriment.
You can fix this quite easily however. Go buy an inexpensive paper shredder and simply start shredding all mail, papers and documents that contain your personal information.

Most people are careful with things like bank statements but do not think twice about throwing out old doctor bills, ...
... statements, receipts and so forth. Criminals can use all sorts of things you throw out to steal your identity. Even a scrap of paper with so much as your name and address on it can be a target for identity thieves. That is why it is so important for you to shred all of your personal documents and papers before you throw it out with the trash.

You can avoid becoming a victim of I.D. Theft. Actively keep an eye on all of your credit and financial accounts, and online accounts that may contain personal information. Make it as difficult as possible for someone to get your information.

If for some reason you do become the victim of identity theft there are steps you must take as soon as possible to correct it. First thing you should do is notify the authorities. Next, call all of the companies that are affected, and take steps to limit the damage. You may even need to close the compromised accounts, and open new accounts in your name. Hopefully, you can take action quickly enough to limit damage to your finances and your credit rating.

To protect yourself against theft of your identity, there are now many companies that provide protection for a small monthly subscription fee. These companies specialize in monitoring your banking and credit card activity, and will let you know if someone applies for a credit card in your name, or when your identity is compromised. If they see something out of the ordinary on your credit card or bank account, they will let you know immediately so you can "nip it in the bud" quickly and take action to mitigate any problems.
Jesse Whitehead lives in California, where he enjoys writing articles on a variety of subjects. One of his latest interests is satellite phone service. For more information about satellite phone service and rentals, visit SatellitePhone-Rental.com