|
There have been many cases where people have found out one fine morning that their personal identity has been stolen and is being misused by someone else impersonating them. What is this identity theft or fraud? In an identity theft the unsuspecting internet user gets tricked into giving away personal details about him or her to unscrupulous criminals on the net. You have to equip yourself with various methods of identity fraud protection.
These criminals make the users part with their names, bank account details, social security number, internet banking password, credit card numbers, and even email IDs. It is not until the person receives bank statements showing funds having been transferred to unknown accounts that he or she wakes up to the fact that his identity has actually been stolen. The best part of it all is that most people would have lost everything without even realizing that they have lost it. This is what happens if we are not careful as to what information we provide about ourselves to unknown people on the net.
Now how do we protect ourselves from identity fraud? The best way of identity fraud protection is to remain cautious when it comes to providing personal details and financial information to unknown people who solicit them in the name of a bank or financial institution.
Do not trust anyone on the internet as we never know who we are dealing with as we cannot see faces. There may be callers making fake calls using VOIP which is called Vishing and try to get you to part with information about your self and your banking details. Do not fall for this. You then need identity fraud protection and have to immediately contact your bank using the listed number and confirm if they are actually sourcing for such details.
Identity fraud protection requires you to make sure that all personal documents like birth certificates, bank account details, passport, credit and debit cards, driving license, Social security number, financial statements are all kept safe and secure. Keep checking your bank statements regularly to see if there are any transactions that have taken place which you have not authorized. Inform the bank immediately if you happen to lose an ATM card or credit card. If you find that your credit card is being swiped a couple of times or is being scanned then be cautious and inform the bank immediately. Make sure that your internet connections secure and have a firewall to protect you from phishing.
|