What you don't see is more dangerous than what's visible! Why?
The information gathered on us grows daily. The number of institutions that store our personal information is also
increasing.
Personal examples:
I buy a used car. The "Temporary Tag Registration Application" and "Used Vehicle Order" show blocks for "SS# TAX ID#
required."
I purchase information products online. Later I receive sales calls. My telephone number was part of the information submitted for the
purchase.
I go to the emergency room. A hospital ID band is placed on my wrist. On the ID band, for everyone to see, is my
SSN.
Every day, information is taken from us and stored in millions of computers. The potential for misuse grows daily. Your personal
information is everywhere like litter after a ticker tape parade.
Personal information is easily accessible by fraud, by computer hacking, or simply lossed or stolen. The result is a need for
identity theft protection like the Identity Shield.
What is identity Theft?
According to the non-profit identity Theft Resource Center, identity theft is sub-divided into four categories:
Financial identity Theft (using another's name and SSN to obtain goods and services)
Criminal identity Theft (posing as another when apprehended for a crime)
Identity Cloning (using another's information to assume his or her identity in daily life)
Business Identity Theft (using another's business name to obtain credit).
A person’s identity can't be stolen. Identity is a sense of self. Likewise our reputation is our identity. This too, can't be
stolen. What is easily acquired is who we are on paper; i.e. financial records, health records, insurance records, military records,
etc.
Identity Fraud
Some people say "identity fraud" to describe stolen ID. Others believe a
thief literally deprives the owner of his/her identity. Both terms mean the use of personal identifiers to commit
fraud.
A consumer financial crime occurs when Bob gets a loan using Peter's personal identifiers.
These personal identifiers match that kept by national credit-rating services. The identifiers include surname, given names, date of birth,
Social Security number (U.S.), Social Insurance Number, current and former addresses. If your life style depends upon credit,
credit ID theft will seriously affect you.
New-accounts fraud...
is where someone takes your credit information, and opens up new accounts. About 1 in a 100 are
victimized this way. That’s millions of people!
New accounts thieves are NOT faceless crooks. A new accounts thief is normally known
by the victim. One in seven ID criminals is a relative or trusted
associate.
Children Are Not Exempt
Identity theft is the country's fastest-growing crime, and thieves also target children. Their clean credit and absence
of criminal histories make them ideal victims.
The identity Theft Resource Center in San Diego, estimates that 400,000 children had their identities stolen in 2005, double the number in 2003. The resource center estimates
that two-thirds of child identity thefts are perpetrated by family members.
The problem causes enormous financial and emotional trauma on its victims, because the fraud often goes undetected for
years.
The major problem with ID Theft is fixing the mess left behind. Victims report massive waste
of time (up to 500 hours) dealing with credit bureaus, insurance companies, and bill collectors.
Identity fraud is a nightmare. But the bigger problem (like the iceberg) is the acquisition and storage of your personal
information. Think you might need identity theft protection? Investigate the Identity Shield and monitor your identity.
Check Stolen ID Searching for: check stolen ID, search stolen credit ID, green flag credit identity fraud, or credit monitoring report score? It exists and is known as credit monitoring with PPL's Identity Shield.
Identity theft Solutions There's no way to stop identity theft. The practical thing to do is monitor your credit information or buy fraud insurance,
Theft Protection Hawks Many credit companies have jumped in the Identity Theft Protection market. Consumers need information to protect them from the protection.
Restore Your Good Name and Credit Identity theft often becomes a legal problem. Credit issuers don't care . Identity shield restores good name without the hassle.
is where someone takes your credit information, and opens up new accounts. About 1 in a 100 are
victimized this way. That’s millions of people!
estimates that 400,000 children had their identities stolen in 2005, double the number in 2003. The resource center estimates
that two-thirds of child identity thefts are perpetrated by family members.