I remember the day I discovered that my identity had been stolen.
I had just moved back home after my first time of renting my own home. I put through a change of address with the post office, and assumed everything would be fine from there. Then, I received an electricity bill in the amount of $1700. Now, seeing as how I had never opened an electric bill in my name, I automatically assumed there had been some sort of clerical error. Not once did it cross my mind that my identity had been stolen. After countless hours of talking to countless people at the electric company, I discovered that my old landlord had opened the utility bill in my name. She had used the information I gave her in order to run a background check before signing the lease. After spending a year gathering information and setting up court dates, I have finally managed to put this behind me, at the expense of my once perfect credit score.
I have since spent alot of time researching popular scams used for identity theft in order to better protect myself. Please read on so that you, too, can become familiar with these scams, and also learn a few tips for ensuring that this does not happen to you.
1. Viruses
Viruses are malicious codes embedded in e-mail messages and Chat Room Links that are capable of inflicting a great deal of damage and causing extensive frustration, such as:
- Stealing files containing personal information
- Sending emails from your account
- Rendering your computer unusable
- Removing files from your computer
To avoid a virus attack, refrain from opening links in emails and chat rooms that are received from unknown individuals or appear suspicious in any way.
2. Spyware
Spyware is any technology that aids in gathering information about you without your knowledge or consent using the following means:
- Programming that is put in a computer to secretly gather information about the user and relay it to advertisers or other interested parties.
- Spyware exposure can be caused by a software virus or in result of installing a new program.
- Cookies are used to store information about you on your own computer.
- If a Web site stores information about you in a cookie of which you are unaware, the cookie is considered a form of spyware.
To avoid falling prey to spyware, do not click on options in deceptive or suspicious pop-up windows. If you experience slowness, poor computer performance, or excessive occurrences of pop-up windows, try running a virus scan on your computer.
3. Phishing
Phishing is an online scam where emails are sent by criminals who are attempting to steal your identity, rob your bank account, or take over your computer. Nowadays, you have to be suspicious of ALL emails you receive, which are not sent from a friend or relative.
Use the "stop-look-call" technique:
Stop: Do not react to phishing ploys consisting of "upsetting" or "exciting" information (example: You are the sole beneficiary to the estate of someone)
Look: Look closely at the claims in the email, and carefully review all links and Web addresses (IF you are receive an email, for example, to verify banking information, scams tend to make replicas of the actual banking website under a different web address)
Call: Do not reply to e-mails requesting you to confirm account information; call or email the company in question to verify if the email is legitimate
The most popular phishing scams today are in the form of "Banking errors." If you use online banking, be aware that many people can retrieve your email address. It is not as easy for them to steal your login information though. DO NOT click on links in these emails. Instead, go into a separate window, and type in your bank’s website, and login that way. If you see no errors or warnings on your account, forward the email to your banking center’s fraud department (which will often be listed directly on the website).
4. Unauthorized Systems Access
Unfortunately, not all guilty parties are unknown persons. A trusted friend or co-worker an also maliciously obtain unauthorized access to computers, applications, confidential information, and other valuable assets.
- Use strong passwords for all accounts (Studies have shown that about 80% of internet using people in the United States use the word "password" as their actual password in an attempt to fool people. THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE! Although you may think you are being witty and tricky, 80% is a very high number, so chances are, anyone attempting to access your personal information will try this option first).
- Commit passwords to memory - if not possible, store all passwords in a secure location (not on a sticky note affixed to your monitor or the underside of your keyboard)
- Never tell any one your password
- Never use default passwords
- Protect your computer with a password-protected screen saver
- If using a shared computer (a personal computer accessible to several different parties in the same household), set it up to have different logins for each person.
5. Conclusion
Please be familiar with the world we live in today. Educate yourself on new and upcoming scams. Protect yourself and your information. I’m sure you’ve all seen the commercials for Freecreditreport.com. Well, this isn’t actually "free", as I’m sure you’ve deduced. There is a 14 day free trial, and then your credit card will be billed $14.99 monthly. I find this to be an incredibly wise investment. You can gain information on all open accounts under your name, and you are able to dispute any accounts directly on the website. This can be very beneficial to building your credit score back to a more satisfying number. When disputing an account, they will give you several different options, from "account paid in full" to "had no knowledge of account/did not open account." This is the greatest tip I can give you, so that you can pick up on any fraud the day it is done, instead of waiting 7 months for an outlandish electricity bill.
If you receive any information that leads you to believe your identity has been compromised, report the information to your local police department IMMEDIATELY, so that they can use their vast resources to aid you on the road to financial cleansing.
I wish you the best luck - keep yourself (and your personal information) safe!
