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Protect Social Security Number Identity Theft – Identity theft is a serious problem that is getting worse. According to LifeLock, more than 60 million consumers were affected by identity theft in 2018. We spoke with Griffon Force President Carrie Kerskie and an identity theft expert to learn more about this problem. Ms. Kerskie has 15 years of experience helping victims of fraud and identity theft. It helps its customers detect when a theft has occurred and repair the damage caused. He offered us a few tips that the average person can use to help protect themselves from identity theft. 1. Hang Up Sometimes people feel like they can’t hang up when they believe the call they’re receiving is a scam. Remember, these people are trying to steal your money and identity! There is no need to be gentle with them. You can turn it off. 2. Check caller ID If you see a number you don’t recognize on your phone (mobile or home phone), do not answer. But don’t assume your caller ID is accurate; these could be fake and you could still give your information to a thief. If someone really needs your information, tell them you’ll call them back. Hang up and call a number you can independently verify (such as the number on the back of your credit card). If the call is legitimate, Ms. Kerskie says, “If they really need to reach you, they’ll find another way.” 3. Freeze your credit Freezing your credit is a simple process; Just call each of the five credit bureaus and submit a request. This action can easily be undone by calling them again. What this does is prevent anyone from making credit inquiries on your account. A new account cannot be opened in your name. One thing identity thieves will do is open credit card accounts in their victims’ names, collect thousands of dollars, and leave you with the bill. If you think someone has compromised your information, this is a simple way to protect yourself and make sure your identity is protected. 4. Don’t use public Wi-Fi Free Wi-Fi is everywhere these days; Every cafe, restaurant, shop and public building uses free Wi-Fi to attract customers. But using this Wi-Fi is begging for your information to be stolen, especially if you’re doing sensitive work like paying your bills. It’s easy for thieves to track information passing through these connections; They can steal usernames and passwords. Instead, you can use your mobile phone to create your own internet hotspot (provided your company allows it). This gives you a much more secure connection that is harder to hack. 5. Don’t be a target “When someone calls us,” Ms. Kerskie says, “there’s something they’ve done that makes them vulnerable.” Whether it’s providing information you shouldn’t, using an unsecured internet connection, opening a phishing email, or entering personal information on an illegal website, most people make themselves vulnerable to identity theft before it even happens. There are many ways to protect your identity, but the most important thing is to be very careful. In IT, people talk about a “least access” policy; employees are given sufficient access to do their jobs and nothing more. You should treat your personal information the same way. If you don’t feel comfortable or unsafe giving out your information, don’t do it. Asked for any ideas on the subject, Ms. Kerskie said: “Empower people with information so they can better protect themselves.” Click here to watch the Identity Theft livestream hosted by Entech with special guest Ms. Kerskie.
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Protect Social Security Number Identity Theft
Identity theft: Understanding the threat [Part 1] 4 reasons your SMB should be worried about a data breach Your identity is everything. This is the one thing you need to protect at all costs because if stolen, it could cause life-changing problems. At Shred Right, we have made it one of our goals to help individuals and companies protect their identities and personal information. We do this through our shredding, destruction and data security services, but there are steps you can take on your own to protect yourself against identity theft.
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Do not share any information (bank account numbers, social security numbers, etc.) with telemarketers, even if you like their products and services. Ask them for a number so you can call them back.
If your credit card bills do not arrive on time via email or standard mail, you need to contact the creditors. A missing credit card bill could mean your bill or payment has been stolen. Your credit card account information should be stored in a secure location to make it easier to cancel all your accounts in the event your wallet or online identity is stolen.
Instead of waiting for your monthly statement, check your online or phone app banking options to check your accounts and spot any unusual activity.
Do not leave your mail in the mailbox overnight for pickup. It’s like leaving your front door open with a sign that says “Take them all.”
Don’t Be A Victim Of Identity Theft > Malmstrom Air Force Base > Article Display
Never share your social security number unless necessary. No law requires you to provide your social security number to a retail store.
Identity thieves took over websites like eBay and PayPal and diverted customer funds to their own accounts. Always be alert!
Request a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies each year. If there are errors, bring them to their attention immediately. Pay special attention to outstanding accounts that you never use.
9) Don’t Throw Credit Card Receipts, Loan Offers, or Any Records Containing Personal Information in the Recycle Bin
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One of the easiest ways for identity thieves to steal information is to go through your trash. Destroy old records.
Verify that recordings are secure and only accessible to people authorized to view them. These records include spouse information, social security numbers, birth dates, and other information valuable to identity thieves.
Shred Right is your locally owned leader in shredding services, product destruction and IT asset destruction. We are AAA NAID Certified for mobile on-site and off-site shredding vault services.
Our team has worked with government agencies, financial services, healthcare industries and more, advising on privacy and security standards. For 35 years, we have been trusted to manage liability and risk and protect our clients’ corporate reputation. Synthetic identity theft is the use of legitimate and falsified information to create a false identity that is often used for fraudulent purposes. In this guide, we’ll cover how synthetic identity theft works, how you can spot it, and how identity theft protection services like Standard can help you keep a close eye on your identity and alert you to fraudulent uses of your personal information.
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Synthetic identity theft is a type of identity theft in which the identity thief mixes real and fake information to create false identities.
For example, a thief might steal a legitimate Social Security Number (SSN) and combine it with fake personal information, such as a fake name, date of birth, and address, to create an entirely new identity.
Unlike regular identity theft, synthetic identity theft can be difficult to detect. This is because identity thieves often target vulnerable individuals such as children, the elderly, incarcerated individuals, and homeless populations when committing synthetic identity theft; because these groups are less likely to use credit or check their credit reports regularly.
How an identity criminal obtains a legitimate SSN varies. In some cases, the fraudster may end up with a lost wallet, while in other cases, legitimate SSNs can be purchased from the dark web.
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When an identity thief creates a synthetic identity, they often use it for financial fraud, such as applying for credit cards, loans, and unemployment benefits. Synthetic identities can also be used to launder money or commit other crimes.
It’s important to note that synthetic identity fraud typically doesn’t happen overnight. Some identity thieves may spend years slowly creating a synthetic identity, building a long credit history and a strong credit score to help their fake identities appear more believable.
Synthetic identity theft is one of the most difficult types of identity theft to detect because many financial institutions do not always have appropriate filters to detect a fake identity.
Additionally, the identity thief may have a long history of using a fake identity responsibly before using it for identity fraud. This way, when the criminal decides to use the synthetic identity for malicious purposes, it makes it appear that a real person is experiencing sudden financial problems, rather than an identity thief impersonating the identity for fraudulent purposes.
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With this in mind, there are still steps you can take to help increase your chances of being caught by synthetic identity theft, including checking the following places for warning signs:
Additionally, identity theft protection services like Standard can help keep a close eye on it.
