Identity theft has been a very serious issue for the past decade. Due to the fact that most people are now using the power of internet to keep in touch with each other, many establishments have been using this to promote and start their own businesses. However, because of that, identity information such as name and addresses, credit card and social security account numbers are now being stolen once data is encoded within the system. We all know that almost all business transactions can be done via internet. Aside from that, setting up an online bank account is very easy, provided that you can understand English terms. In addition to that, social networking sites are also available for anyone to view. And since personal information is also displayed, there’s no doubt that identity theft is inevitable.
As we all know, stolen identity can be used in many different ways. Aside from the fact that personal information can be used when doing business transactions, credit card numbers can also be stolen. That’s the reason why some people are unknowingly paying for various services that they didn’t order. Whether it’s just a few dollars or even thousands of it, only one thing is for sure: Things will eventually get dirty.
So how do you know whether your identity is stolen or not? Listed below are the things that you must do in order to know the answer to your simple but serious question:
- Always monitor your credit card report. If you’re using a credit card, be sure to monitor your credit card report. Since the items or services that you availed for this month are nonetheless listed there, along with the time and the place where the product or service is obtained. Needless to say, if there’s something fishy going on with your credit card report, there’s definitely no doubt that your identity is stolen and being used in committing illegal transactions.
- Monitor your mailbox and e-mails every time you log in. Whenever someone tries to avail some products or services from a particular business, there’s a chance that they’re going to send you mails or e-mails telling you about your fee. If in case that you’re accepting e-mails from a certain business that you don’t remember or failed to recognize, there’s a chance that someone had stolen your identity.
- Always check IRS and insurance company e-mails. There are times that you have to read e-mails from IRS or your insurance company. If they said “You already availed your tax refund” or “You have reached your insurance limit” or something like that, BEWARE.