About Idenity Theft . . . Know Your Enemy 

Your personal identifying information is of great value. . .

As an example, without certain government-assigned identification numbers, you would find it difficult to:

• get a job or run a business 
• open a bank account or make investments 
• secure a credit card or loan 
• register for school or college 
• purchase a home or vehicle 
• get insurance 
• legally operate a vehicle 
• qualify for governmental benefits 

To piggy-back on the above thought, additional unique “identifiers” are assigned to you to set your financial activities apart from the next guy…like YOUR bank account number or YOUR credit card number.

The point?

The point is, just as you take steps to safe-guard your home or car from burglary by buying locks and alarms, that same measure of security-consciousness (if not more so) should be applied to your personal data.

Check this out. . . On any given day, you may:

• charge a meal at a restaurant 
• write a check at the local supermarket 
• dump unwanted mail in the trash 
• complete forms at a doctor’s office you’ve just been referred to 
• apply for an "instant" retail store credit account (to take advantage of that extra 20% off) 
• respond to an unsolicited email offer or survey 
• get some quick cash at the ATM 

With each action (or transaction), you impart bits of personal info about yourself – credit card number, a social security number (SSN), name, address, phone numbers – a “gold mine” of information for a would-be identity thief. . . information that can be used fraudulently without your knowledge.

You can minimize the risks of becoming a victim by implementing a sound identity theft protection strategy

You might think you’ve figured out how to keep the thieves out of your personal information . . . but you just may be surprised at the methods they use to gain access to it. Finding out HOW thieves access your information is the first step in reducing the risk.

Explore:

• Types of Identity Theft
  
  Identity Theft? Identity Fraud? Did you know that there are different types of identity theft? Find out what they are and who's the target...
• The High Costs of a Stolen Identity
  
  A stolen identity stolen is a nightmare and can cripple you financially. Find out just how costly it is to the identity theft victim.
• What the Identity Thief Wants
  
  The identity thief is very particular about what he wants...Here's where he goes "shopping."