Michael Newman’s latest é-Wealth Daily’ article is titled “Protect Yourself from Identity Theft”. [‘e-Wealth Daily’Article]

Michael Newman’s latest ‘e-Wealth Daily’ article:

Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

As times get harder and more people are put in desperate situations, some become more inclined to take extreme measures in their survival. This includes things like crime, fraud and taking advantage of others in similar situations. In fact, as the economy has worsened, the likelihood that you’re exposed to some type of scam has increased.

One of the worst crimes a person can fall victim to is personal identity theft. For starters, the perpetrator has gotten hold of your most personal information, taken your money and left you with a massive mess that can take months — sometimes years — to clean up.

Identity theft is no longer as simple as someone getting your credit card number and running up a bunch of charges and taking out cash advances. These days, it is far more complex and involves not only your credit information, but your social security information and your personal information as well. Criminals use the information to apply for mortgages, file false medical claims and open lines of credit — all of which have extremely negative impacts on victims. In fact, the trade commission estimates that there were roughly nine million cases of identity theft last year.

Although your various creditors, bankers and other people privy to your personal information have security systems in place to monitor and track the safety of your information, it’s not guaranteed they will catch every fraud infraction. Therefore, it’s important that you take the initiative to prevent criminals from infiltrating your life. In the battle against identity fraud, you are the best and first line of defense.

The fastest and easiest way to look out for problems is to review your credit and bank statements, looking for anything that stands out. The best way to do this is to sign up for online banking, so you can check your statements whenever you like, rather than waiting for them to arrive in the mail once a month. After all, the earlier you catch a problem, the easier it should be to clean up.

You can also order a credit report from one of the three credit agencies: Experian, Equifax or Trans Union. Review your report and look for any inconsistencies, false information or any potential mistakes. Inform them of these issues and they should launch an investigation.

One of the most important things you can do is keep your most sensitive information secure. The gateway to your life is through your social security number, and it is something that you should keep in a special place. Don’t carry it around in your wallet, because that makes it far more susceptible to being misplaced, leaving you vulnerable to identity fraud. Keep it in a secure place in your home or in a safety deposit box. Additionally, take extra care when disposing of your bank and credit card statements. Instead of just throwing them out, shred or file them. Even what you may think of as garbage is a huge opportunity to a criminal.

By increasing your awareness and preventative techniques towards identity fraud, you can save yourself all kinds of trouble in the future.

e-Wealth Daily

About e-Wealth Daily

The e-Wealth Daily Bulletin brings you daily tips, advice and breaking news related to home businesses, small businesses and internet marketing. Our team of experts gives you the information you need to take your business pursuits to the most profitable level. Founded by Adrian Newman in 2003, the e-Wealth Daily Bulletin and www.ewealthdaily.com are a division of Lombardi Publishing with online newsletters reaching over 100,000 subscribers each month.

* IMNewsWatch would like to thank e-Wealth Daily for granting permission to reprint this article.

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