This crime affects over 10 million people, including children, every year. What is it? It’s personal identity theft, and victims are seemingly randomly selected by the perpetrators of this felony.
Delta, PA -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2013 -- Legal-yogi.com is here to offer some input about identity theft safety tips and other information, such as:
- Methods of Choosing Victims
- Where to Report ID Theft
- Federal Trade Commission
- Thwart becoming a Target
Victim Selection
As part of the growing identity theft business, thieves strike the most vulnerable individuals they see, causing excessive damage to their credit ratings. They go through dumpsters, looking for documents that provide a person’s name, date of birth, and/or Social Security number (SSN), and they search for credit card invoices which provide important data. Shoulder surfing, where a thief looks over someone’s should to steal the credit card numbers while the person is making a purchase, is also popular.
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How to Report a Stolen Identity
The first place to report identity theft is at the local police station. If one does not have a paper trail indicating when the complaint was filed, it may be difficult to put criminal charges for identity theft on record. However, a police report that shows the exact date the theft was first noticed can be invaluable in convicting the thief, so go to the police department and file a complaint immediately.
The FTC
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a department designated only for cases of identity theft. It does its best to track the instances of this felony in certain areas so it can “throw a loop around” the perpetrators. Because there are so many complaints filed each year, though, the FTC cannot promise a fast result and apprehension of the thieves. However, the FTC does offer lots of intelligent identity theft safety tips, one of which is to carry charge cards in a separate case from one’s driver’s license or state ID card.
Avoid Being Targeted
Continuing with the previous topic, here are other identity theft safety tips that can help prevent one from being victimized by this crime. Women should carry a purse so the strap crosses her body to prevent a “grab and run”. Men should place their wallets in their front pockets or in an inside pocket of a jacket. These steps make it harder for a thief to pickpocket them. Do not ever give another person one’s SSN or that of one’s children. Using common sense can prevent identity theft from affecting one’s life.
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