10 Signs Of Identity Theft And How to Prevent It

Internet technology provides many conveniences for many people; it makes it easy for you to shop without leaving the house. You can also get a job without bothering queuing at the job fair or sending files by post. However, there are also weaknesses behind the difficulties we are experiencing today. Crime in cyberspace is also increasingly widespread. Many people commit identity theft to obtain personal information, including bank account details and credit card numbers.

Here are some signs of identity theft that you need to know about, as quoted from various sources. Meanwhile, you should consider learning how to remove your information from the internet.

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1. You See An Error On Your Credit Report

You can get a free credit report that will provide information on your transactions. You can use it to check for anything suspicious, including transactions from unknown accounts.

2. You Received a Call From a Debt Collector

You need to be alert if a phone call is suddenly asking for late payment. It could be a clear sign that you've fallen victim to identity theft.

3. Unauthorized Withdrawals From Bank Account

Please keep an eye on any transactions or withdrawals from bank accounts, no matter how small they are taken. The hacker may initially withdraw a small amount of money to see whether or not you are aware of your reduced balance.

Call your credit card provider/company as fast as possible and ask them to freeze your credit if you find out about this problem.

4. You Start Getting Billed For Unusual Expenses

Don't ignore or discard unusual billing letters that appear in your mailbox. This letter or email may not be a spam email, and you cannot ignore it.

5. Received an Email Addressed From Unknown Sources

You should take them seriously if you start receiving letters addressed to people you don't live with. If this happens, it never hurts to stay alert. You are also not wrong to freeze your credit if exposed to identity theft.

6. Received Medical Bills for Services You Never Received

If your credit card information is stolen, it can later be used to pay anything, including medical bills. If you notice something wrong with this, immediately contacting your credit card company won't be wrong.

7. Claims That Your Info Was Accessed In Data Breach

Be careful if the company or bank sends notifications that your personal information was accessed in some recent data theft. This often indicates a clear sign of identity theft.

8. You Earn Higher-Than-Expected Interest Rates

Again, if you're getting isn't what you think you should be, consider researching your credit and requesting a credit report, including if you suddenly have to pay higher interest rates. Maybe your account has been hacked by a thief.

9. Received a Gift as A Token of Gratitude

Don't be too happy to receive a gift or a “thank you” greeting. This can indicate that you are being paid for something you never ordered.

10. Received Packages You Never Ordered

Like the 9th sign above, this can also indicate identity theft. Make sure to check the package and trace the transaction carefully.

How to Prevent Identity Theft

To be far away from identity theft, you need to be safe first. Your data should remain private as always. One quick and effective way to do this is by having a good VPN service. Try the PIA VPN encryption, which allows better protection through the encryption feature. This way, your data will always be safe.

There are also several things you need to remember to prevent identity theft from happening to your life:

1. If you receive either a suspicious email or phone call from a bank or company asking for your identity details, never show your full password, login details, or account number.
2. A bank will not ask you for your pin, account number, or password by phone call or email. You don't need to share all this detailed information with anyone.
3. Create a strong password for online use and never use the same password for all sites where you log in. If you find remembering all the passwords you created difficultly, use a password manager to jot them down.
4. Protect your internet-connected devices with the latest security software and make sure you install official applications.

How To Report an Online Scammer

Let your family and friends know about these signs of identity theft by sharing article on social media. You can also officially report crooks and suspicious activities to the Federal Trade Commission using the link below:

Report To The FTC Here

How To Protect Yourself More

If you want to be the first to receive the most prevalent scams periodically via email, subscribe to the Scam Detector newsletter. You will useful messages – no spam.

Meanwhile, educate yourself about other identity theft related articles listed under this paragraph, so that you know how to stay safe online. Last but not least, feel free use the comments section below to expose other suspicious characters.

Identity Theft: How To Stay Safe

Most Common Cases of Identity Theft Last Year