LifeLock, a heavily promoted company that claims to protect consumers against identity theft has been sued a number of times – (Google: Lifelock in the news). The lawsuits involve defrauding customers by offering services it cannot legally perform, and by touting a $1 million guarantee that is misleading.
Identity theft is growing rapidly World Wide. In 2007, 10 million Americans were victims of an identity theft crime costing $57 billion. That’s a big number and one that’s hard to comprehend.
Who can you trust to protect your identity? The website Identity Theft Labs provides a detailed comparison of the best identity protection companies such as; LifeLock, TrustedID, ID Watchdog, Debix and Identity Guard.
According to the chart, Identity Guard has the edge when it comes to identity theft protection. They will assist you through the entire process until your identity is successfully recovered. They also offer $1,000,000 in insurance backed by AIG.
How to avoid being a victim of identity theft
It’s great to sign up for a service in the event you become a victim, but taking proactive measurements can truly be more effective.
- Keep your drivers license, credit cards and check books in a safe place.
- Destroy or Shred all bank and credit card statements if you receive them by snail mail.
- Don’t carry your birth certificate, social security card, or passport in your purse or wallet unless it’s absolutely necessary.
- Be careful with who you share your Social Security number with. Don’t be afraid to ask why it’s necessary to provide your Social Security number.
- Be aware of your surroundings when you’re at the ATM. People around you may be on the prowl for victims, and might be able to see your PIN over your shoulder.
- Avoid writing passwords on paper, try to remember your passwords.
- Shop online only with retailers that are trusted and well known.
Keep safe during the holiday season as this is the time of year when criminals make their biggest splash.
TechJaws has received no endorsement from Identity Guard or its partners.
But virtual identity theft is still a matter of headache.
Sajib,
Can you explain what you mean by virtual identity theft?
I would say he means virtual identity theft in the comment above as getting your identity stolen online? People place too much information online especially on Facebook where a recent study just came out that shows 40% of people put enough information in their profiles for someone to be able to at least steal partial identity. This becomes a problem when these people use these things at mom and pop quick loan stores where they might not take all of the information they need or other services that don’t require SS numbers. Identity theft is a scary thing but can be prevented with some common sense measures.
Thanks for the info. I think this post will be helpful
I have been targeted and have had $7500 stolen in less than 2 months. All of my emails and instant messenger programs have been hacked into and even my local newspaper stopped arriving at my doorstep. When I contacted the paper they somehow had my old phone number.
It has become a serious issue and I was wondering if anyone could offer advice? My bank (Chase) refused to close my account because there were pending charges (which were all fraudulent) I am now researching hacking and am stunned by what Im finding. Go to walmart.com and type “security” in the search engine. First hit? Norton or Mcafee? No, a book on how to hack and steal identities. Type hacking into youtube and you find videos on how to operate Cain and Abel (a hacking program) It’s so easy it’s scary! So NOW what do I do now that I’ve already lost my money and identity??? Any ideas? Thanks!!!
Robert,
Be stingy, never share you personal info, and if they ask, always ask why.
About remembering passwords by memory – Not practical when you have hundreds of passwords. Unless you have a super memory…
It’s one of the nagging problems of today’s world, passwords needed everywhere.
Darrin,
Password management is very important today. Do not keep it simple, mix it up with special characters and numbers.