Identity Theft : Are You Protected?

Identity theft and identity fraud has been a concern for a number of years now. It is not new on the horizon, but it seems easy to set aside if it hasn’t happened to you, personally. In 2010, the reported number of identity theft complaints exceeded 250,000, as reported by the US Federal Trade Commission (Security Technology and News US Correspondent, 2011).

We are living in the information age and access to personal information has never been easier. However, with that information age and the tools to access data, there are also products/services like IdentityHawk that can help to protect a person against identity theft and identity fraud.

First, consumers should be advised to be cautious. Do not hand over information to someone calling on the phone, or sending an official (or unofficial) looking email or snail mail. Watch the online payment systems, first, that they are credible, and second that they show that they are on a secure server (a lock and the protocol “https://” preceding the web address).

These are only some basic, just-scratching-the-surface, off-the-cuff tips, to truly implement an identity theft protection plan, you will want to find a product that will help you to be able to identify risks, and identify steps that can be taken to protect their identity. IdentityHawk is an example of just such a product.

Am I advising you to panic over the thought that this could happen to you? No. However, I do caution you to act wisely, and obtain a product/service that will help you minimize the chances of this malady happening to you.

References
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Security Technology News’ US Correspondent (2011). US releases identity theft statistics. Retrieved January 28, 2011, from http://www.security-technologynews.com