Protecting your identity offline is just as important as protecting it online. 

identity theft means to impersonate a real person. In short, identity theft is a crime against another person. Victims of the attack could face unwanted trouble and expense because of fraud or other criminal activities, thieves commit using their personal identity details.  It is one of the fastest growing crimes globally, costing victims, in the United States alone, over $5 billion annually. There are reports that some victims of identity theft can now spend as much as 600 hours recovering from the crime and cleaning up the mess.

Is identity theft something to be worried about?

The short answer is yes. Be very afraid. identity theft or e-crime can happen easily and quickly.  The theft works in a range of ways- from crude methods to well organised scams.  Common examples of identity theft involves a fraudster collecting your personal information such as a social security number, credit card number, full name and address and other information that can then be used to either apply for a credit card or loan and then purchasing items with that credit card or loan using your identity.

Business or Institutions

Businesses can also be victims of identity theft. This another resource available to the identity fraudster who can gain access to the huge data bases that some businesses or institutions retain about their customers. They get your information by stealing files out of the offices where you are a customer, employee, patient or student, by bribing an employee who has access to your files or even “hacking” directly into the organization’s computer server. Unfortunately you as an individual are powerless to prevent this from happening

So how do I protect my personal information?

The Things You Must Not Do:

Don’t share your personal information with people you do not know and don’t provide it on the internet when applying for work etc.
Don’t be tricked by an email that looks legitimate or appears to link to a genuine website.
Don’t reply to emails sent by the bank requesting to log into your account to confirm your details. This scam is referred to as phishing. Delete the email immediately. These hoax emails are sent out at random and in large numbers and are not targeting you personally.
Don’t be naïve with your personal or financial information.
Don’t leave personal papers lying around or thrown into the general trash, because any information can be used by these identity fraudsters.
Don’t write down your Personal Identification Number (PIN), particularly not on your credit or debit card.
Don’t give personal information out over the telephone to anyone that calls you about anything. Legitimate callers never ask for personal information identifying you.
Don’t ever give out your personal information in response to an email, a web site you’ve come to through an external link or a pop-up screen that appears on a real web site.
Don’t give your credit card to a restaurant or retail employee to swipe somewhere else. Your credit card can be skimmed with a hand held skimmer small enough to fit into their pocket very quickly.
Don’t keep financial data on laptops unless absolutely necessary. Laptops are far more likely to be stolen than desktop computers. Encrypt all password lists and hide the file if you have to have it on your laptop.
Don’t forget to shred your credit card receipts and all other personal information that you don’t need to retain.
Don’t carry your birth certificate, social security card, or passport, unless it is necessary.
Don’t post private information on discussion lists or forums, even if they are alleged to be private.
Don’t leave documents such as registration papers, driver’s licences, utility bills or traffic fines in the glove box of your car.
Don’t put your driver’s license number or phone numbers on your checks.
Don’t use your credit card number on the Internet unless the site has a secured, encrypted system (look for “HTTPS” in the URL or the lock icon in the corner of your screen).
Don’t access your bank account or type personal information using someone else’s computer. There are many computer viruses that can sit on a computer undetected for many months and record entered keystrokes.

The Things You Must Do:

Do check your credit card statements (and other statements eg telephone, electricity and gas). Look for irregular entries or changes to the address line.
Do query mail and bills that are not being delivered. Your mail can be diverted to another address so that it can be processed by a identity fraudster.
Do report identity crime without delay. This will help limit the harm that it may cause to you or to others.
Do contact all creditors with whom your name or identifying data have been fraudulently used.
Do check with the organisation that has just contacted you before calling back. They will understand.
Do review your credit report at least once a year.

Preventing identity theft is a lot better than trying to recover from identity theft.  The police and your bank will work with you to solve any problems arising from identity theft. So be very vigilant because identity theft is a crime against you and your family.