Top 3 Myths about Identity Theft

Top 3 Myths about Identity Theft

By Dusan Agbaba, May 03, 2020                        Top 3 Myths about Identity Theft

Identity theft happens when thieves steal your personal information to open lines of credit, open checking accout, apply for credit or debit card 

There are a lot of ways identity theft can happen to you. Hackers may get your information from a data security breach. Or, you may unknowingly provide it on social media, during conversions others can hear or by leaving financial documents in unsafe places. That information may include:

  • Social Security number
  • Full name, address and birth date
  • Credit card or bank account numbers
  • Car insurance or medical insurance account numbers

Details that can tip off people to your account-recovery questions, such as your mother's maiden name or your home town. With this information, criminals could impersonate you, max out your credit cards, rent an apartment, steal your frequent-flyer miles or act out a number of other bad-guy fantasies. Thieves can even access the Social Security number of a deceased person, commit fraud, and create problems for the estate.Make sure documents and other items containing personal information are safe and secure, not easily accessible by any visitor to your home

Myth 1: If you are careful enough, you’ll never fall victim to identity theft.
Fact: No one can prevent all identity theft, and cybercriminals are getting more sophisticated in their attempts to steal your personal information. While taking precautions to protect your personal information may help protect you from becoming a victim of identity theft, there are no guarantees and no ways to completely protect your information from being exposed.

That’s because criminals have consistently evolved their methods for uncovering your personal information, including your Social Security number, driver’s license details, bank account numbers, computer and account passwords, credit card numbers, and more. Cybercriminals can infect your devices with malware and viruses that can hide on your computer, track your keystrokes and infiltrate your programs. They can also launch cyberattacks on companies and organizations to mine consumer data from vulnerable servers and computers.

Myth 2: Freezing my credit will keep my personal information safe.
Fact: Freezing your credit may prevent identity thieves from opening new credit card or other accounts in your name, but it can’t protect you from other more common types of identity theft.

Even if you freeze your credit, if identity thieves already have just a few items of personal information — including your name, Social Security number, and birthdate — they can use it to file a tax return in your name and or commit other types of fraud, like Social Security or employment fraud. They can even use your information to commit medical identity theft. Criminals don’t need your credit report to file insurance claims to obtain medical care or prescriptions; they only need some of your personal details. Freezing your credit won’t prevent thieves from accessing your current credit card and bank accounts, either. If thieves gain access to these accounts, they may be able to make fraudulent purchases through them or steal cash.

Myth 3: All banks and credit card companies protect you with zero-liability policies.
Fact: Some financial institutions will reimburse you for fraudulent charges on your credit card, but may not do the same if thieves make such charges using your debit card. It’s always better to know the details of your financial institution’s zero-liability policies. Some institutions limit how much you can be reimbursed without first requiring an investigation. Review your bank and credit card accounts regularly for fraudulent activities, looking for unfamiliar or suspicious purchases you don’t remember making. Review the liability policies of your financial institutions, too, so that you know what to expect should you discover fraudulent activity.

Install antivirus software
Antivirus, or security software is designed to prevent malware from embedding on your computer or device. If the software detects malicious code, like a virus or a worm, it works to disarm or remove it.This could help protect your devices if you accidentally click a dangerous link. The antivirus software can fight the malware and safeguard your files. Always be sure you download software apps and services only from official vendor sites.

Norton 360 Deluxe- one protection for five devices

An astonishing fact came from a recent survey in Britain: an average number of the Internet devices per one family is now 7.4! In The USA, the numbers are similar; almost half of the households possess five and more Internet devices. Since usually there are children in the household, the importance of quality antivirus software cannot be stressed enough. Norton Deluxe offers protection for up to five devices at the same time. All the perks and upsides of Norton 360 Standard apply here, too, but it adds the number of Internet devices it can completely cover.

Yet again, a highly praised interface appears which, although covered with numerous options, makes sense in its arrangement and is highly comprehensible. The main panel has four sections for Security, Identity, Performance and More Norton, which are then subdivided into more options. If you hate being interrupted, you will love Norton Security products, for they already have a reputation of not being noticeable at all. There is even a Silent as an option. It affects the system in no way as it works effectively to safeguard your Windows, Mac, iOS or Android operated device, or just all of them at once! With Norton 360 Deluxe, you can keep different devices with different operating systems protected all at once. Yet again, the pop-ups are as minimal as possible; just giving you notice from time to time to inform you what is happening with your system.

Not only does Norton 360 Deluxe try to identify the malicious software with the familiar ones, but it also analyzes behavior of the unfamiliar code, which is called SONAR within the NortonLifeLock massive database network. The professionals keep in touch with you and, as a subscriber of Norton 360 Deluxe, you are given a Virus Protection Promise. In the unlikely event that a virus sneaks into your computer and somehow bypasses the antivirus software, one of the experts that are tech support in NortonLifeLock will log in to your device to determine and resolve the issue. On the off chance that they do not succeed, the full amount of your subscription will be refunded, just like in the case of Norton 360 Standard subscribers. They also show history of your downloads, optimizations and all actions. This antivirus suite is perfect if you and your roommates have different devices, or you have a family of up to 5 members that have different devices (tablets, phones, laptops…) to protect. Its price is $49.99 for the first year.

Credit Bureau Contacts

Contact the national credit bureaus to request fraud alerts, credit freezes (also known as security freezes), and opt outs from pre-screened credit offers.

Equifax

Equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
800-685-1111

Experian

Experian.com/help
888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)

TransUnion

TransUnion.com/credit-help
888-909-8872

IdentityTheft.gov can help you report and recover from identity theft. Get started now