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How Identity Theft Happens
Identity theft can happen to anyone. It is frustrating and terrifying. Identity theft occurs whenever anyone uses your financial or personal information without your permission or knowledge. Your name, address, social security number, or bank account information is among the stolen and used information. There are many ways that your identity is stolen. A fraudster may go through your trash to find any information about you. Thieves can hack into your information when you use public Wi-Fi or sites that are not secure. They may also steal personal information from your employer or other records from a data breach. There is no shortage of ways that a thief will attempt to gain access to your personal information.
Why It Happens
A data breach is the most popular way for a thief to steal your data. In addition to the many ways listed above, joining social media platforms and other groups online can open you and your information up to identity theft. LinkedIn identity theft is a space where email addresses and additional information are commonly stolen. Once a fraudster has your email address, they can spam you and send you emails where they can dig for more information from you. Sometimes when you are accessing sites intended to be a professional network such as LinkedIn, you have a sense of security that you should not have. Even though this site is intended for professionals, fraudsters may be lurking in the shadows.
How You Can Prevent It
While identity theft can be scary, you can protect yourself and strengthen your internet privacy. First, you must understand how to protect your identity online. The best step you can take is to monitor your online behavior. You want to check every account you have at least once a month to make sure the activity is legitimate. These accounts include credit cards, bank accounts, and any invoice you receive. You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report every year. Make sure you get one from each credit bureau and review them carefully. Investigate anything that does not look right to you, no matter how small the amount is.
Use caution when responding to emails or clicking on links contained within the email. If you do not know the source, do not open it. In addition, you should check the contents of any bag you carry, including your wallet and purse. You should know what you are carrying in those bags and make sure they are there. If you do not constantly pay attention to your bags, it could be an easy way for a fraudster to steal your information. Vigilance is your best defense against all methods of identity theft.