Attorney General John Ashcroft called identity theft as “one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States”. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the leading governmental agency which keeps records on identity theft, estimates that over 9 million Americans (or 4.25% of all adults) are victims of ID theft on an annual basis, resulting in $52.6 billion losses to businesses and financial institutions. Even the 9/11 or September 11th hijackers were believed to have been identity thieves, using stolen passports and Social Security numbers to obscure their trail. Beyond doubt, identity theft crimes have reached epidemic proportions with subsequent catastrophic consequences.

Identity theft crimes are not new, but they have become more persuasive in the past decade. Advances in computer hardware and software along with the growth of the Internet have significantly increased the role that identity theft plays in crime. Individuals can hire credit-monitoring services that alert them when there are changes in their credit report. One such company, Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. in conjunction with Kroll, Inc. has developed a unique solution for victims of identity theft. This service referred to as the “Identity Theft Shield” is available to Pre-Paid Legal Services members. With the Identity Theft Shield, you have the added security of knowing that experienced professionals from the world’s leading risk consulting company are there to fight for you.

To prevent identity fraud, experts recommend that you review your credit report regularly. The ID Theft Shield makes this task easier. You receive prompt notices if any new accounts are opened in your name or if derogatory notations are added to your credit report. On an average, ID theft victims spend more than 250 hours and $2000 to clear their names. With Identity Theft Shield available at just $9.95/month, the cost of combating ID fraud crimes is much less. This monthly fee provides benefits to you, the member, and your spouse. At this cost, it is well worth the time and money to keep your affairs private.

Truly, Identity Theft Shield is the most factual and comprehensive solution to ID theft restoration. However, at times, even the best backup plans Fail. Therefore, you must learn to depend on yourself to set up your own identity theft shield and minimize your risk. Some things to do would be to shred all paperwork with important account information on it, don’t just throw it away in the trash because one of the simplest methods of Identity theft is for the thief to go through trash cans and dumpsters. Memorize pin numbers, do not carry them with your credit cards; Just to mention a couple thoughts.

Keith Londrie II is a well known author. For more information on Identity Theft, please visit Identity Theft for a wealth of information. You may also want to visit keith’s own web site at http://keithlondrie.com/

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How do people obtain your credit card information to make purchases that you might have to pay for? Some of the common ways include:
Paying for dinner at a restaurant. Your waitress or waiter takes your credit card with the check for your dinner, brings it to the register and processes the transaction and returns your card with a receipt to be signed. What you didn0t notice when the card was given back to you was it wasn0t even your credit card! Some waiters and waitresses might give you a fake credit card in return and keep your credit card to go shopping with, later. Or perhaps the credit card was returned to you, but only after the waiter or waitress copied down the details and placed the information in their back pocket for later. With that information, he or she can make purchases online or by phone, and not need to sign any receipts.
Some thieves hide inside contests, because everyone wants to win things for free! You0ll receive a mailing that says you0ve won a free vacation or item that requires you join a travel club or pay for shipping on the […]

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