Internet Identity Theft – How to Protect Yourself

With the increased use of the internet to make purchases, handle bank accounts, and send personal information, internet identity theft is on the rise. In the United States alone, there has been over 10 million victims. On average, there is a new identity theft victim every 79 seconds. The statistics are alarming – that is why protecting yourself against the devastation of this crime is absolutely crucial in this day and age. Find out how to protect yourself.

What is Internet Identity Theft?

Internet identity theft occurs when a criminal uses another person’s personal information-such as a social security number- to open a bank account, line of credit, or any other type of account or membership that requires personal information. It can also occur when the thief uses a person’s existing account information to make purchases. They will then rack up debt in the identity theft victim’s name, ruining their credit and leaving them to cover the costs.

How Can I Protect My Credit From Internet Identity Theft

Consumers need to take steps to protect themselves from becoming another identity theft victim. This involves being extremely cautious with how you use any personal and financial information both online and offline, but even being as careful as possible is not always enough. Because identity thieves are constantly finding new ways to gain access to this information, protecting your credit with credit monitoring is one of the best ways to ensure that your identity is safe.

Credit Bureau Monitoring Services

Credit monitoring services are extremely beneficial to those looking to protect themselves from internet identity theft. By enrolling in one of these programs, you can have peace of mind that someone is watching over your credit file every single day and keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity, including new accounts being opened or even suspicious purchases on your existing financial accounts. When you have a credit monitoring service in place, any alarming information or fraudulent activity will be reported to you immediately, and you will even have the help you need in correcting any of those problems before the thief has the opportunity to use your good credit to make tons of purchases and pile up debt in your name. This type of daily monitoring will leave your mind at rest-you can relax knowing that you’ll be notified right away if anyone does try to use your personal information to open new accounts or make purchases.

Because internet identity theft is on the rise, many new credit monitoring programs are available, so it’s simple to find the service that best fits your needs. Take a look at a few of the different options out there and compare them side by side. Review the features and benefits of each program and choose the service that fits your needs and your budget. Signing up with a good credit monitoring service is the best way to be sure that your identity is safe and to ensure that you don’t become an identity theft victim. Don’t hesitate to look over the different programs and start protecting yourself today.