In our modern society, we’re hooked to the internet. We order our pizza online, we can order groceries from Wal-Mart. Our orders are usually paid with our credit cards, and even those have access to your bank account online.
With all of this convenience, there are a few draw backs. Namely, if a person get’s even the smallest foothold in your life online, they can easily go from there and access your bank account, credit cards, run up huge bills, and many, many things.
But there are some things you can do to safeguard yourself against such hazards. The first thing that you need to know first though, is how identity thieves might strike. Some pretend to institutions you trust, and try to make you reveal personal information. As they say, “the rest is history.”
If you spot an email saying that you have a virus in your computer, and they want you to a) buy something, b) give out your personal information or c) download something, then it’s best to do thorough research about this company, and even then be skeptical about it.
There are several ways to spot whether or not your identity has been stolen. An obvious sign that your identity has been compromised is a series of withdrawals on your account that you don’t remember making. You would like to report that to your bank or credit union immediately, because they can then try and figure out how to help you.
Several other signs are as follows: you aren’t getting your mail or bills, merchants are refusing your paycheck, debt collectors are calling you about debts that you don’t have, etc.
But not all identity theft happens online. When people lose their purse or wallet, all of the credit cards are lost, and the person now can easily claim that those cards are his.
If you notice that your wallet or purse is lost, immediately notify the bank about this. If you don’t, the person might end up seeing that your bank account is getting drained. Fast.
Another thing to do is to practice fire drills of you losing your wallet or purse, to remember how you should react, who do you contact, etc.
The Blogger 
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