It looks legitimate. An email from Citibank appears in your mailbox asking you to verify your name, address, social security number or password for your bank account. Or it may ask for your credit card number, and provide you with a link to a website.
But by giving the information—sometime even just by clicking on the link, you provide impostors with ways to get your private data.
Want a few more tricks?
If you ever think you are a victim of identity theft, there are several things you should do immediately:
Over the past few days we’ve established not only what identity theft is, but also how thieves can gain access to your information. So how do you avoid being the victim of identity theft? Here are some ideas:
So how does someone even go about stealing your identity? Identity theft generally starts with how you handle your personal information, such as your name, Social Security number, credit card numbers, or other financial account information. If an identity thief can get their hands on this info, they have hit the jackpot.
You should also know that a high majority of identity theft cases involve a close friend or family member who may have easy access to your personal information.
You’ve probably heard about this growing crime known as “identity theft” but what exactly is it and do you need to be concerned about it?
Basically, identity theft is when thieves steal your personal information and pretend to be you, usually for financial gain. They can use this form of fraud in a variety of ways. They may use your personal information to open a new credit card account and charge it up, all while pretending to be you. They may gain access to your banking information and clean out your accounts.