There are, however, a number of effective ways you can protect your identity and personal information from thieves. Click to learn about some of the most effective strategies for protecting your identity.
Instead of carrying cash, these cards provide convenience and safety, as well as tracking of transactions on monthly statements.
You don't have to lose your credit or debit card to become a victim of credit card fraud. Thieves can obtain your credit card account numbers from old receipts or by scanning your card in illegal machines or some of the major breaches in recent years of retailers and other businesses.
These criminals are looking for unsuspecting individuals who will give them important information, like Social Security Numbers, dates of birth, credit card numbers or bank account numbers. Once they have your information, they use it to make fraudulent purchases, obtain credit or to access bank accounts.
It is most often committed through solicitation letters, phony sweepstakes, bogus catalogs, or work-at-home offers. Thieves can commit mail fraud by simply stealing mail - such as bank statements, credit card offers or checks - out of your mailbox.