Identity theft has always been a big topic, and it should be taken with a serious approach by everyone. That is because there is not a single person on this planet who is safe from this type of fraud. As we discussed a few years back, identity theft can impact Indians too.
As universal as the attackers approaches are, the ways to go about preventing these attacks are also much of the same. That said, the legal responses in India are not as strenuous as in many other countries of the world. This means, for many Indian tech wizards, a criminal approach to financial gain holds more incentive than ever. In fact, cyber laws have been criticized in India for a very long time and that is not expected to change any time soon.
No one has your back but you, so educate yourself now on how to stay safe.
Each of the 10 things listed below are factual points that everyone should read and remember forever!
1) There’s always a new door
Identity thieves will never fail to find an entry point. Identity theft protection services create a dramatic decrease in risk exposure, but they are not bulletproof by any means. Though, they are good for the fact that they can catch an attacker as soon as they step through that door. Whether it’s a fraudulent utilities account, a new credit line, or a change to an old one, a protection service will thwart the attacker’s plans as soon as they start.
2) People really do steal your garbage
Growing up, your parents do not tell you to be careful about how you discard of your trash. The important paperwork relating to your old bills usually ends up in a bag that also contains discarded food boxes, containers, plastic wrappers, and much more. That’s standard, right? But, it’s a proven fact that mail-stealing identity thieves are commonplace in today’s world. And this boils down to one reason: your mail contains endless amounts of sensitive information about you, which is why it should be shredded or burned when no longer needed.
3) People will even steal your mail
Going through someone’s garbage is gutsy as it is, but rooting through their mailbox is a whole new ball game. But, someone courageous enough to pull off such a crime in the first place will have no problem stealing your mail right out of your mailbox. And this plays out much like the last point, except it’s harder to stop. The only solution is to rent a Post Box at your nearest post office. Otherwise, a criminal could get your information from papers you never had the chance to touch.
4) The Internet is an identity thief’s “safe zone”
Especially with India’s slack cyber laws and enforcement efforts, you absolutely need to understand that the Internet is not your home court. It is the base of the criminals, it’s their breeding ground. Those that can steal your information over the Web, or by hacking your computer, are smarter than ever. Even worse, they are able to pull it all off without even leaving a trail.
5) Shopping online requires thorough research
You do not just want to research a product before you buy it. You also have to consider the trustworthiness of the online store that’s selling it. There are many smaller e-commerce shops that can turn against you at the blink of an eye. The big players like Amazon are trustable, for sure, but most need to be searched in Google for potential consumer complaints.
6) Credit cards are not safe by any means
The invention of the credit card came about to solve a much different problem than what we have today. It’s unfortunate, but the efforts have yet to be taken by these card companies to ensure everyone stays safe. A point-of-sale machine will pick up the card numbers, and the rest of the card info. The worst of it is when you shop online with a credit card, where it might be saved in a database that could eventually get breached.
7) Credit accounts aren’t needed to be targeted
Many are oblivious to the true facts of identity theft and think that it’s okay to not worry about it if they have no open credit lines. The truth is, an identity theft attack can happen against anyone at any time. Let’s say someone steals your mail and gets all your personal information, then they can go and open new credit lines in your name. The details could even be used to create a fake passport for a criminal to sneak out of the country in your guise.
8) Public Wi-Fi plays into an attacker’s hands
The availability of public Wi-Fi networks in India has made it much easier for the average citizen to get victimized. This is because there are many identity thieves here that are aware of how to compromise the devices of others through these public networks. For example, a hacker could set up a man-in-the-middle attack and spoof a public network and then steal any login credentials you use while on that connection.
9) No one can be trusted
Everyone is a potential identity thief, and that’s just how you have to see it. People do not even need to know how to perform these attacks to make them happen. For example, a retail store cashier can undergo a joint venture and get a skimming device shipped to them from another member of an online hacking forum. If you want to stay safe, you really need to limit who gets your information, and where your credit cards get used.
10) Children are not any safer
It’s possible for an identity thief to take over a child’s identity. In fact, stats show it’s somewhere around 35-times more likely for an attacker in the U.S. to target a child than an adult. The child doesn’t recognize the crime until they turn legal age, so it’s the parent’s job to take an active approach to prevent it.
Identity Theft is Real and Only You Can Stop It!
The threatening risks of identity theft are more real than ever, and these criminals are only getting smarter by the day. It’s your job to stand up for yourself and stop an identity thief from targeting you. That’s easy to wish for, but hard to execute when you don’t know how. That’s where the Internet is your friend, as it can educate you on how to stay safe.
While these 10 points are great, you might want to read a more detailed list, such as The 100 Best Ways to Prevent Identity Theft, to ensure your identity is safe and secure. You also can check this great article, chich contains many ways to prevent identity theft. These are great articles that will help you a lot.
