We talk about cybercrime a lot and how to protect yourself. There has been a rise in ransomware, which sucks, but the one bonus (if you can call it that) is that you become immediately aware of an attack. The consequences are serious, but the first step to solving a problem is knowing that there is a problem. Identity theft is a rising cybercrime that counts on you never finding out, that your data is compromised. Your credit will take a severe hit before you are even aware of the theft.
Identity theft
We often think of cybercrime as something that is easily identified, but there are plenty of cybercrimes that go on without your knowledge. Ransomware wants you to know about the attack so that you’ll pay the ransom. With identity theft, the criminals count on you never finding out, so they can use your identity at will. The longer they move about your business without you knowing, the more damage they can cause.
Every 2 seconds there is a new victim of identity theft. One in 15 people will suffer identity fraud, and most won’t know for months, sometimes even years. By the time people realize that they are victims of identity fraud, serious damage has been done to their credit.
Identifying identity theft
When it comes to identity theft, everyone should pay more attention to those “hmmm, that’s odd” moments that inevitably arise. Many signs should alert you to the possibility of identity theft. The most obvious signs of identity theft are:
- Unexplained charges on your credit card
- Credit cards suddenly being declined, or checks bouncing
- Denial of loans or insurance
- Unexplained bills
- Tax problems
- Identity thieves
When someone steals your identity, they need to gain access to your data and information. Securing your network can prevent identity thieves from gaining access to your social security, drivers license, bank accounts, and health insurance; all the things they need to “prove” they are you, and to use your identity for their financial gain. Once they have all of the pertinent information, they can sign up for new credit cards, take out loans in your name, use your healthcare, and steal your tax refund. If they use your credit card, you may be alerted to the fraud quickly. However, many victims of identity fraud don’t realize they are victims for months.
Identity theft protection
OnePointSync supports and sells three of the most popular antivirus/malware software to protect you against identity theft and other cybercrime. We have tested these through and through, and are confident they will keep your computer and your network safe.
