Identity Theft Often Happens Close to Home

When you look to the causes of identity theft, it’s an unfortunate fact that you sometimes have to turn your head close to home. Friends and family, or more commonly, ex-friends and family, can sometimes be the cause of the problem. It makes sense considering these people are most likely to have access to your personal information, but it often packs a more painful blow than if the theft occurred due to the actions of a faceless stranger.

An anonymous contributor to the November issue of Money magazine was one such victim. Her ex-husband ran up $453 on a fraudulent Comcast cable account he opened in her son’s name. The fraud wasn’t discovered until her son attempted to acquire a credit card at a department store.

Luckily, in this case, the amount of money was relatively small and the case was resolved fairly quickly. However, in many cases, it may take years for the theft to even be found out, especially if the victim is under 18 when the crime occurs.

Why does the victim’s age make a difference? How many ten year olds do you know that check their credit histories? This is because they don’t have credit histories, or at least, they shouldn’t. That makes them excellent targets for thieves because it gives them years to develop fraudulent accounts unnoticed and plenty of time to spend, spend, spend!

Now we are not suggesting that you cut off all contact with friends and family and lock up your wallet when you’re entering your home. What we are suggesting is that you take precautions to protect yourself, even if you don’t divulge your information online or hold many credit accounts. And, don’t forget to think of your children as well, even if your son or daughter is less than a year old. Be it due to a friend, family member or stranger, identity theft is nothing to be messed with.

So how do you protect yourself? Identity theft insurance is a good bet. You can get coverage for as little as pennies a day for you and for your family. TrustedID and LifeLock identity theft services are two great options to consider, but there are also many others that could possibly fit your needs. There’s sure to be a plan that is perfect for you.
It’s sad to think that you need to protect yourself from people you know, but in the identity theft game there are no rules. The people with the best identity protection plans are the ones that come out the winners.