Identity Theft Is More Prevalent Offline

[pricescope]

BBB Research Shows that identity theft is more prevalent offline with paper than online: http://www.bbb.org/alerts/article.asp?ID=565

"In Half of the Cases Where the Perpetrator is Known, Identity Fraud is committed by Someone Close to the Victim"

Only 11.6% of identity frauds are computer crimes. Most result from stolen wallets or from friends and family who have access to personal information.

Don''t forget to shred your bank statements!

 

[Mara]

Very common as well is people going through your trash and/or mailbox. I'm so happy we have a locked mailbox rather than just one that anyone has access to. We also shred all our stuff too. There was just a CSI about identity theft and it's pretty freaky...I have read some horrible stories as well.

When I was younger my mom had someone pull her Macy's statement from the mailbox and commit mail-order fraud with it...about $2k! Turns out it was the teenage daughter of the neighbor across the street!

 

[Jennifer5973]

My mom got us a shredder from QVC for Christmas...it really is a good idea. I think it''s like $39.99 or so but worth it!!!

TIP: A coworker of mine once had her new checks stolen from her mailbox--what a nightmare. She had to go to court multiple times to prove she didn''t write over $8,000 in checks and waited YEARS to get her money back (and did''t get all of it)...So now, I have my checks sent to the bank and I pick them up there.