| ity thieves are becoming more sophisticated with | | | | anyway. And I’ve never understood what |
| every passing day. Don't wait until it's too late. Identity | | | | these services would or could do to prevent or |
| theft can happen anywhere to anyone. In line at the | | | | mitigate a true impersonation fraud. Credit card |
| store, online at home or when you're buying your | | | | companies still sent actual credit cards in their |
| morning coffee. Identity theft is one of the most | | | | pre-approval mailings and one was stolen out of my |
| common problems that people face today. Any of | | | | mailbox. A year later, I received a collection notice that |
| your personal information can be used to commit the | | | | over $2000 was charged at a retailer blocks away |
| crime. | | | | from my home. Credit card fraud is often confused for |
| Identity theft-protection company Lifelock is in the | | | | identity theft because of those clever commercials |
| news this morning. The company, headed by CEO | | | | with the funny voice-overs but it's really a walk in the |
| Todd Davis, is known for its challenge ad (reproduced | | | | park compared to identity theft. It won't take just a |
| below) which has been running for a couple of years. | | | | few phone calls to clear it up either. |
| Identity theft can happen anytime, anywhere, to | | | | Credit monitoring is an afterthought. What credit |
| anyone. Identity fraud has become a huge concern in | | | | monitoring is, is selling you your own data. |
| today’s new age and even though precautions | | | | Credit Fraud |
| have been taken to correct the situation there has not | | | | In the long run, credit fraud consistently hurts all of us. |
| been much success. In the US approximately 120 | | | | No one is totally absorbing these costs by themselves. |
| million citizens had their private records exposed in the | | | | They continually get passed on to the consumers. |
| last three years causing approximately 27 million | | | | There are several fraud alert mechanisms that ensure |
| Americans to become identity theft victims. | | | | that creditors notify you and verify your identity before |
| Identity theft in the most extreme cases allows people | | | | any new line of credit is opened in your name. One of |
| to get insurance in your name, open false bank | | | | today’s most common mechanisms is the new |
| accounts and even can provide a cover when | | | | and famous LifeLock. |
| arrested for other crimes. Ident-A-Kid's Immediate | | | | LifeLock |
| Response Card systems utilize an extremely fast | | | | You can protect your credit (and your family’s |
| digital data acquisition system. A complete profile of | | | | credit) with some outstanding features provided by |
| each child, including fingerprint, photograph, height and | | | | LifeLock. At the time of this writing, there are even |
| weight, is acquired in less than 15 seconds. Identity theft | | | | several websites offering LifeLock coupons. You can |
| is the most rapidly growing crime in the world. It's now | | | | simply run a simple search engine query on |
| bringing in more money than drug trafficking. | | | | “LifeLock coupons” and you’re |
| Credit | | | | sure to come across several sites to review and |
| Credit card fraud is the most common form of | | | | choose from. LifeLock is indeed a big name in identity |
| ‘identity theft.’ It threatens no liability and | | | | theft prevention today. Some say it is a bit overkill, |
| only a little bit of inconvenience to most consumers in | | | | some say it’s exactly what they needed. |
| the United States - consumers that are prudent, | | | | Review the information carefully and you decide. |