Identity Theft in the News
Another Identity Theft Case Makes Headlines
The increasing use of technology has made identity theft a more common occurrence. According to the Federal Trade Commission, the number of identity theft complaints has risen considerably in the last several years. It is much easier for criminals to commit identity theft than it is for victims of identity theft to clear their names. Some recent news articles have really highlighted this unsettling reality of identity theft.
An Unpleasant Surprise
The Petoskey News-Review recently ran an article explaining the unfortunate situation that a Minnesota resident experienced. The article explained the plight of William E. Murphy who lives in Minnesota with his wife. Apparently, Murphy was ready to go on an out-of-town trip when he received a past due credit card statement for a credit card he, in fact, never opened. Eventually it was discovered that another individual by the same name (except the middle name) opened a credit card fraudulently.
Frustrating, Time Consuming and Expensive
It’s important to understand that if you become the victim of identity theft you are probably going to log long hours if you ever expect your name to be cleared. According to law enforcement, sometimes it is difficult to tell how someone’s identity theft was stolen partly due to the fact that identity theft criminals often use computers. It is not uncommon for victims of identity theft to log more than 300 hours in order to clear their credit report and resolve the situation. Many people work forty hours at their jobs, 300 hours is the equivalent of nearly two months of full time employment!
Avoiding identity theft takes planning and knowledge. Read over the helpful tips offered at this identity theft information website. There are certain steps you can take to reduce your risk of identity theft, and you should make it your top priority to learn all you can about identity theft.