Have you had or known a friend or relative who has been the victim of identity theft?
If not, you are very fortunate. Hopefully it never happens to your or your friends or family, however, the odds are strong that it may happen. The Federal Trade Commission reports in March of 2011 that Identity Theft is the greatest consumer complaint of all and has been now for the last 12 years. More than 9 million cases were reported in 2010 and more than 10 million cases occurred in 2011. Thieves have discovered that identity theft crimes are more lucrative than drug crimes... and far less risky. Unfortunately only about 5% of the perpetrators ever get punished... and they don't stand the risk of gang warfare.
More than 27,000 people in the U.S. wake up each day to learn that their identity has been stolen. That is a horrendous number of people... about 3% of our population have their identity stolen each year.
Anyone can be a victim of identity theft. There is really no way to prevent it from happening. The question is... once stolen, how long will it take for the victim to become aware of the act? What protections if any does the victim have in place to initiate alerts so that actions can be taken to stop the intended thefts? How does one restore their identity in case it has been stolen?
Many think that identity theft occurs only with Financial Transactions. Unfortunately this is only one of five major types. Others include Drivers Licenses, Social Security Numbers, Medical Information, and Character/Criminal Actions. For example, children are especially susceptible through the use of their Social Security numbers which are available from hospital and other personal records from time of birth. If a thief can use a social security number for 18 or more years before being discovered then a tremendous amount of damage can be done to that person's financial credibility and status. Another major IDT crime is the false filing for another person's income tax refund made possible through theft of a person's social security number. In many cases we find that a criminal has filed for more than 50 different social security numbers and their tax refunds. Another example is being stopped by a police officer while driving out of state late at night. The officer looks at your Drivers License and sees that several individuals with this same drivers license number are wanted for criminal actions in many states. The officer may need to arrest you based on this conflicting data. In the case of one identity theft protection plan vendor, you can call an attorney in the middle of the night to request that the officer talk with the attorney and to have your Miranda Rights read to you, which could lead to your vindication on the spot. Limbo These are just some of the complications that can arise.
In addition to protecting you legally 24/7 one IDT plan vendor can actually restore your identity using licensed investigators working in conjunction with attorneys and the credit bureaus. The licensed investigators obtain a limited power of attorney from you and restore your identity helping you to avoid the typical 300-700 manhours of effort required to do so. Red Horse in the Summer Sky Typically identity theft plan vendors only mail you the necessary forms for you to perform the work necessary to perform restoration. It is estimated that there are more than 25 agencies that need contacting in order to restore your identity and to assure that your background is fully restored.
A person interested in obtaining maximum protection from identity theft would benefit by evaluating this information further.
The reasons to purchase an identity theft plan are to determine if someone has obtained your personal data, is attempting to use it fraudently, and to take or use your assets and resources. It is important to have coverage for yourself, your mate and your children. It is also extremely important that the plan that you purchase provide restoration by licensed investigators, working in cooperation with knowledgeable attorneys. Ditto In order to determine if you are purchasing an identity theft plan that will actually help you restore your identity, it is important that you thoroughly read the terms and conditions of the provider.
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