Identity Theft

Identity theft is a growing problem that victimises thousands of people worldwide on a daily basis. Valuable information that is written on documents including credit card information, national insurance numbers and bank account and routing information, can be stolen out of the bin or recycling by savvy and determined thieves. Many people mistakenly assume that merely blacking out important numbers is enough to deter identity thieves. Unfortunately this is not the case.

Sophisticated thieves do not need a complete set of information in order to steal a persons' identity. Sometimes a name and parts of an address or a few old phone numbers are enough to create a new persona, including credit cards issued in the name of the person whose identity was stolen. Documents that otherwise seem innocuous, like a national insurance and tax id numbers can be used to create new documents that help steal identity. The more little pieces of information a thief has, such as past employers and hospital of birth or an old passport or driver's license photo with a name on it, can be enough information to cause millions of dollars of debt and years of grief for the victim. This is why people and businesses often turn to a shredding service to help them deal with the large volume of material they need to shred.

The best thing to do is to shred all documents will all identifying information, no matter how innocent the information may seem. This can add up to thousands of pages of documents a week, which is no easy task for a small shredder.

Additionally, computer disks, including DVDs and CD's can contain private information that cannot be erased. Only a commercial shredder can handle harder material such as this. Commercial shredders are able to shred clothes, large volumes of paper, plastics, and many other materials that smaller domestic and office shredders cannot handle. Even credit cards can slow down domestic and office shredders. A shredding service has large shredders that are capable of handling large volumes of heavy material without slowing down.

A reputable shredding service can help any home or office prevent identity theft and important information from getting into the wrong hands. Hiring an outside service also saves time and money in the long run. In addition to saving money and time spent tracking down and stopping identity thieves, an outside service saves time and money over using a small shredder for large volumes. A shredder can uses large amounts of energy every year. This cost is greatly increased when the machine is taxed by using it at a much higher volume that it was designed for. Much of this cost can be saved by hiring an outside company to provide this service for a home or business.

Jennifer is a business consultant and has worked with different companies in her career. She thinks that it is important for businesses to dispose of private documents through a shredding service to protect information. For more details, please visit The Shredding Alliance.

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Identity theft is the fastest growing consumer crime in the United States. According to the Federal Trade Commission, approximately 9.3 million individuals are victimized by the crime every year, so it's no wonder that more and more people are turning to ID theft prevention services to safeguard their identities. But consumers aren't the only ones at risk. Any size business, whether a giant corporation or a small business, must be vigilant to protect themselves from ID theft.

ID Theft Prevention Service Vs. ID Theft Insurance Vs. Credit Checks:

Identity theft experts agree that using an ID theft prevention service is the most effective way to protect against ID theft, but note that consumers and companies can also take matters into their own hands by using common sense to protect their identities. Some preventative measures include keeping copies of credit card information in a safe place, obtaining their credit reports from the three major credit bureaus once a year, and implementing credit freezes.

Some ID experts also recommend purchasing ID theft insurance, but the benefits of an ID theft prevention service far outweigh the benefits of ID theft insurance. The insurance covers some of the expenses to deal with the aftermath of identity theft, but it does nothing to prevent it. Even the National Association of Insurance Commissioners states that ID theft insurance "cannot protect you from becoming a victim of identity theft and does not cover direct monetary losses incurred as a result of identity theft."

Instead of insurance, consumers, corporations, and small businesses should invest in an ID theft prevention and recovery service that is proactive and provides comprehensive protection against ID theft. There are many competing identity theft prevention services out there, and not all of them offer the same level of service.

The Most Effective ID Theft Prevention and Recovery Service:

The Identity Advocate has been researching the best of the best services for preventing ID theft and what to do if it happens to you. We believe the most proficient and comprehensive identity theft prevention and recovery service in the marketplace is Entrust America. It is the only ID theft protection company with a 100% track record of recovering stolen identities over the past five years of providing ID theft prevention services to corporations and consumers alike.

One of the most unique things about Entrust America is that the company has a proprietary partnership with law enforcement nationwide. The company's network of law enforcement professionals recovers identities and ensures clients across the entire United States get back to pre-theft status. As law enforcement professionals they also have the ability to get fast and accurate results that would be nearly impossible for victims to achieve on their own. In addition to providing ID theft protection and recovery services, Entrust America pursues and assists with the prosecution of ID theft perpetrators.

Entrust America's ID theft prevention services include:

• A 24/7 hotline for members to call if they suspect they have been a victim of ID theft. Most competitors do not offer round-the-clock support. These on-call identity theft specialists quickly determine whether a fraud has occurred and, if so, which of the over 40 different kinds of identity theft have been committed.

• Overnighting an ID Theft Resolution Kit that includes forms to be submitted to the IRS, DMV, Social Security Administration, and the three credit reporting agencies. An identity theft affidavit and forms specific to the type of ID theft are also included.

• Reporting the identity theft to members' local authorities and creditors, requesting that creditors cancel existing cards and issue new ones, and placing a security freeze on members' credit records that lasts for seven years. Other ID theft prevention services only place a credit freeze on records for 90 days (if they offer this service at all).

• Contacting members with status updates whenever there is activity on the case, and following-up with creditors to ensure that they properly repair the members' accounts.

• Recovery specialist who are all law enforcement professionals. They have the time and expertise to immediately launch a full investigation into the identity theft, completely reverse damages, and bring the identity thieves to justice.

• 100% recovery of members' identity to pre-theft status. No other ID theft prevention and recovery company has a better track record of reducing the likelihood of a member's identity being compromised. Entrust America gives members total peace of mind.

These are just a few of the many ID theft prevention and recovery services Entrust America provides its members. Learn more about Entrust America and the comprehensive services the company provides consumers and corporations to prevent and recover from identity theft by visiting http://www.EntrustAmerica.com.

Entrust America is the only ID theft prevention service endorsed by The Identity Advocate, a leader in the education, training, consulting, and investigation of ID theft. Visit http://www.TheIdentityAdvocate.com or call 310.831.4400 for more information.

Linda Vincent, R.N., P.I., is an identity theft, medical identity theft, and healthcare fraud prevention expert specializing in medical consulting and investigations. She is the president of The Identity Advocate, which teaches corporations, professional practices, and consumers how to stop identity theft, medical identity theft, and healthcare fraud. Visit http://www.theidentityadvocate.com/ or call 310.831.4400.

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Most of us know the prevalence, dangers, and consequences of identity theft. It is the fastest growing white-collar crime. To proactively combat identity theft, more and more people are turning to ID theft prevention services to regularly monitor fraudulent activity.

Unfortunately, not all identity theft prevention services are the same, and selecting the best one for you can be confusing and frustrating. There are dozens to choose from and each offers varying levels of protection for a monthly fee.

Before you even start shopping for an ID theft prevention service, it's important to know that there are many things you can do to proactively defend against ID theft at no cost. For example, you can monitor your credit for free once per year with each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, and can implement a credit freeze to prevent any new accounts from being opened in your name.

One form of ID theft you can't directly guard against is a data breach, which occurs when an identity thief hacks into the database of an organization that has your personal information on file (such as a bank or a doctor's office). There were 662 data breaches in 2010 according to the Identity Theft Resource Center, up from 498 in 2009, proving that no one is immune to ID theft.

Considering the growing threats, subscribing to an ID theft prevention service is definitely a good idea. But before you decide to pay for one, do your research and ask whether the service:

• Offers monthly, weekly, daily, or even real-time credit monitoring. Time is not on your side when your identity is stolen, so real-time or at least daily credit monitoring is recommended.

• Provides ID theft prevention services, such as setting-up fraud alerts, obtaining credit bureau reports, and monitoring credit card activity. Although you could complete these services yourself for free, it's a time-saver to have them performed by the ID theft prevention service.

• Monitors all three credit reporting bureaus. Some services only monitor one of the three agencies, which isn't enough protection when you consider that a potential creditor usually only checks with one of them.

• Provides unlimited access to your credit scores. Keep in mind that many ID theft prevention services do not provide access to your FICO score.

• Has customer support. Live representatives should be available 24/7 if you suspect a problem.

• Provides ID theft insurance. Although it does not cover damages resulting from identity theft, ID theft insurance reimburses the costs involved in restoring your identity.

• Offers recovery assistance. Services vary greatly, and you want to know how much help you can expect in the event of ID theft. Some services only provide you with fraud affidavits to complete, while others actually contact creditors, law enforcement agencies, and other entities on your behalf.

You will also want to compare costs of the various ID theft prevention services, remembering that the price doesn't necessarily reflect the level and effectiveness of the service.

With all of the ID theft prevention services available, choosing the best option can seem like a daunting task. But it doesn't have to be. Professional practices and individuals alike turn to The Identity Advocate to rest easier. Get tips to start protecting your identity by visiting http://www.TheIdentityAdvocate.com or calling 310.831.4400.

Linda Vincent, R.N., P.I., is an identity theft, medical identity theft, and healthcare fraud prevention expert specializing in medical consulting and investigations. She is the president of The Identity Advocate, which teaches corporations, professional practices, and consumers how to stop identity theft, medical identity theft, and healthcare fraud. Visit http://www.theidentityadvocate.com/ or call 310.831.4400.

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