I know, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, and this is our second Holiday post! Your financial health and credit security, however, are worth the earlier reminders.
According the TransUnion’s second annual Holiday Identity Theft survey, consumers have become less concerned with identity theft. The survey concluded that 36% of survey-takers reported that they felt as if they were the primarily responsible for their security, coming from 1,000 consumers ages 18-64.
It’s been reported that 45% of ID theft victims found out about their identity being stolen through their financial institution whereas 18% found out through fraudulent activity, making debt collectors one of the main sources people get their identity theft notifications from. The group of people who most get notified of their stolen identity by debt collectors are students, as they are more vulnerable to this kind of activity.
In conclusion, no matter who you are or how you find out about your identity being stolen, it’s never a good thing, especially during the holiday season. During this holiday season, make sure to be careful when giving out any personal information, especially that of financial information. Keep your accounts and credit score closely monitored and if something looks suspicious, report it immediately. Other ways to prevent identity theft is to password protect your devices such as cellphones or computers with different passwords for each. When these devices are used on wifi, be sure that you’re using a secure wifi network. On big online shopping events like Cyber Monday, it would also be a good idea to change your password before and after going shopping.
It’s incredible how many people fall victim to identity theft and how much it can tear down their financial state. The holidays are big spending times, and you don’t want your identity to be stolen then especially. So be alert and safe this holiday season.
From your Florida Debt Collection Attorneys, Marcadis Singer, PA.
