Identity theft: 'Yes, it could happen to you'
This article is actually written by a former fraudster, Tee, who currently consults a 
credit card company to keep its customers safe. It is important because it explains, how knowingly or unknowingly, we make available the information needed, to become a victim of identity theft. Just to start with, I believe that all of us had set up the credit card or online account passwords once or more by calling bank’s customer care service. If we lost our card or need another one, we can get it by providing some information. When we call a bank, they ask us three or four questions like address, date of birth, social security, full name etc. and that’s it, we are ready to get a new card or a password.
Tee, from his own experiences, explains how this information is easily available to people through different sources. I have seen people including me, who never open their bank statements and throw them away. Once someone gets it, that person can have enough information to access an account. Bank checks, which many of us do not take seriously contains much more information on it. Another very common source to get general information is social network websites like Facebook or Orkut, where many people provide sensitive and unnecessary information.
So, this article helps us to understand the importance of the information and how to handle the information, to avoid being a victim of identity theft. Every month, we should first go through the bank statement by making sure that transactions are correct, then burn it or at least tear it so that no one can read the information. Checks are as good as cash; place them securely. If someone called asking the personal information, make sure that you are not being a victim. Avoid loading unnecessary information on networking sites.
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