Nowadays, more advanced and modern, now we can do it all online. Just sit in front of the screen of your laptop or gadget, you can access many things online, such as making transactions. The development of technology that is increasingly rapid, of course, has a positive and negative impact on people’s lives. The positive side is that now we can save more time and do more activities more practically. But the downside, because our personal data is also stored online, it will be easier to steal other people. Then how to avoid identity theft? Check out the ways to avoid it below!
Loss of identity theft in finance
Now to access our finances, we will be more facilitated because everything can be accessed online. But we still need to be careful and cautious because now there is a lot of identity theft that can cause a lot of harm to you. Identity theft cannot be left alone because it is one of the most dangerous fraudulent criminals. Identity theft is not only a risk for your safety, but it will also have a negative impact on your personal finances. We have summarized some lists of financial losses that you might experience if your identity was stolen by an irresponsible person:
1.Can take over your assets
Never neglect the security of your personal data and do not easily give personal data to other people you do not know or believe because identity theft and unauthorized use of identity can bring a lot of harm to yourself and to your personal finances. One of the bad effects or losses that you can experience when you experience identity theft is that thieves can take over the assets you have. Through personal identity theft and through taking over bank accounts, they can also take over personal assets that you may have accumulated for years such as investment, savings for your retirement, children’s education savings, your mortgage, and other assets. If they abuse it, then it can bankrupt you immediately.
2.Your identity is sold
You could say personal identity theft is a very dangerous thing because it can bring a lot of harm to you and also, of course, can make yourself experience stress when it comes to financial problems. Besides being able to take over the assets that you have on a bank account, they can sell your identity. It’s possible after getting your personal information, for example, they managed to get your social security number. After they get it, they may not immediately use it, they may wait for months or years to wait for you to be careless or forget about dangerous risks. After that, they can sell your personal information on the dark online market. The long effect, your identity that they sell can be misused and make you lose. Therefore you must always be vigilant because this can be very detrimental to you.
3.Used for fraud
The third thing that could be a danger from the theft of personal information for personal finance is that it might be used for fraud. Nowadays more and more fraud is done online, if a thief or person is not responsible for holding your personal data or information, they may do so for fraud. They act on behalf of yourself and use your personal data to commit fraud related to finance, for example, money laundering. Therefore you must be careful in safeguarding your personal data because it is very important, do not lend personal data to others because it can be a boomerang for yourself if your personal data is stolen or used unwisely.
4.Pay bills on things you don’t buy
Identity theft is not a simple thing as we have said, maybe you are not aware if you are currently a victim of identity theft. One of the disadvantages that you can experience when you steal your personal identity is that you may receive a bill. Where the bill requires you to pay for goods or services that you don’t actually buy or don’t use. Maybe you feel confused if faced with this situation, but reservations on your own behalf and data information provided are really yours. If you have received a bill on an item that you did not buy, you might be a victim of identity theft. There are a lot of cases like this, many people have to pay a very large fee for goods they don’t buy.
5.Debt collection
Just as in the case above, identity theft can be very dangerous for us. Especially if until the personal data we have is used for debt, there are many people who experience this kind of event after their personal information is stolen by irresponsible people. They do not feel they have ever been in debt, but suddenly there is a debt that they must pay and usually, the amount of debt is very large. This is why you should not ignore identity theft because it can make you experience a lot of losses.
How to avoid identity theft?
Earlier we discussed the adverse effects or negative effects that you can experience when your personal identity is stolen by irresponsible people. If you feel afraid of identity theft, or you may feel worried because there are relatives who have experienced it, from now on you must take steps to prevent your personal identity from being stolen and used by irresponsible individuals. Isn’t it better to prevent than overcome? Here are some steps you can take to prevent identity theft:
1.Don’t share personal information
The first basic thing you must do to prevent personal identity theft is to not share personal information or personal data with others, especially people you have just met or people you don’t know well. Never share personal information with others such as your date of birth, social security number, bank account number, and also your bank account password if someone else asks. Maybe there are lots of other reasons people say when asking for your personal data, for example, they are bank officers who want to help you win the lottery, or they claim to be bank officers and say there is a problem with your personal bank account and ask you to divide numbers and pins your personal bank account. Don’t immediately trust and don’t share your personal information easily with them. If someone claims to be a bank officer or an insurance officer, it is better for you to come directly to the office and ask if your information is correct. With that, everything will be more smooth. So our advice, don’t let you share your personal information with others, especially people you don’t know!
2.Do not lend personal names or information to others
In addition to not sharing personal information with others, the second thing you have to do to stay safe and not suffer losses and fraud against personal data is not to lend names or information to others. There may be your relatives who want to borrow your personal information to apply for a loan or maybe for other purposes, we suggest that you do not lend your personal data because it could be that they misuse your personal data for things that can harm yourself especially can bring harm to your personal finances. So we suggest that from now on you will be wiser and more careful in safeguarding your personal data. Do not let you lend personal names or information to others, especially to people you have just met or people you don’t know well.
3.Collect every letter addressed to you
The next tips that can prevent data theft and you should pay attention to is to collect each letter addressed to you. Maybe at home or in the office, you will receive many letters addressed to you. Usually, the incoming letter is a letter from the bank or maybe insurance. And in the letter, it does not rule out the possibility of some information about your personal data. So our advice is not to throw away a letter containing your personal data in a random place. We recommend that you hold your papers first, save them first. Because it is risky if you throw away the documents that you have because it could be that the data in the letter is used and misused by other people.
4.Pay attention to your billing cycle too
Maybe you often ignore your billing cycle, even though this billing cycle can also make you avoid theft of information or personal data that you have. We recommend that you start paying attention to your bill cycle now. For example, if you have a late billing cycle or financial statement, we recommend that you start paying attention and contact the sender. By paying close attention to this, it can make you avoid the risk of theft of personal data that might harm you.
5.Use security features on your mobile
Now, this era is increasingly sophisticated because we can do many things easily, all of which you can access through cellphones even you can make bank transactions through your cellphone. But now many people have expertise in IT but do not use it well, for example, hacking to steal someone’s personal information. We recommend that from now on you use the security features on your mobile. Maybe you did not pay attention to the security of your cellphone because you are a simple person and do not want to bother installing a password because they feel there is nothing important in your cellphone. But still, you have to pay attention to the security side so that it can reduce the risk of your personal data being stolen by irresponsible people. We recommend that from now on you activate security features on your mobile such as adding a password and activating detection if your cellphone is lost. That way you can maintain personal data that is sure to be on your cellphone and can minimize data theft.
6.Review your bank account reports and credit card reports
The next thing you have to do to prevent theft of personal data and risk of loss is to regularly check your bank account reports and credit card reports. We recommend that from now on you pay attention to your bank account and also your credit card report. You have to pay attention every week, whether in your bank account or credit card there are illegal transactions, such as spending or entering funds that you don’t realize and don’t do. If there is, then immediately ask the bank why it happened even though you didn’t do it. By doing these tips, you can maintain the security of your personal data properly.
7.Place personal information in a safe place
The last thing you can do to prevent theft of personal data is to put personal information in a safe place. Keep your assets that also contain personal information in a safe place such as in a bank or in your safe. In addition, keep your personal data in a place that you always carry everywhere, for example, like a personal identity card, keep it in your wallet and remember to keep it properly. For important files, store them in a bank or your safe in a safe place. That way it can prevent theft of personal data or theft of your important assets.
That was the information we can tell you how to avoid identity theft. Always keep your personal identity, don’t lend it to other people you don’t know, but it is also routine to carry out checks on your bank account or credit card. Because then you can always maintain your personal data and personal finances. If you feel you are experiencing fraud or theft of personal data, immediately report it to the authorities and do not consider it as a trivial matter because if it is not immediately addressed it can bring adverse effects and losses to you and your family. Hopefully, the article we share today can be useful and useful for you all!
