Data Breach and Identity Theft are spreading like viruses across our great land financially affecting individuals and organizations. So called Identity Theft Prevention companies have sprung up out of nowhere. Since this is an unregulated industry, companies can say what they choose and it is up to you to decide fact or fiction. Many of them have at the heart of their sales pitch only one concept, ‘place a Fraud Alert’ on your credit file. Since a fraud is a fraud alert, they must set themselves apart from each other in some marketing pitch. One such firm tries to convince you to spend your money with them by saying if you become a victim while you are with our program don’t worry we have a $1 million guarantee backing you up. Another one says that with our program when a creditor sees the fraud alert on your credit file instead of calling your one phone number of your file when you might not be there, the creditor calls us then we find you via you home, work or cell phone.

I recently became aware of some disturbing information while stopping at my local convenience store…

Pulling up to the convenience store’s gas pumps late one night, I jumped out and pumped ten dollars worth of gas into my car (which gave me a whopping total of three gallons of gas) and proceeded to go inside to pay my bill. Handing over my credit card, I chatted with the clerk who I manage to visit a few times a week since I have an aversion to handing over large sums of money in one sitting to the almighty money-grubbing fuel mongrels. After scanning my credit card, the clerk gave me the receipt to sign and then made the comment that he now had my credit card number.

I never thought it would happen to me, but it did.

In July 2003 my identity was stolen. Why would someone steal my identity? I had bad credit, a poor credit rating and no money. Apparently, all identity thieves want is your information because the thieves were able to get credit from companies that had refused me credit just weeks earlier. So, no one is immune from these vultures.

But, I was lucky. I monitor my checking account almost daily.

What is Identity Theft

Identity theft is the unauthorized use of your personal identifying information, such as your name, address, Social Security number, or credit card number to commit fraud or other crimes.

Why You Should Care

1. A thief will use the stolen personal information to obtain credit, rent an apartment, or commit other crimes. Their purpose is to run up charges in your name and then walk away leaving you to deal with the mess and a ruined credit record.

Identity theft is a horrible crime and it occurs more often than you know. But the real tragedy is that no one cares. The credit card companies, the stores and the collection people could care less. All they want is the money and they don’t care where it comes from. As a matter of fact they hope you will pay it because if you prove that it was a theft they get nothing.

So, the collector’s will pressure you to pay to save your credit rating or protect your good name. If that doesn’t work they will accuse you of filing a false report to avoid paying for all the stuff you bought. They have one goal and that is to collect the money.