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How will I know my identity has been stolen?

This question is asked by a lot of people around the world each time they are told of the repercussions of exposing their personal information to dubious persona or companies. You will be at a greater risk of not noticing in time that you are being defrauded, especially if your credit card is not listed in a protection program. In case there are not organizations offering credit monitoring services in your area, you will need to look out for the following telltale signs which may imply that you are a victim of identity theft.

Be on the lookout for statements and bills which do not arrive to you when time is due. The reason for their disappearance is that someone might have stolen the mail from your mail box, or worse yet, changed your mailing address.

If you are made aware that some bank accounts have opened in your name without your knowledge, the concerned must have gotten access to your personal information. Such accounts are used to write fake checks which bounce. Report such accounts to your bank or the authorities.

Look out for spelling mistakes and incorrect information on your credit application forms. Thieves come up with fake names, addresses or even Social Security numbers when they are trying to lure potential victims.

There may be some unfamiliar withdrawals or charges on your credit reports of which you may not know about. This is a sign of malicious use of your credit card. Report immediately to your creditors such concerns and be sure to get advice on what to do.

You may start receiving phone calls for persons claiming to be creditors who you have never done any business with. The impostors ask for clarifications or confirmations of personal details, which when given will be used to defraud you. Avoid such calls and report them to the authorities for proper action.

You may also be denied to use your credit on some actions. Make inquiries immediately to solve the problem before someone runs you into huge debts.

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