|
|
|
|
Identity Theft: They Got Him
|
|
Author: Daryl Campbell
Topic: Spam
Viewed: 59 time(s)
[ Not Rated Yet ]
|
His hard earned money? Gone. Creditors on his back everyday. The
cops knocking on his door. His family strained to the breaking
point. He didn't do anything wrong but my business partner's
life got turned upside down afew years back. He became a victim
of what is now the fastest growing crime in the world. Identity
theft.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, since 1999 over 27
million people in the US alone became victims of this epidemic
10 million more last year. Harris InterActive,a marketing
research company, reports that between 2002 and 2003 more
roughly 19,178 people per day fell victim.
Your identity can be stolen in many ways. For my partner, the
thief gained access to his social security number and address
then applied for a series of loans in his name. When the bills
came due, guess who the creditors and law enforcement held
accountable?
He and his family felt the full impact. Identity theft can
cripple and even destroy a person's life. The time loss trying
to recover your identity as well as the out of pocket expense
U.S.Treasury Secretary John Snow calls identity theft "the
greatest threat to consumers and far more insidious and harmful
to our national welfare than many people realize." The internet
doesn't make it any better with its almost limitless access to
information but a great deal of identity theft still comes from
the offline world. Wherever it comes from the goal stays the
same. To get your personnal information and steal what belongs
to you for as long as possible.
In many cases, this can lead to the victim filing for bankruptcy
or worse. As reported by the Orlando Sentinel, one man whose
identity got stolen recently spent 54 days in jail before
authorities realized their mistake.
Yet even when the thief finally gets caught, victims find out
all too often the worse part still lies ahead. The recovery of
their identity. For my partner, that meant never ending battles
with the same credit bureaus that previously gave him good
ratings.
They destroyed his credit almost overnight eventhough he did
everything they told him to get it restored. The agencies
refused to clear his record and instead, started sharing his
information with each other. His mortgage rates went thru the
roof. He paid more for everything but still got declined. With
all of this came the burden and fear of him not knowing if he
would ever recover his identity. Six years later he finally did.
He started working with a company that within 90 days restored
his credit. His mortgage rate dropped and he went back to paying
full price for everything like the rest of us.
And like my partner, all of us risk becoming victims. In San
Antonio Texas, television station KENS 5 spoke with a man
convicted of identity theft who warned "Don't take for granted
what you have because anybody could take it away ? I mean at the
snap of a finger."
He would know. The ways of stealing an identity have turned this
crime from nuisance to worldwide crisis.
About the author:
Daryl Campbell is a writer and home business owner.Banks say you
should check your credit once a year. No problem right? Except
it leaves identity thieves the other 364 days to steal it. Get
the professionals on your side to watch your back 24/7. How? Go
now to => http://digbig.com/4dwsx
|
|
|
