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Credit Identity theft is a very
widespread phenomenon, particularly in technologically
advanced
areas of the world. In the Philippines
however, credit theft is most common using consumer
credit cards.
Identity theft is a crime, a very serious crime, which
has solid dangerous effects on its victim.
Credit identity theft happens when your
personal information is stolen to obtain credit, commit
fraud, or avail loans, and other financial transactions
without your knowledge or even your suspicion.
Everyone can be a victim of credit identity theft. They
can get your identity through stealing of your wallet,
breaking into your cars and stealing your documents and
papers, and many more. In the Philippines, numerous
complaints, stories, reported and not reported cases
regarding credit identity theft are
prevalent. However, as compared with
other nations, credit identity theft in the Philippines
is not that rampant, but nonetheless an alarming case.
Credit identity theft leads to serious problems. Credit
identity theft can cause victims a lot of money. Because
it will make victims pay for something they did not
loan, purchase, and applied for. It will wreck a good
name, because the impostor will impose negative impacts
on your credit transactions under your name.
Transactions may not always lead to credit theft, but
its better safe than sorry! |
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| So for every transactions you
do, always be cautious of what may happen, especially
those that leads to credit identity theft. It may be
helpful to be preventive than curative, they say.Possible signs of transactions that veils credit
identity theft are many. One is through mail. Look out
for loans that are being offered through mail. If you do
not really know the establishment or merchant that sent
the mail, it is best not to reply. It is better if you
visit the establishment, and see it for yourself. You
can even ask questions and other concerns from customer
assistants there.
Most common of all is through the robbery of your wallet
and later unauthorized use of credit cards. Be mindful
of your belongings, especially identification cards,
passports, and credit cards always. Always see to it
that you know where your credit card is. If you found
out your credit cards are lost, stolen, or missing,
immediately report it to your credit card issuer. Also,
make sure that when you hand out your credit cards to
servers at restaurants, it is always within your sight.
If not, then you might as well accompany the server to
where he would swipe your card. They would not mind if
you do, after all that is your card and you are just
protecting yourself.
Shopping over the Internet can be a possible place of
credit identity theft. Do not be so sure. There are lots
of bogus Internet sites that can make use of your
information to commit credit identity theft. Shop to
most certified and tested online merchants only to avoid
credit identity theft.
Most insignificant places of all, is your trash. Mind
you, trash is where you really put your information at
risk. So do not plainly throw away account statements,
bank receipts, merchant receipts, and other documents
that you feel will no longer be used. Instead shred them
off, before throwing them away.
Through phone, credit identity robbers can also make
their way through your personal information. These agent
impostors will ask many important things from you and
before you know it, you have given your entire bio-data
to him. So to avid such from happening, do not give out
information, especially financial information, credit
card numbers, identification numbers via phone, unless
you really know whom you are dealing with.
Most important of all, treat your personal information
same as you treat your cash and other precious items you
have. By doing that, you are not only preventing
yourself from becoming victim of credit identity theft
but you also help in creating a culture of security of
personal and financial information.
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