Identity theft affects at least 1 in 15 people worldwide, but Americans are most targeted. Furthermore, in past years, over 650,000 people were ID theft victims, and it is estimated that over 1 million children become victims each year!
Plus, ID theft cases in 2023 (which most remain unsolved) meant an expense of over $666,6 million for the US government!
If all these statistics scare you, it’s important to remember that while cybercrime is a lot more common nowadays, we also have the right tools to fight back. But, unfortunately, so many people have to suffer when the internet is such a great tool that improved our lives considerably.
So, the answer to all the negative stats and all ill-intended actors is to stay firm on position and find the best ways to protect your personal information online. However, it’s important to highlight that this needs to be a joint effort between individuals, companies, and governments!
More often than not, ID theft and other cybercrimes are blamed on the victims (whether it’s a conscious thought or not). After all, they were the ones who went on a walk on the shady side of the internet. So why didn’t they use a good antivirus tool? Why didn’t they pay attention when they filled in that form?
To avoid all this and the frustrations and anxiety that come with being an ID theft victim, it’s best to be cautious and take measures to prevent any encounters with cybercriminals and their tools. That’s where an ID theft service, like Identity Guard, becomes a must-have.
Moving forward, we’ll look at how an ID theft service works and how it can help prevent attacks targeting your data.
Why Do I Need an ID Theft Service?
If you practice safe browsing, pay attention to the source of your emails, and never open unscanned attachments, you should be protected from prying eyes, right?
This would have been true a few years back, but nowadays, cybercriminals are getting more clever and sneaky. Plus, they are using advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to identify the most vulnerable targets. Also, phishing attacks are more difficult to identify without specialized tools.
Also, before social media became so huge, someone trying to steal your ID had to dig deep to find your name and Social Security number. However, today, we share so many aspects of our lives online that someone who knows what to look for can easily piece together where we live, who our siblings and parents are, our favorite public places, and more.
Since your online identity is an amalgamation of many pieces, you need a specialized tool to assemble everything.
Here’s how an ID theft service works:
Constant Scanning & Monitoring
A specialized service will keep you updated on the many pieces of information that comprise your online identity. Today, most tools combine traditional monitoring with AI-powered scanning algorithms that adapt and improve with each bit of data they gather.
This service can monitor your credit reports and bank accounts and even scour the dark web, searching for your personal information.
Alerts
One of the main reasons ID theft is such a potent attack is that the perpetrator can hide in the shadows for a very long period. If they are clever, they can use your ID for years before you realize something is wrong.
That’s why a specialized ID theft service will send out notifications the moment it detects something suspicious. The service works 24/7, and users are notified via email and mobile app.
Plus, you will be notified if one of the companies you work with has suffered a data breach. This way, you can act before it’s too late.
Wrap Up
Of course, you are the one to decide if an ID theft service is a good fit for your needs, but given the current level of cyber threats, it can’t hurt to add an extra layer of security. Also, an ID theft service doesn’t mean you won’t have to take the proper security steps specialists recommend.
Powerful protection against cyber threats is all about preparedness and multi-layering.
