Americans aren't the only credit card holders plagued by identity theft. Our cousins down under are facing problems of their own. It's estimated that Australians lose $4 billion every year to identity thieves. That sobering figure heralds the beginning of National ID Fraud Awareness Week, from October 13th - 17th.
How are thieves making off with so much money? A study conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that 75% of Australians threw out personal details that could be used to swipe their identities. Tax file numbers, dates of birth, and other vital statistics fill trash bins everywhere, according to a spokesman for waste audit company Waste Min.
To protect yourself from identity theft, keep an eye on your bank and credit card statements as well as your credit report. If you see unauthorized charges, report them immediately. Subscribe to a credit monitoring service to be alerted whenever there are changes to your credit report. Even better, try an identity theft fraud protection service.
Most importantly, watch what you throw away. Identity thieves are certainly watching. Don't make their job any easier by giving them intact documents to sift through.
No comments:
Post a Comment