Identity Fraud Happens Every 2 Seconds

Two seconds. In the time it takes you to read this sentence, someone will become an identity fraud victim. In 2013 in the United States alone, 13.1 million people were affected by identity fraud, the highest figure in the past 4 years. In 2012, identity theft cost Americans over $24.7 billion, that’s more than all other property crimes such as burglary, motor vehicle theft and theft combined.

Currently, 14% of adults age 16 or older have experienced at least one incident of identity theft during their lives. We think that’s just simply too many people - it’s a costly and distressing experience to go through! Here are some steps to prevent identity theft and fraud:

• Check your credit report every year
• Review monthly credit card statements
• Install security programs on all devices
• Password protect all your devices
• Set strong and unique passwords on all accounts, particularly financial accounts, and use a password manager to store them
• Purchase identity theft insurance / credit monitoring service
• Shred documents that have personal information
• Use Absolute LoJack to remotely delete sensitive files or lock stolen devices because mobile theft increases your risk of identity theft and fraud
• Follow these other tips to prevent identity theft

According to one study, only 9% of fraud victims are reporting the incidents to police. Reporting crimes to the police is key in preventing future crimes, so if you are a victim of fraud or identity theft, don’t forgo this crucial step.