Protecting your valuable information is critical in ensuring that you are not a target of one of America’s fastest-growing criminal acts. Which offense is being referred to? Easily one of the most damaging – the occurrence of identity theft. There are reports which indicate that millions of Americans are victims of this phenomenon on a yearly basis and while more and more mechanisms are being implemented to curb the offense, there is nothing to prove that the offenders are slowing down.
One of the most practical means of safeguarding yourself from such an act is to have Internet surveillance mechanisms in place. Most, if not all entities have an online database that you can monitor for any suspicious activity, and though in the initial stages this was deemed unnecessary it has become more urgent given the current conditions.
ID theft attacks not only your personal information but your financial information as well. It cannot be stressed enough how vital it is to track all that a cybercriminal could use to gain access to your personal files and do with it as they please.
For those who are skeptical about Internet surveillance, any online search of the phrase would uncover a number of websites with content which speak to its benefit. If you rarely ever enter any personal details online or you are fully confident in your system, take into consideration that even one slip up can be enough to damage you.
There are many individuals, who are rigorous in their defense of their sensitive files. They have efficient anti-virus software in place and they try to be as careful as possible. Having said that however, the reality is that the software that these criminals use to acquire this data evolves constantly. So even these steps can be broken down given the complexity of the system which is attacking it and obtain whatever it is that the criminal desires.
This is the reason that Internet monitoring is so talked about and being a more common method used by US citizens – the information can be retrieved. If this is indeed successful, the general practice is for the details to be sold on the “black market” through multiple online forums. Not everyone knows these dubious websites and how to access them and it is for this reason that they will seek to contract an organization which specializes in this service. In addition to monitoring the usual criminal channels, they also track social media platforms where the information can be disseminated.
As it relates to the Internet, safety cannot be underplayed. By running surveillance you are able to determine if your public records have been accessed in your name. This includes your driver’s license, voter registration files and even your files for bankruptcy (if that has been made).
Arguably the most important detail of the lot as it relates to the individual specifically is their social security number (SSN). This acts pretty much as the “master key” for every provision – whether it is for opening a new telephone, Internet or cable account or even for accessing your health insurance. This is not only important for you but for those in your household as well (children and elderly especially). Understandably, neither of the two categories would have the requisite “know how” on how to protect their personal information and are oftentimes the prime targets for these cybercriminals.
Criminal activities are also committed with the use of this information. All it takes is for the arrestee to provide the law enforcement agent with your SSN or that of a loved one and they are left with a criminal record without you ever knowing – or even worse finding out at the most inconvenient of times.
A great advantage in having a system in place to monitor the Internet is that you can receive instant alerts when there is a red flag. This will be done through an email as well as a text message or phone call. The system operates on a 24/7 basis, therefore, there is no need to worry about what happens while you’re sleeping. At the end of each month, there is the provision for you to get a report indicating the results of the elapsed time frame as well as valuable advice or tips that can prevent you from becoming a victim.
As acknowledged earlier, identity protection is critical not only for personal but financial reasons as well. Your checking and saving accounts can be drained without your knowing if you have not taken the necessary precaution to keep them from harm’s way. More often than not, this is the primary objective when cybercriminals acquire are seek to acquire your sensitive data. They will even go about opening new accounts, accessing credit cards and even take out large loans.
It should be noted, that once this information has been acquired and exploited, making amends is by no means an easy feat. It is a known reality that some victims never manage to repair the damages caused by credit card fraud and all other occurrences that may dent their financial reputation and credit score.
The right system can run surveillance on all the requisite databases to ensure that nothing is out of place. This helps tremendously to prevent any significant damage from occurring in the event that the measures you had in place to safeguard the information was exploited. No one wants to be a victim of identity theft, so the knowledge that a system can assist this should be more than enough reason to get one.