Comment I'll throw in my two-cents (Score 1) 98
I present on Identity Theft all over the Western United States, came across this forum, and thought I would throw in my two cents.
In response to someone's post, job ads are already being used for Identity Theft. Monster.com ranks it among their biggest problems- fake companies posing as real companies.
Someone on this forum stated that you would have to be dumb to lose your information. I beg to differ.
No matter how good you are, no matter how vigilant, no matter how much you shred, or don't mail from your box, or hide in your home, there is no 100% effective defense against Identity Theft.
Here's why. Let's say you want to get health insurance, or auto insurance, or finance a car, etc. etc. etc. Let's say for purposes of this example that you are trying to get health insurance through your company. A relatively simple process, right? Fill out the form, wait to get the insurance cards.
Now, the insurance agent takes the form and submits it for group health. It is submitted to three different companies for underwriting. So now, the insurance agent and the insurance company has the information on you, the three companies supplying the insurance have the information on you, AND all of the employees at all four points have access to the information. Think about how many employees that might be.
That information is then passed on to a data warehouse like ChoicePoint, and anyone who has access to ChoicePoint now has access to that information. Who has access to ChoicePoint? I think with the recent news articles, the more appropriate question is, who doesn't have access to ChoicePoint?
The information is also submitted to your MIB (Medical Information bureau) file. Anyone who has access to the MIB files, now has access to all of that information. Who has access to the Medical Information Bureau records? Anyone at any hospital around the United States who has even a small amount of clearance.
According to John Gardner, co author or Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneurial Soul, "This makes the Identity Theft Shield, along with a Pre-Paid Legal Membership, an absolute must for anyone that's breathing."
If you want to learn what Mr. Gardner is talking about, visit www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/jkraft.
If not, and you want to continue thinking that shredding your information is going to protect you, good luck. Jonathan (877) 825-7119
In response to someone's post, job ads are already being used for Identity Theft. Monster.com ranks it among their biggest problems- fake companies posing as real companies.
Someone on this forum stated that you would have to be dumb to lose your information. I beg to differ.
No matter how good you are, no matter how vigilant, no matter how much you shred, or don't mail from your box, or hide in your home, there is no 100% effective defense against Identity Theft.
Here's why. Let's say you want to get health insurance, or auto insurance, or finance a car, etc. etc. etc. Let's say for purposes of this example that you are trying to get health insurance through your company. A relatively simple process, right? Fill out the form, wait to get the insurance cards.
Now, the insurance agent takes the form and submits it for group health. It is submitted to three different companies for underwriting. So now, the insurance agent and the insurance company has the information on you, the three companies supplying the insurance have the information on you, AND all of the employees at all four points have access to the information. Think about how many employees that might be.
That information is then passed on to a data warehouse like ChoicePoint, and anyone who has access to ChoicePoint now has access to that information. Who has access to ChoicePoint? I think with the recent news articles, the more appropriate question is, who doesn't have access to ChoicePoint?
The information is also submitted to your MIB (Medical Information bureau) file. Anyone who has access to the MIB files, now has access to all of that information. Who has access to the Medical Information Bureau records? Anyone at any hospital around the United States who has even a small amount of clearance.
According to John Gardner, co author or Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneurial Soul, "This makes the Identity Theft Shield, along with a Pre-Paid Legal Membership, an absolute must for anyone that's breathing."
If you want to learn what Mr. Gardner is talking about, visit www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/jkraft.
If not, and you want to continue thinking that shredding your information is going to protect you, good luck. Jonathan (877) 825-7119
