Globally, identity theft has been on the rise in recent times, and it seems it is not slowing down. Succinctly, identity theft means using someone else personal information without their consent, primarily for financial gain. According to Javelin Strategy, the number of identity theft victims in the US is on the rise yearly, and its victims rose to 16.7 million in 2017. To be on the safe side, make sure you always take the following steps:
1. Strengthen your password
If you are the type that uses common terms like "password," "freedom," "letmein" or "1234abcd", you are putting yourself in danger because hackers can quickly get access into accounts just by typing common passwords. Also, your pets’ name, date of birth and mother's maiden name are not hard to find. You can pump up the strength of your password by using a random combination of special characters, numbers, and letters different for each account.
2. Be cautious when shopping online.
Every Tom, Dick, and Harry can host a website for as cheap as $30. With that in mind, criminals can create a fake online shop with meager prices for in-demand products to lure you to submit your credit card information and personal detail. Be wary of any online retail shop you have not heard of before.
3. Secure your smartphone
For many people, their smartphone houses all their personal information, and you can quickly get access to their social media accounts, banking and credit account, and email. Ensure your phone home screen is password protected, and the password must be strong.
4. Protect your social security number
Make sure you protect your social security number as best as you can since it is the key to all your data. Whenever a corporation or person asks for your SSN (social security number), always ask why it is needed and how protected it'll be. Do not carry your card along with you.
5. Check your credit reports often
Everybody is entitled to one free credit report yearly from each of the three primary credit reporting bureaus. Make it a habit of requesting a credit report every four months so you can check for incorrect or suspicious information throughout the year.
6. Stay alert
No matter how careful you may be, you could become a victim. Whenever you go to a public place like a restaurant, do not place your card on a table. A greedy restaurant employee could use his or her phone camera to take a photo of your credit card without you being aware. Inculcate the habit of checking your card regularly because the quicker you detect a problem, the faster you can solve it.
For more tips on how to prevent identity theft, talk to your finance officer.
About the Author
Kyung Kim
Hi, I'm Kyung Kim. I immigrated from South Korea to the United States in 1968 when I was 7 years old. I have seen my mom struggle with the English language and work hard to raise her four kids by herself. Still to this day, I don't know how she pulled it off, but she bought her first home in 1979 for $70,000 and because of that decision, she was able to live without worrying about her financial future. I want that for everyone, to feel the pride of home ownership and to build their financial wealth using real estate as part of their financial portfolio. I feel so blessed to play a small role in helping others reach this goal.
I live in Beaverton with my husband, Richard. My mom, who lived with us for several years, passed away in our home in February 2022. Her first home purchase in 1979 made it possible for her to live to the very end, without worrying about her finances. As of August 2022 with a little downpayment assistance, our four children own their own homes. Being in real estate, I quickly realized that if they didn't buy now, they may be priced out of the market in the future. Whether that would have been the case, we will never know, but what we do know is that they are all realizing some good, healthy appreciation in their home values.
As passionate as I am about people owning their homes, I'm also passionate about giving back to our community. I support Compassion First, a non-profit organization that provides aftercare for sex trafficked girls in Indonesia. My husband and I also feel called to financially support social injustice organizations.
I'd love to assist you. Whether you're in the research phase at the beginning of your real estate search or you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll benefit from having a real estate professional by your side. I'd be honored to put my real estate experience to work for you.
