Identity theft remain problem

Although identity theft and email scams have been discussed for years, it still remains a problem. Internet users’ refuse to seriously consider the fact, that no legitimate business company or state institution will contact you via email. Even if they will, it will be only in respond to your email.

However, there has been a new successful attack recently. Internet users received emails informing them of a missed tax refund belonging to them. The sender seemed to be from IRS with .gov as an address and the message asked recipients to provide their credit card information connected to their bank or savings account “in order to receive the refund”.

Although most internet users wouldn’t pay any attention to such letter or at least would contact responsible persons in order to find out more, some entered their credit cards’ information without any doubts.

Such email type is called phishing and the only purpose of it is to steal money. An internet user by opening any email received by unknown sender is in danger to become a victim of phishing and loose not only money, but also such personal data as passwords.  

Identity theft is a popular way to earn money, and ways to do that are numerous. Skimming is one of those. According to scnow.com skimming, using a special storage device is used to steal the numbers by someone processing your credit card. Changing your address by an identity theft diverts your bills and statements to another address and is done by filling out a change of address form in your name. This is actually an old fashioned stealing.
 
Your personal information should be looked after very carefully. Have in mind that internet is not the only way to find it out. Mail boxes and even trash are now looked in by identity thefts. Store and get rid of your personal data accurately; you may become a victim easier than you think.

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