Page 20 - AAA Now! – AAA Schuylkill County – Winter 2020

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MEMBER SERVICES
IDENTITY THEFT:
WHAT IS IT AND WHAT CAN YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT?
Search “identity theft” on the internet, and you’ll get millions of results. With an overwhelming amount of information available on this growing crime, it can be tough to get a handle on how identity theft affects you, and more importantly, what you can do to keep your personal information safe.
What is identity theft?
Identity theft occurs when someone’s personal information is fraudulently obtained and used for financial gain – often years after the original theft. Not only does identity theft invade your privacy, it robs you of your most valuable asset: peace of mind.
How do thieves steal your identity?
While the most common form of identity theft – 85 percent – involves the illegal acquisition of credit cards and account information, there are many methods thieves use to steal your private information, such as your Social Security number, to commit fraud, including:
Data Breaches: A data breach occurs when secure data is wrongly released to or accessed by unauthorized individuals. Breaches are perpetrated by a single hacker, an organized crime group, or even other governments. Thieves can sometimes wait years after a data breach to sell or misuse stolen information. In 2016, more than 31 percent of data breach victims experienced identity theft, compared to less than 3 percent of those not notified of a data breach.2
The Dark Web: Think of the internet as a three- layer cake. Layer one is the public web where leading sites, like Google, reside. The second layer includes non-public sites, such as corporate intranets. The final layer is the Dark Web. The Dark Web is an illegal marketplace where visitors mask their identities
to buy and trade someone’s personal information, including passport numbers, birthdates, and more.
Phishing: Phishing scams attempt to retrieve personal and/or financial information, including computer passwords and credit card details, to defraud or steal someone’s identity. “Phishers” try to convince you to share data, and if successful, use it to defraud you.
Snail Mail Fraud: Despite digital delivery systems such as electronic bill pay, identity thieves still
use mailboxes to steal personal information, including tax information, Social Security and health insurance data.
How many people are affected by identity theft?
More than 25 million Americans have experienced identity fraud and theft, with $16 billion stolen from their wallets, banking and credit accounts, personal computers, mobile phones, and even social media accounts.3
Although people between the ages of 25-64 experience the highest rate of identity theft, no one is safe, not even children. In fact, nearly 1 million children have been victims of identity theft since 2011.5
What can you do to prevent identity theft?
While there’s no way to stop identity theft from happening entirely, there are steps you can take to help prevent it. To get started:
Monitor your credit reports: Check your report from all major bureaus – Experian, Equifax® and TransUnion® – for fraudulent activity.
suspicious activity. If you spot something, address it immediately.
Secure your accounts:
Create a strong password. Even better, make it a passphrase and create
a unique login for each
of your social media and email accounts.
Social Media Monitoring, Identity Alerts, and Dark Web Surveillance, you can choose the level of coverage that works for your life. To take control of your identity and help minimize your risk of becoming a victim, visit AAA.com/IDTheft.
1 Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2015). Victims of Identity Theft, 2014 (NCJ 248992). Bureau of Justice Statistics.
2 Javelin Strategy & Research (2017). Identity Fraud Hits Record High with 15.4 Million U.S. Victims in 2016. Javelin
Monitor your bank accounts: Check for Justice Statistics.
Strategy.
3 Javelin Strategy & Research. (2027) Identity Fraud Hits Record High with 15.4 Million O.S. Victims in 2016. Javelin
Strategy.
4 Bureau of Justice Statistics (2015). Victims of identity Theft, 2014 (NCJ 248991). Bureau of
IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTI
Take control with ProtectMyID® from AA
IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION
Enroll at AAA.com/IDTheft or call 877-440-6
5 http://www.idanalytics.com/media/Child-Identity-Fraud-Study.pdf.
Take control with ProtectMyID® from AAA.
or call
877-440-6943
Introd
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or ProtectMyID Platinum, you must be 18 years of age or older and a current AAA member.
IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION
IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION
Enroll at AAA.com/IDTheft or call 877-440-6943
Take control with ProtectMyID® from AAA.
Take control with ProtectMyID® from AAA.
Enroll at
AAA.com/IDTheft
Enroll at AAA.com/IDTheft or call 877-440-6943
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Products subject to change or termination at any time without notice. Certain term
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20 Text APP188 to 88202 to download the AAA app
or use your preferred App store
WINTER 2020
Now!
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