Technology is a world in itself. Where there are countless blessings of technology for people, there are its negatives as well. There’s no doubt about the fact that making everything digital has made our everyday chores easier but we shouldn’t neglect the fact that digital technology can be easily exploited by hackers.
Identity theft cases are on a constant rise, not just in the US, but all around the world. According to reports, a total of $16 billion was stolen from around 15.4 million just in the United States in 2016. This is huge compared to the numbers recorded in 2015, where there were a total of 13.1 million victims losing around 15.3 billion dollar on a whole. The same report suggests that consumers have lost over 107 billion due to such cases over the last six years, which is why there is a need to come up with a solution.
Engineers all around the world are working to come up with a working solution, but so far all they have is RFID blocking wallets, which seem to work and are hugely growing in demand around the world. You can buy an RFID blocking wallet online or from stores as they are easily available due to their growing demand.
Many people question the use of RFID cards and call for their blocks due to the risk factor; however their usefulness is hard to question. These cards have made life easy. They do not only make it easy for us to make purchases, but they also help authorities control law and order situation. In addition to this, inventory management has also become easier thanks to the popularity and use of these cards. However, there is no denying that the technology can be easily used in a totally wrong way.
Skimming is an act in which these RFID cards are hacked and used by another person without your consent. To counteract these types of misuses, we have anti-identity theft products and techniques.
Here are 5 ways to reduce identity theft:
RFID-Blocking Wallets
They are one of the finest products that not only secure your personal data, your identity and your credit card information but can also be tracked in case they fall into the wrong hands.
They are efficient because they block the radio waves from penetrating inside the wallet and keeping the hackers at bay. When you buy an RFID wallet, you can rest assured that your data will be safe.
Shared Personal Documents after Use
One of the worst mistakes that people do is throw away documents that contain important information. This can lead to many problems. Any document that contain your personal information should not be thrown away, even if it of no use to you.
You need to shared documents after use, even the ATM receipts and other similar types of billing documents. Another thing to take into consideration is credit card statements and email records. Moreover, make sure you have enough security on your email so that sensitive credit card related data could be kept safe.
Know Who You’re Dealing With
We often slip our credit cards into the hands of the waiters after we’re done with our meal, not knowing that it could lead to catastrophic situations. We don’t know what the waiter might do with it. Same goes for other individuals we cannot trust.
The magnetic strip at the back of the card is easy to duplicate via skimmers, therefore, always keep an eye out while handling your credit card to someone else.
Trust Companies with Secure Sites
Who doesn’t like to shop online? We all do. However, we often avoid checking the authenticity of the website. Make sure that all your transactions are secured via SSL encryption and no information is being leaked. Always shop on reliable websites such as Amazon etc., because they are safe.
Check Your Credit Report
It is essential to keep a check on your credit card report to ensure that no unusual activity is being performed with your credit card. You never know a hacker might have taken loans on your social security number and the respective agencies might approach you sooner or later and demand for the money requested over your identity. Therefore it is crucial that you keep tabs on your financial transactions and report to your credit card company in case of any unusual activity.
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