Should you be Afraid of Identity Theft
Most of us are afraid of darkness. When we see dark alleys or deserted roads, we tend to find other ways of getting to our destination without passing through those dark pathways.
Most of us are afraid of death. We do not want to imagine ourselves placed in a coffin and be buried six feet below the ground. Sometimes, we wish that we live in this world forever, for we do not know what life is waiting for us after death.
But how many of us are afraid of identity theft? If you know nothing about identity theft, probably you will just wonder what it is. Is it a terrible feeling or a mysterious thing that should be paid close attention?
However, for millions of identity theft victims, the term is enough to be scared of. If possible, they do not want to hear that word again, for it brought misery and serious trouble into their lives.
What you should be afraid of identity theft? Does such thing could kill you?
If you cannot handle it, probably it will lead to your death, which you do not want to happen.
Identity theft is the assumption of your identity by another individual. He/she will assume your identity and take full control of whatever you have in your lifeâpersonal assets, bank accounts, and others. That is one thing that you should be afraid of identity theft. Such crime can lead your life to financial chaos, especially if your identity was stolen by a convicted criminal or a member of a high-profiled syndicate.
Supposedly you are running a successful business and you managed to increase your earnings every year. However, once a crook steals your identity, he will now present himself as âyouâ. He will use your identifying personal information for whatever reasons it may give him an advantage.
He will use your identity to steal money from you. Since he can pose himself to be you, he can have full control over your finances, especially if he managed to steal your bank account or credit card numbers. He can make withdrawals and use your credit cards to purchase anything he wants. Your credit rating may be affected, especially if you cannot settle your credits courtesy of identity thieves.
He may use your identity to get away from the hot pursuit conducted by police authorities. The criminals will use your identity to hide themselves from the authorities, thus giving them the freedom to get out of the country without being noticed.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, there is an estimated 10 million identity victims each year, 90 percent of which are adults and the remaining percentage are older individuals. In addition, $6.4 billion are lost due to identity theft, thus making it one of the dangerous crimes in the financial and personal lives of ordinary individuals.
You should not be afraid of the dark anymore. Moreover, you should be brave enough to face death, since it is a natural phenomenon that will happen to each of us. However, you must be brave enough to protect yourself against identity theft. And if ever you became a victim of this very dangerous crime, do not let the perpetrators go away as simple as that. You must be brave enough to defend your right against malicious use of your identity and bring them to justice.
Bob Janeway
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/should-you-be-afraid-of-identity-theft-113576.html
How safe is it to buy books on e-bay? Afraid of identity theft. Should I buy a gift credit card and use that?
Also, if it's safe, how do I go about buying on e-bay? I need pointers, never done it before.
A gift card would be safer then using your own credit card…
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It's safe, you need a PayPal account. You can use a credit card through PayPal, they protect your identity and account information. You can also connect your PayPal account with a bank account and have the money debited from your bank account, or keep a balance in PayPal.
You do not need a gift card, that is overly paranoid. Millions of people buy and sell on eBay using PayPal every day.
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http://www.paypal.com
i think, you have nothing to worry about. You can pay safely with your credit card through pay pal… they never reveal your credit card info to the seller… all the seller gets is your contact information so they can send you the item….
besides, i don't think that having your contact info and credit card number is enough to steal your identiy.
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it is safe to use ebay, i do it all the time you can set up a pay pal acc if you are uncomfortable with using your credit card i dont think denity theft is that common of ebay, i wouldnt find it necessary to buy s gift credit card if you dont want to use your card just get paypal, fast and easy hope this helps!! goodluck!
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I have bought many things on ebay using credit cards and have had no problems. If you check around the ebay website it will walk you through sign up, its very easy. I would also sign up for a paypal account right away, also quick and easy.
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I buy stuff off eBay all the time and have never had trouble. Set up your account then go into my eBay and down the left hand side column you will see the pay pal link. Click on it and sign up. You just need your bank account info and an e mail address. I have only used pay pal once. I just pay directly into their bank account.
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eBay is the wild west of buying and selling. Any auction can be subject to fraud, whether it's books, cars, whatever.
When I buy, I look for the following:
1. Look at the feedback. Not only are you looking for the percentage of positive feedback, but you also should look at the overall number and how far back those reviews go. If too many reviews of all a sudden, could indicate someone just trying to pump up their stats prior to starting to commit frauds.
2. Read the descriptions and terms like a lawyer. All too often the descriptions bury important info, like the product is damaged, or that you are buying the right to purchase that product cheaper somewhere else, etc. I heard one time of someone who bought 2 cell phones, only to find out they actually bought pictures of cellphones.
3. Make sure shipping is fair. All too often auctions are cheap, and then you find out you're paying $29.95 for shipping a light object.
4. Open up a paypal account, and link it to your credit card. Pay using paypal. Do not respond to any emails telling you to click a link for payment. Just click on the actual auction when done and then click the pay option.
5. Do not rely on eBay or PayPal Guarantees against fraud protection. I've been the victim of fraud twice, both for under $25, and their protection doesn't even start until you hit $25. They are notorious for putting you through the hoops trying to get your money back.
Bottom line – You are on your own, so if something doesn't feel right, don't bid on it!
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I have personally purchased many books and other products online and on eBay. I’ve never had a problem with identity theft.
Just make sure if you are purchasing from an eBay auction that the person has a good eBay rating.
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If you need more help with identity theft check out http://identitytheftnow.com
Its probably the safest site on the internet to use a credit card (transaction wise) going through Paypal (which is owned by eBay)
I would also check out the site textbook411.com , they compare the prices of any book at all the top online bookstores (including eBay) so you always get the best deal!!
http://www.textbook411.com
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