According to research firm ‘Javelin’, identity fraud was up 16 percent to a record high 15.4 million new victims in 2016. Though so-called ‘chip cards’ were introduced as a safe way to use credit, they can still be used at less-secure ‘swipe’ card machines. Adding to the problem, a device called a ‘shimmer’ can steal card-user information just like the skimmers often found in the past designed to target swipe cards.
Crooks are simply finding other ways to steal personal information. The most common is account takeover, up 61 percent in 2016.
By simply changing someone’s address through the Post Office, your identity can be stolen and all your personal accounts compromised. With the stolen information, the fraudster can then signed up for new credit cards.
You may get a change of address letter of confirmation from the Post Office but by then, the damage is done
No comments:
Post a Comment