With the credit crunch currently in full swing and not looking to improve anytime time soon, there is one emerging industry that seems to be continually in growth mode and that is the Identity fraud industry. If you haven’t quite realised it yet this is a serious concern around the world.
So how do you overcome the potential vagaries of Identity theft and what is it. Identity theft is not just somebody copying your dress sense or sense of style, identity theft is something far more sinister and involves the theft of your very existence right down to banking details, credit cards and even your medical history.
Are you aware for example how easily somebody could obtain a copy of your birth certificate or even a copy of you bank account details? Unfortunately the answer is far too easy.
Applying a little common sense can go a long way with a little change in your thought processes. For example the next time you receive one of those annoying “you’ve been pre approved” credit card offers, before you throw it straight in the bin ask yourself why you are happy to give the chance to a complete stranger to obtain your (all but your signature) completed form. That’s surely asking for trouble.
The risk of identity theft is not restricted to the realms of paper documents though, tour internet habits can also leave you exposed. Personally I find it amazing that we can be expected to remember so many different password and user combinations without writing them down. I find this hard but many people will use the same one. It may be only one password for you to remember, likewise there’s only one for the identity thieves to find, isn’t there?
Digital data theft is another easy way for somebody to steal your identity. Many computer users fail to install anti virus measures so leave themselves vulnerable to information theft by key logging software that can record your every keystroke. Equally when you buy a new computer how do you get rid of your previous one?
It is much easier than you think for a computer technician to recover your details from your hard drive, even when you think you have deleted them. Or for a data recovery expert to recover the deleted partition when you formatted or wiped them off with free software; after all a data recovery company can recover your information even if it’s a few months out of date.
If you are concerned with digital theft or the possibility of identity theft then you can arranged to have your drive shredded by a certified contractor or securely wiped which is much more environmentally friendly as it allows for the re-use of the none data holding components. Secure destruction or wiping ensures you get a certificate showing when, where and by whom the drive was rendered beyond recovery and have peace of mind.
To find out more about secure data wiping and hard drive disposal call or speak to your local data recovery services company. For visit here for more great computer and Pc help help.
