The Growing Threat of Identity Theft

Not Once, Not Twice, But Three-Times The Danger

The Federal Trade Commission reports that North Carolina has seen their identity theft reports nearly triple in just a few years. At a first glance, that sounds quite alarming. However, according to a local news station in North Carolina, law enforcements officers speculate it is possible that consumers are simply more aware of identity theft, which has led to an increase in reports.

Fighting An Invisible Enemy

Regardless of whether you live in a state such as North Carolina that has experienced a large increase in identity theft or not, you need to take steps to reduce your own risk of identity theft. Make sure you only give out your social security number when it is absolutely essential. If you are married, make sure you keep your spouse on board too. It won’t do you much good to be meticulous about your efforts to reduce your risk of identity theft if your spouse isn’t doing the same. You might avoid becoming the victim of identity theft, but if your spouse is victimized, it will affect you both regardless.

North Carolina has passed recent legislation which might help to reduce the risk of identity theft for that state’s residents. One law impacts the ways that business can use the social security numbers of their clients. It’s unfortunate, but many businesses use a client’s social security number as a means of identifying their account number. That can create all sorts of problems for consumers who want to make a quick phone call over their lunch hour to inquire about a billing statement. They have to provide their social security number, and they might be calling from a cell phone or have coworkers nearby who could overhear.