Identity Theft in 2012: The Newest Open

Door for Identity Thieves

By John Williams

ID theft continues to be a rampant and expensive crime in the U.S. Purse-snatching, dumpster

diving, and mail stealing are all ways that criminals steal your identity. These thieves can then

use your credit cards, social security number, and other personal information to rack up charges,

open new accounts, and even apply for jobs!

Identity theft and ways to combat it have been topics of many tv and printed articles. You have

probably viewed or read some of these tips and even implemented a few of them into your

habits. So you are protected, right?

Uh, probably not.

Unfortunately, these crooks are very creative, and constantly scheming up new ways to steal

pieces of information about your identity. So, while you may have a locking mailbox, a shredder

you use faithfully, and guard your social security number as closely as you would your little

sister, you could be overlooking one thing: your cell phone.

In today's "smart phone world" a person can manage their entire lives. Paying bills, banking,

stock trading, and online shopping can all be conducted over your nifty little phone. This makes

your phone a goldmine to identity thieves.

Ways the thieves can steal it:

They steal your phone. Cell phones are evolving constantly, and the amount of storage

available on them is growing by leaps and bounds. By stealing your phone, criminals can access

your credit card numbers, banking applications, and email accounts. This can supply them with a

plethora of information that they can use to steal your identity.

They tap into your Bluetooth connection: Thieves can access your Bluetooth connection, and

connect their device with yours, pilfering pieces of information that are not secure on your cell

phone.

They can eavesdrop on you. A crook with access to your phone can download software that

allows them to listen to your phone conversations. From there, they can extract any information

you talk about on your cell phone, and use this to gain access to your accounts, credit cards, etc.

They buy it from you: There are unscrupulous people cruising the internet for used cell phones

on sites like Craigslist and eBay. Their goal is to buy a cell phone that has not been completely

cleared of important, sensitive information that they can use to steal your identity.

When it comes to Identity Theft, ignorance is definitely NOT bliss. Being aware of these sneaky

ways to steal your identity can put you in a better position to protect yourself. Here are some

ways to make sure you are not vulnerable.

1: Lock down your cell phone with a strong password. Utilizing a number/letter password is

the first step toward securing your phone from intruders. Make sure the password is not easily

guessable, and set your phone to auto lock.

2: Don't auto-save your banking passwords. Any applications that deal with sensitive

information need to also have a strong password, and take the few extra seconds to type it in

every time you access the app.

3: Always turn your Bluetooth off if you are not using it. This can greatly minimize an

identity thieves' ability to hack your phone.

4: Don't leave it laying around. Keep your cell phone with you when you are out and about,

and out of sight at work. This will guard against a person being able to download software that

can tap into your conversations and emails.

5. Erase it before selling. When it's time to get rid of your old phone, make certain all sensitive

information is completely removed from the device.

Identity theft is largely a crime of opportunity. By decreasing your cell phone's exposure to

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