See how smart you are about identity theft protection
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Today marks the start of the seventh annual National Consumer Protection Week, organized by public and private consumer protection agencies and advocates. The theme this year is “Identity Theft: When Fact Becomes Fiction.” As you go about your life, chances are the transactions you engage in reveal bits of personal information: your name, address and phone numbers; your bank and credit card account numbers; your income; your Social Security number. Identity thieves obtain a piece of your information and use it to commit fraud or theft. Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend years and much of their hard-earned money cleaning up the mess that thieves have made of their good name and credit record. Some victims have lost job opportunities or been refused loans for education, housing or cars. Some have been arrested for crimes they didn’t commit. The best defense is knowledge. To check how savvy you are, take this quiz. The answers will be given in Thursday’s column. What you learn could be key in protecting your identity. More : sptimes.com |