Friday, April 24, 2009

New Id Theft Survey

An identity theft survey conducted by Nationwide Insurance found that while recovering from identity theft has never been an easy task, the current economic conditions have made the challenge even greater.

Nearly half of respondents indicated that, if their identity were stolen today, they were unsure whether they had enough money saved to manage the recovery process. Ten percent of identity theft victims polled said they missed bill payments as a result of the crime. Of that group, four out of five experienced serious consequences-including credit score decrease, utilities shutoff, vehicle repossession, home foreclosure, bankruptcy and, in some instances, even jail time.

The survey is the third in a series conducted by Nationwide to better understand identity theft and the impact it has on its victims. The poll found that victims of identity theft tend to be Caucasian, female, ages 35-54, college educated, married and employed full-time. Individuals who are separated or divorced and those making $75,000 or more a year also have a greater vulnerability to identity theft.

In addition to the financial toll, identity theft can result in other serious repercussions-including family problems and missed time at work. It is a crime where the victim is generally presumed guilty until proven innocent.

On the positive side, the poll found nine out of 10 people are taking at least one action to protect themselves. This includes regular checks of bank and other financial statements, shredding of important documents, limiting the number of credit cards used, and credit report monitoring.

Note: The only problem with the positive side of the poll is that the action steps people are taking only offers protection in financial id theft. What about the other 4 areas of id theft? Are you protected in if id theft happens in those areas. If not, visit my shameless plug below and get protected!

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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