Identity Fraud Research Paper

As you probably know, security breaches at retail companies, banks, and even government agencies have been making their way to headlines rather frequently within the past few years. At this point, if you are not concerned about identity fraud, you need to be. Just this past week, Americans found out that an attack on the Office of Personnel Management had impacted 14 million more people than initially reported.

Given the growing market for personal data, consumers need to be on the knowledgeable on how best to protect themselves. While most of us do not have control over whether or not our data is sold (or whether or not a certain organization is breached), our biggest concern should be to determine how best to keep our data secure from identity theft. What are the options for protecting ourselves against fraud?

Credit Monitoring:

Most breached organizations have been offering an olive branch “solution” by offering a few years of credit monitoring services at no cost. The reason why this isn’t a comprehensive solution is because credit monitoring services are not preventative. Instead, credit monitoring ensures that you are notified if any identity theft occurs. Should you fall victim to identity theft, a credit monitoring service will help to guide you through the long and
Once your application goes through, you will receive a PIN that can be used to unfreeze your credit file when you need to. Though in some states, credit bureaus may allow freezes to be placed for free, there can be fees up to $15. To maintain the highest degree of security, BuyVia recommends setting up a credit freeze at the four major consumer credit bureaus--Trans Union, Experian, Innovis, and Equifax. Most companies from whom you would request a line of credit will use at least one of these credit bureaus. Some will use all