Unfortunately, identity theft and other information crimes are far too prevalent and commonplace all throughout the United States. As a matter of fact, the data that has been gathered on the subject is more than in support of this claim. This data shows that more than 16.5 million people became victims of identity theft and related crimes in the year of 2017 alone. In the years that have followed, this issue has remained problematic for far too many people.
Fortunately, there are a number of steps that can be taken to not only mitigate the harmful impact of identity theft, but to prevent it from ever happening in the first place. For instance, simply keeping an eye on your bank accounts and credit card accounts is something that can go a long way indeed. Unfortunately, very nearly one quarter of all people who are victims of such aforementioned crimes actually only ever even find out about them by total accident. This, of course, leaves a wide window of opportunity for further victimization. But if you are diligent about monitoring all of your accounts, you will notice right away when there has been unusual activity. This, of course, will give you the agency to stop the crime in its tracks. And usually, banks and credit card companies will even be able to refund the small amount of money that you have lost.
But even though such measures are certainly important for everyone, you should also be taking steps to actively prevent identity theft as well. For instance, how you conduct yourself and the information that you give away on the online platforms you frequent can have a big impact in whether or not you become a victim of identity theft. This is due to the fact that now more than three and a half billion people use the internet on a global scale. Internet scams have become common, as has cyber crime in general. Entering your information – your personal information – into a less than secure site is something that can lead to that information being stolen. Fortunately, more people are aware of this than ever, with up to at least half of all internet users here in the United States stating that they avoid such behavior and such sites in general, erring on the side of caution when it comes to who and where they give there personal and sensitive information. Hopefully, this percentage will only continue to climb and climb in the years that are ahead of us.
Investing in something like a high security paper shredder is also a good idea, as owning a high security paper shredder will make secure paper shredding all the easier. A high security paper shredder will help to ensure that no personal information of yours is stolen, something that is especially important when you realize that most cases of identity theft still happen thanks to the improper disposal of documents. And with up to 30% of all people in the United States not shredding their sensitive documents, it is no wonder that this is the case. But secure paper shredders like the high security paper shredder (no matter what size this high security paper shredder might be) can make a world of difference in keeping your information safe.
Of course, you are not likely to invest in something like a commercial paper shredder. Commercial paper shredders and the like are just one type of high security paper shredder and most people will instead opt for a high security paper shredder that is much smaller indeed, as only makes sense for those who will be using this high security paper shredder for individual purposes and not even in an office setting.
At the end of the day, there is no denying the fact that identity theft is a very scary thing indeed. Fortunately, though, more and more people are becoming aware of its dangers and taking steps to prevent this crime before it ever occurs. For instance, having good online practices is a must, as is owning a high security paper shredder and shredding your sensitive documents.
