Identity Theft Can Cost You Thousands Of Dollars

What started as an evening out at a trendy restaurant for Debra Duneier ended up as a nightmare when her purse was stolen, along with her identity.

Debra’s purse was stolen before she walked into the restaurant. Her reservation was for 7:30 and by 7:36 there were charges on her credit card at four different locations at the exact same time. Within minutes of stealing her purse, identity theives were spending Debra Duneier’s money.

And Debra Duneier is only one of 10 million Americans who are victimized by identity theft every year, who, if you added up the total cost of their losses, have lost more than $5 billion dollars.

Debra Duneier’s cost for her experience with identity theft was $7000. As a result of the identity theft, she had to change banks, cancel accounts and put her credit card companies on alert.

According to Debra:

There actually was someone that got into my new account, went to the teller at a different branch and pulled out $2,000. They also deposited two checks into my account from stolen checkbooks.

Since the incident, Debra Duneier has had a complete change in mentality. She’s more cautious about where she put her purse and has credit alerts set up on all her accounts. She’s also subscribed to a identity theft protection service.

What’s At Risk?

Without the right protective steps, if you ever get victimized by identity theft, your life can become an ugly mess.

You could end up being forced into bankruptcy. You could end up not being able to get any credit or buy anything for yourself because somebody else is using your name, your Social Security number, taking out mortgages and using your credit cards and not paying the bills!

There are two steps you need to take to really protect your identity from identity thieves.

Your First Step

Everyone should consider asking their insurance agent about Identity Recovery Services and Specific Identity Theft Insurance on their homeowners or renters’ policies. Ask the insurance carrier about extra protection. They might give you a thousand dollars of protection built in, but for $35 they could provide $25,000 of protection.

Your Second Step

So how do you really avoid being a victim of identity theft? Well, your best bet is to keep your Social Security number from prying eyes and use it as seldom as possible online. Check your credit report at least once a year for suspicious activity, which is made easier by subscribing to an identity theft prevention service such as LifeLock.

Benefits Of Joining LifeLock’s Identity Theft Protection Service

Subscribing to LifeLock has the advantage of giving you access to their dedicated WalletLock program.

If you’ve ever lost your wallet or purse, you know that it’s an absolutel pain to replace everything. With LifeLock’s WalletLock service, you can download LifeLock’s convenient form, fill it out and store it in a safe place.

If ever you lose your wallet, just give LifeLock a call. You’ll be transferred to a certified WalletLock Recovery Specialist that will help you:

• Identify your missing documents
• Contact each credit, bank or document issuing company while you’re on the phone
• Cancel the lost cards, licenses and documents (including your credit/debit cards, driver’s licenses, social security cards, insurance cards, passports, checkbooks and travelers checks)
• Fill out the paperwork and request new replacements
• Initiate the fraud affidavit and police reports if the wallet was stolen
• Depending on the severity of the situation, additional follow-up and resolution calls will be arranged.

In many cases, a LifeLock WalletLock specialist will be able to replace all of your documents for you. However, some states require you to be involved with LifeLock directly. If this happens, LifeLock will make it as easy as possible by filling out the necessary forms ahead of time and setting appointments at your convenience – all you have to do is show up.

For just $10 a month, you can have the complete peace of mind that LifeLock offers – take a look!