Teens: The Latest Victims of Online Identity Theft
The number of online identity theft attacks is increasing alarmingly every year, and there are no signs of slowing down. And now it seems that teenagers are not spared either; in fact, they have become the latest victims of identity thieves. Two reasons for this could be clean credit and a fairly low level of identity theft awareness among teens. Therefore, educating youth ages 13-19 about the dangers of identity theft is vital to preventing them from falling victim to this notorious crime.
Yet another big concern is social networking sites. Not only are they hugely popular, but they also seem to be proliferating all over the web these days. And, it’s no secret that social networking sites like Myspace are a favorite breeding ground for unscrupulous identity thieves to target their next unsuspecting victim. Most teens on Myspace don’t care about security issues and easily post all their personal information on the site. These could include your full name, age, address, etc., etc.
Unfortunately, doing this only makes them easy targets for unethical online identity thieves lurking on Myspace and other social networking websites.
According to a survey conducted by the Qwest Communications Teen Council Program, here are the top 5 reasons teens are so vulnerable to identity theft attacks:
1) Chat and in some cases meet strangers through your social media page.
2) Ignore phishing emails
3) Post all your personal data on various sites
4) Storage of personal information (for example, usernames and passwords, social security number, etc.) on cell phones
5) Reveal your SSN on online job applications
Furthermore, it was discovered that many teenagers willingly share their private details in order to become more popular with their peer group.
Identity theft experts explain that a teen’s identity is much more valuable than money. And, the most ideal way to protect yourself is to have a good understanding of identity theft.
There are numerous strategies you can adopt to protect yourself from falling victim to an identity theft attack. Here are some tips you can pass on to teens:
* In case they plan to attend college, ask the authorities to refrain from using their SSN (Social Security Number) as a college identification number.
* Never give out your private details over the Internet or over the phone unless you are absolutely sure who you are dealing with.
* If you’re a mature young adult, make sure you carefully review your credit report before applying for your first apartment or student loan.
* Always, always keep your social security card and birth certificate in a safe and secure place.