Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2017 14:31:15 GMT
" If a cybercriminal maxed out a credit card in your name, you'll have a very difficult time passing a credit check. Good luck getting a new cell phone, a student loan, a car or a mortgage.
If a data thief took out a prescription using your identity, that goes on your medical record. That could seriously screw up your ability to get treatment at a hospital or from your pharmacy, particularly if the fraudster obtained medicine that counteracts with yours.
More sinister cybercriminals could use that data to pin crimes on you, according to Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit that assists fraud victims.
If someone gets a driver's license in your name and runs a red light or gets a speeding ticket, you're on the hook. The criminal's not going to pay it -- and soon enough there could be a warrant out for your arrest.
"This is not hypothetical," said Velasquez, who notes her organization annually helps thousands of victims of some truly complex identity fraud. In a few extreme cases, Velasquez's organization dealt with fraud victims who discovered prisoners were serving sentences in their names."
money.cnn.com/2017/09/11/technology/equifax-identity-theft/index.html
Consider doing a credit freeze. It's costly and a pain. But it may stop some of the damage since this data will be out on the internet forever.
If a data thief took out a prescription using your identity, that goes on your medical record. That could seriously screw up your ability to get treatment at a hospital or from your pharmacy, particularly if the fraudster obtained medicine that counteracts with yours.
More sinister cybercriminals could use that data to pin crimes on you, according to Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit that assists fraud victims.
If someone gets a driver's license in your name and runs a red light or gets a speeding ticket, you're on the hook. The criminal's not going to pay it -- and soon enough there could be a warrant out for your arrest.
"This is not hypothetical," said Velasquez, who notes her organization annually helps thousands of victims of some truly complex identity fraud. In a few extreme cases, Velasquez's organization dealt with fraud victims who discovered prisoners were serving sentences in their names."
money.cnn.com/2017/09/11/technology/equifax-identity-theft/index.html
Consider doing a credit freeze. It's costly and a pain. But it may stop some of the damage since this data will be out on the internet forever.
