Of the following, which is not a good method to protect yourself from identity theft?
Anyone—not just the elderly—can be victimized by identity theft. This type of crime affected 42 million Americans in 2021, costing consumers $52 billion. Luckily, identity theft protection is possible, and there’s recourse if you do fall prey. Show
Identity theft goes back to Shakespeare (many of his comedy plots hinge on it), and probably well before that. Methods today are more sophisticated, and can cause massive pain. When you think of identity theft or identity fraud, senior-targeting—someone scamming Grandma over the phone—might come to mind. Or maybe it conjures visions of a naive person who sends their bank account and routing number to a stranger online in hopes of receiving $1 million from an overseas “prince.” Such cases happen, but there are more insidious ways identity thieves now target victims. They often involve things like credit cards, insurance plans, or even something as mundane as your driver’s license. At the same time, senior-targeting of vulnerable elderly people remains a major problem that can wipe out a lifetime of savings. What Is Identity Theft?Identity theft is when a criminal uses your name and information—perhaps a credit card number, a Social Security number, or an insurance policy number—to siphon money from your accounts. This sort of fraud can happen without your being aware of it. Here are some common ways you can become a victim:
For instance, you might get an email ostensibly from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) saying you’re owed a tax refund. When you share the information requested, the thief gets important data from you and possibly receives access to your tax and paycheck information. This is commonly known as “phishing,” a well-known method of senior-targeting. Sadly, information thieves even use the tragic COVID-19 pandemic to target potential victims, according to the IRS. One common scheme is when someone poses as an IRS agent and sends an email saying you’re still owed pandemic-related stimulus money. They’ll request personal information and promise you’ll get the money once you respond. The email looks official, as if the IRS actually sent it. But the IRS says it won’t initiate contact by phone, email, text, or social media asking for Social Security numbers or other personal or financial information related to pandemic Economic Impact Payments. “Caution and awareness are our best lines of defense against these criminals,” the IRS said in a press release. “Everyone should verify information on a trusted government website, such as IRS.gov.” Some of the thieves’ other favorite targets for money siphoning include:
How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
What to Do If Your Identity Is StolenHere are some ways to protect against some of the most common identity theft schemes:
The Bottom LineMillions of Americans have their identities stolen every year. It’s not a problem that’s going away, but by taking some easy steps, you can reduce your chances of being victimized. And if you do happen to become a victim of identity theft, the earlier you address it, the more quickly you can get your life back. How can you protect yourself from identity theft quizlet?What are 4 ways you can protect yourself from identity theft? Watch your bank statments and credit card bills, Avoid identity theft on the internet-use secure websites, Review your credit record and report fraudutent activity, Protect your personal information.
Which of the following uses information from the human body to verify identity?Definition(s): A measurable physical characteristic or personal behavioral trait used to recognize the identity, or verify the claimed identity, of an applicant. Facial images, fingerprints, and iris scan samples are all examples of biometrics.
What is the most commonly used tool used to restrict access to a computer system?Firewalls. A firewall puts restrictions on what information can come through to your computer. Don't use the Internet without having a firewall turned on.
Which of the following is considered a secure way to store passwords in a database?Hashing and encryption both provide ways to keep sensitive data safe. However, in almost all circumstances, passwords should be hashed, NOT encrypted. Hashing is a one-way function (i.e., it is impossible to "decrypt" a hash and obtain the original plaintext value). Hashing is appropriate for password validation.
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