The best thing a consumer can do is be proactive about protecting their identity, and if theft happens, have the best tools and resources available to set the record straight.
(PRWEB) March 04, 2016
This week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released its Consumer Sentinel Network Data for 2015, and for the 16th consecutive year, identity theft was one of the top consumer complaints reported to the Commission.
The Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book is an annual report of the complaints received by the FTC from consumers, state and federal law enforcement agencies, national consumer protection organizations and non-governmental organizations. Complaints related to identity theft increased 47 percent from 2014, largely due to a significant increase in complaints about tax identity theft.
“Year after year, Americans continue to fall victim to identity theft,” said Jeff Bell, CEO of LegalShield, parent company of IDShield, “but too few are taking the necessary preventative steps to protect their identities, especially during high risk times like tax season. The best thing a consumer can do is be proactive about protecting their identity, and if theft happens, have the best tools and resources available to set the record straight. IDShield is a comprehensive identity protection service that provides unparalleled services for individuals and families. And more, if you do become a victim of identity theft, IDShield’s network of licensed private investigators will work tirelessly to restore your identity to its pre-compromised state.”
While cases of tax-related identity theft continue to rise, there are basic precautions consumers can take during tax season to prevent identity theft before it happens. Identity theft experts at IDShield offer these tips to protect against ID breaches:
1. File your taxes early to prevent fraudulent filing later on.
2. Be wary of sharing sensitive information such as Social Security numbers over the phone or without knowing what it will be used for.
3. Secure digital devices with security software and strong, varied passwords that incorporate uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers and special characters.
4. Use private network connections when filling out sensitive information online.
5. Limit sharing of personal information across social media, and set strong privacy settings.
6. Shred financial statements or choose paperless options when available.
7. Protect email accounts by logging off, by using different email addresses for social networking and personal accounts and by implementing “two-step” authentication for access from new devices.
IDShield provides comprehensive identity protection, from proactive consultation and monitoring to restoration in the event of identity theft. It is the only identity theft protection service with a network of licensed private investigators, a five million dollar service guarantee and 24/7 access to service.
For more information about identity theft or to speak to an identity theft victim or prevention expert, contact Suraya Bliss at SurayaBliss(at)LegalShieldCorp(dot)com or (248) 760-7458.
For more information about IDShield and available services, visit http://www.idshield.com.
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About IDShield
LegalShield is one of the nation’s leading providers of legal safeguards for individuals, families, and small businesses. The company also offers one of the industry’s most affordable and comprehensive identity protection plans, IDShield. LegalShield plans provide protection to more than 3.7 million individuals and IDShield provides identity monitoring and restoration services to more than one million individuals across North America. More than 34,000 companies offer the LegalShield and IDShield plans to their employees as a voluntary benefit.
IDShield monitors consumers’ identities, including their Social Security number, credit cards, and bank accounts; as well as their names, address, date of birth, driver’s license and passport numbers, email addresses, phone numbers, and medical identification numbers. If a member’s status changes, the member receives an email update. If there is suspicious or fraudulent activity, members can contact a licensed private investigator immediately and begin restoration. IDShield offers the only team of licensed private investigators in the consumer identity restoration industry. Additionally, if a member has questions about identity theft protection, unlimited consultation is available to them with a licensed private investigator.
For more information, visit http://www.LegalShield.com and http://www.IDShield.com.