Modern technology allows the average individual to facilitate transactions with ease. Whether online shopping or purchasing groceries, these vendors could have payment methods that do not require cash. As these channels continue to advance, criminals could also use them to victimize other people, such as identity theft.
Identity theft happens when someone collects and uses another person’s details and identification to commit fraud and other crimes. Sometimes, they could pose as other people to steal from their bank accounts or make fraudulent loans. Either way, they could commit various offenses using someone else’s identity, making it hard to pin them down.
Fortunately, both federal and state laws have provisions to protect against identity theft. By exercising the following rights, you could take measures to avoid identity theft and recover from it if it does happen:
- Right to placing credit documents on security freeze, restricting entities who could have access to them
- Right to request alerts for suspected fraud or identity theft
- Right to receive personal credit reports for free
- Right to receive files about fraudulent transactions or accounts created under your name
- Right to acquire details of fraud from debt collectors
- Right to block financial information that came from fraud or identity theft
- Right to call the authorities for suspected identity theft incidents
- Right to request a judge for a court order identifying you as an identity theft victim
- Right to receive notices about security breach incidents that could affect your information
However, the laws concerning these rights could apply based on the circumstances. It is best to receive reliable legal advice before making rash assumptions or decisions.
Secure your information
Enforcing these rights could force various entities to handle personal details with care. Doing so could help address identity theft risks and determine entities who could have mishandled your information.
