October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is reminding you that cyber-thieves are constantly combing the Internet in search of unprotected data that they use to steal others’ identities. The practice of identity theft continues to grow, leaving behind millions of victims who are then saddled with the lengthy and financially burdensome chore of repairing the financial damage. Your BBB urges consumers to take a moment to remind themselves of ways they can secure their identity and avoid ID theft’s repercussions.
Types of identity theft
The term itself is broad and covers a number of variations. Here are the major ones:
• Financial identity theft – This type of fraud can affect your credit card or bank accounts. False loan applications taken out in someone else’s name are a common form of financial ID theft.
• Government identity theft – This is a defrauding of federal, state or local government agencies to falsely claim benefits.