‘Tis the season for holiday shopping. When making purchases online, be sure to protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft -- it’s more common than you may think.
With just a few pieces of personal information, thieves can open new credit lines, drain bank accounts and file fraudulent tax returns. The Federal Trade Commission says credit card fraud was the number one type of identity theft reported in 2018, with 167,000 people saying their information was misused on an existing account or used to open a new credit card account. No matter what form it takes, identity theft can cost thousands of dollars and take years to correct.
“When someone uses information about you without your permission, it takes time and money to straighten things out,”said Robert Buckel, vice president of product management at Erie Insurance.
“This coverage offers peace of mind to help you restore your credit and make the process -- and your life -- a little easier.”
Protecting your identity may not be top-of-mind during the holiday shopping season, but with just a few safeguards in place, your online security can be greatly enhanced.
(StatePoint)