Do you worry about identity theft? It crosses my mind every time I have to share my social security number or see a commercial for LifeLock. Those LifeLock commercials are compelling. The company has a great ad company writing its spots. The ads tug at just the right emotional centers to get watchers or listeners to want to buy the service.
I have always loved participating in online message boards. They are wonderful places to talk to all sorts of people you would never get a chance to talk to otherwise. You can learn new things and share what you know with others seeking information.
I was a member on a message board community where someone there decided he didn’t like me. That’s OK; not everyone likes everyone else. This person, however, went out of his way to make me miserable. He somehow managed to find out who I am and posted my phone number. After a while he posted my full name, address, and social security number as well. I was freaked out. I can’t find people I’ve been searching for forever online and yet a stranger found out everything about me and felt compelled to share it. I was able to contact the big three credit reporting agencies to put a fraud alert on my credit. The fraud alert was designed to stop people from accessing my credit and opening new accounts.
I probably would have jumped to buy LifeLock then. Turns out I did the right thing and it didn’t cost me anything. I have learned that there’s an even better option. You can freeze your credit reports. This will stop anyone from obtaining credit in your name. To bypass the freeze you have to supply a PIN. There may be a fee to freeze or thaw your credit by bureau and state.