Why identity theft involves more than just your financial information

When you say 'identity theft', most people think of unexplained credit score hits and alarming calls from your local bank. However, many people are surprised to discover that only 20% of identity theft involves financial information and transactions.

This means that a measly 1 in 5 cases of identity theft have anything to do with your financial health. In spite of that fact, many people only worry about protecting themselves from identity theft involving financial transactions. Unfortunately, many more people don't even worry about identity theft at all.

So what makes up the other 80% of non-financial identity theft? Many of these crimes are more serious than finance-related identity theft and have more of an impact on your personal health.

For example, identity thieves aren't afraid to steal somebody's information and then use that information to commit crimes. These crimes will show up under victims' background reports, and may go unnoticed for years. There is no worse feeling than being pulled over for speeding, only to find that the police want to take you downtown for a crime you never actually committed.

Another common type of identity theft involves the misuse of medical information. Since medical databases are among the most popular types of databases broken into by identity thieves, it's easy to gain access to your history of illness and disease. Using this background, identity thieves can take out prescriptions and medical procedures in your name.

Having these inaccurate procedures on your medical record may seem harmless. However, if you're involved in an emergency, doctors will see your history of procedures and could change your diagnosis based on that. This could endanger your life.

Fixing identity theft involving financial matters is relatively straightforward. However, reversing criminal charges and medical procedures in your name is an entirely different matter. As you can imagine, it's better to order identity protection services in the first place and not have to worry about what kinds of horrible acts identity thieves could be performing under your name.

Detecting Identity Theft

ID Watchdog will alert you as soon as any new or changed records containing your personal information are detected during our routine scans.

When you receive an alert, you will be directed into your ID Watchdog account where you will be asked to:

• » Verify the authenticity of any detected records, OR;
• » Report the record as unrecognized

Any record that is unfamiliar to you is a red-flag warning that your identity may have been compromised.

Once you report a record as unrecognized or unfamiliar, ID Watchdog will initiate the resolution process.

Next Step: Resolution

Identity Theft Resolution

In the event that you are presented with a record that is unfamiliar or unrecognized, (for example, an a address for a home you've never lived in or a new credit account you never opened) there is a strong possibility that your identity has been compromised.

Even records which appear to be simple data processing errors need to be addressed in order to prevent an incorrect and potentially damaging evaluation of your credit or personal profile by lenders, creditors, auditors and employers.

ID Watchdog is the only Identity Intelligence Service that employs a team of certified Identity Resolution Experts who will work with you and on your behalf to get any fraudulent information removed from your records.

100% Guaranteed.