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In a world that’s so dependant on innovation and technology, it’s hard to keep up with all the latest trends… and threats. Identity theft is one of the most debilitating forms of thievery. It impacts you to the core and puts your head on a swivel every time you make a transaction or go out in public.
Unfortunately, fraud isn’t going anywhere. The chances of someone posing as you increase as technology increases. The latest trend is cell phone fraud, and it’s coming in hot.
Cell phone fraud is when a criminal creates a fake cell phone account in your name and uses it to open credit cards and gain access to your accounts. The interesting thing about cell phone fraud is that since little is known about it, it’s not that easily defended.
Credit Card and basic identity theft are expected, unfortunately, and so proper measures are put in place to combat against it. The same can not be said about cell phone fraud.
The most concerning thing about cell phone fraud is that it may take several months before it is detected. This usually happens when the crook that opened up accounts using your identity via a phony cell phone fails to keep up with purchases or chargers they accumulated.
By the time you notice what has been done in your name, you’ll have a lot of work ahead of you to reclaim your identity.
There are several things you can do to help prevent cell phone fraud. Of course, these aren’t 100% proof since your information is floating across cyberspace. However, using some of these precautionary measures can increase the chances that your information will be more challenging to access.
Many cell phone companies offer certain security measures to help with this type of crime. One of the easiest ones to incorporate is a pin number. A pin number must be entered or given anytime a new account is opened or when changes to a current account are made.
Keep personal security questions such as your mother’s maiden name, date of birth or phone number off of social media. Having private information on the apps that you use daily are susceptible to attacks.
Try separating your personal accounts from your financial ones. This entails creating different email accounts for your bank and social media accounts. This will prevent cell phone hackers from gaining access to your financial institutions via your personal information since they do not intersect in any way.
If at any time you stop receiving phone calls, e-mails, or text messages, call your bank immediately. This could be an indication of cell phone fraud. Chances are the thief that used a fake cell phone to access your information is either receiving your communication or destroying your reputation.
