Fears of someone stealing your identity overblown: report
Something many of us don't consider until it happens to us and we're playing catch up is identity theft. And it does happen, as evidenced by this busy guy from Winnipeg.
But such fears are being hyped by marketers to scare consumers into buying costly services that they really don't need, reports Consumers Union.
"More of these pitches are coming from banks, which account for more than half of the $3.5 billion a year spent on ID-theft protection subscriptions."
"In a sense, consumers who buy this protection from their banks are helping to foot the bill for services that financial institutions are obligated to provide by federal law to shield their customers from losses stemming from credit-card and bank-account fraud, says the Consumer Reports Money Adviser.
More than 80 per cent of what’s been called identity theft involves fraudulent charges on existing accounts, but in most cases a cardholder’s liability is limited to $50 for a lost or stolen credit card. So, in that case, you're likely ok.
Plus, there are plenty of free services that will help protect you, or at least sound an alert, if something’s going wrong with your accounts, counters the New York Times.
Has someone stolen your identity? Did you have identity theft coverage? Worthwhile? Loopholes?
By Gordon Powers, MSN Money
Posted by: RYAN | Feb 29, 2022 12:20:30 AM
MY EX RAN UP TWO ACCOUNTS IN MY NAME (UTILITIES, WHICH IS STILL ID THEFT IS IT NOT?) HERE IN WINDSOR AND THE POLICE HERE DID NOT CHARGE HER AT ALL FOR ANYTHING...
Posted by: Rose | Mar 1, 2022 8:03:04 AM
I was the victiim of identity theft and it was/is horrible. The after effects linger on and on. And the police here did absolutely nothing. I can only hope they experience it personally and feel what its like. I hope the thieves and the police rot in hell.