Teens are the Latest Victims of Identity Theft!
Identity Theft. Even though this type of crime is relatively new on the scene, its growth has produced alarming results. Every age group, including teens, is impacted by potential loss to one’s identity to someone else.
One reason is the rise of a unique and, sometimes detached, lifestyle for our teens. The age for having credit cards gets younger every year, but this does not necessarily mean that teens understand the responsibilities and risks associated with having credit cards. As a result, teens are a prime target for identity theft.
Another area of risk to identity theft for teens is the social networking sites that have literally become their connection to society. Many teens willingly share their private details in order to be more popular amongst their peer group.
Because of the massive popularity of sites such as MySpace, FaceBook and YouTube teens often live in a breeding ground for predators looking for their next victim. Identity theft is becoming their weapon of choice. Most teenagers on MySpace don’t give a thought to security issues and readily post all of their personal information on the site. This could include their full name, age, address, etc.
The 5 top reasons why teenagers are so vulnerable to identity theft attacks are:
The risk for identity theft for teens has produced a “currency” so valuable, that a teen’s identity can be worth more to identity theft thieves than money.
The good news is that protecting a teen’s identity is relatively easy. The first step is to make sure that teens understand the risk, and how to recognize and prevent identity theft.
There are numerous strategies teens can adopt that will help to protect their lives and their credit from falling victim to an identity theft attack. The following list is a great place to start:
Teens can protect against identity theft by:
One of the most important resources teens have for getting off to a great start in life is their parents. Working together, teens can avoid becoming a victim of identity theft.
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Finding the right group health plan for your business can be downright intimidating: sorting through lists of insurance companies and plans; checking and re-checking the dollars and totals for deductibles and co-pays; making sense of plan limitations and exclusions; and deciphering a dictionary’s worth of insurance-speak. It’s enough to make anyone feel like a high-school freshman again.
You don’t have the time for all this research and number crunching. But can you really afford to leave it on your “maybe someday” list? As the cost of medical care rises, the risks of not having health insurance are more apparent than ever. Today a single injury or illness -if uninsured- can leave a family in financial ruin. Moreover, group health coverage is a key benefit of employment. You may not be able to hire and keep the best employees without offering health coverage. The point is: don’t procrastinate!
But take heart: a little basic knowledge can help you shake off those freshman jitters. Here are three quick lessons to help you find high-quality insurance at a reasonable price:
- Know the type of benefits you need
- Ask your Stonebraker McQuary Insurance Agent to shop for multiple quotes
- Take full advantage of all available tax benefits