Learn About
Fraudulent Insurance Policies and How to Protect Your Privacy Online
In today’s world, it can feel near
impossible to avoid sharing our personal information online. Whether it’s paying bills, online shopping, or making appointments, there always seems to be a
reason to enter a date of birth, credit card number or even your driver’s license details. We know that protecting your information is of the utmost
importance, so we’ve put together a guide to help you defend yourself from the
latest cybercrime - fraudulent insurance policies. Continue reading to learn
more!
What is a Fraudulent Insurance Policy?
A fraudulent insurance policy is a policy
created by someone else using your name and information. Really, it’s just
another form of insurance fraud. Cybercriminals have been known to hack into online databases in
order to steal non-public information such as social security numbers, driver’s
license numbers, addresses, dates of birth, and more. In doing so, they are able to insure their
own homes, vehicles, and items under your name which can lead to unpaid debts,
loss of insurance, and even suspensions on your driver’s license. Once a
cybercriminal has your information, it can be difficult to stop them from using
it.
How Can I Best Protect Myself?
Being proactive with your data privacy is
one of the most effective ways in which you can protect yourself from
fraudulent insurance policies as well as other cybercrimes. Use these tips to
create a safer online environment for yourself and protect your personal information.
1. Limit Access to Your Information
Although you may never be able to fully
remove all of your information from the internet, there are ways to limit who
may have access to what data. For example, applications on your phone will
often request access to more information than you think. Many applications will
ask for access to your camera roll and text messages even if those have nothing
to do with the applications function. It’s a good idea to go through your phone on a regular basis to complete a data access cleanse. You will want to delete any apps on your phone that you no longer
actively use, as well as messages or photos that could provide sensitive
information, such as a birthdate or address. Then you’ll want to review and
revoke unnecessary access to your data for the applications that you are
keeping.
Never offer information like your social
security number or driver’s license number on websites that are not secure. You’ll want to make sure you
are only shopping online through reputable websites. Avoid logging into sensitive
accounts, like your online banking platform on public servers at all costs; it’s
best to wait until you are using a secure connection. You might even consider setting up a VPN to
protect your devices.
Be aware of insurance scam calls and never give personal details like your social security
number over the phone or via email. It’s important to know that “phishing” attempts can come from phone
numbers and emails that will purposely look similar to those that you are
already familiar with. Phishing is one of the most popular strategies used by
cybercriminals to fraudulently obtain personal information and is designed to
trick users into divulging private information.
2. Be Mindful of Social Media
Reviewing your social media accounts is
one of the easiest ways for cybercriminals to gather your information in order
to create fake accounts or policies under your name. Oftentimes, profiles on your
social media platforms will list personal information such as a birthdate, a
maiden name, a pet's names, who your relatives are, even the names of the schools you’ve gone to
and the places you work. It’s a good idea to limit or remove these details from
your profiles entirely and to avoid posting intimate details about your life
going forward. You should also consider making your social
media account private to those who you don’t know.
3. Utilize Identity Theft Detection and
Protection
One thing you can do to be proactive
against fraudulently insurance policies being created in your name is to purchase
identity theft monitoring and identity theft insurance. Companies that offer
this service will scan databases for your information to see if it has ended up
somewhere it shouldn’t and can alert you if your information has been detected.
That way the issue can be addressed as soon as possible.
With identity theft insurance, you can
rest assured that even if your
information does end up in the wrong hands, there are still recovery options. Identity theft insurance is designed to help cover costs related to
identity theft. It can reimburse a victim for money spent on reclaiming their
financial identities and repairing their credit reports. Policies often provide
specialists who can help guide victims through the identity restoration
process.
What Do I Do If I Learn That a Fraudulent Insurance Policy Has Been Opened in my Name?
No one wants to open the mail to find an
insurance company is contacting them about a fraudulent policy. While scary,
the situation requires swift action to combat these cybercriminals and stop
them in their tracks.
Should you receive notice from an insurance
company or your state’s DMV regarding a policy in your name that you did not
request, call the insurance company immediately to inform them of the
situation. Additionally, you will want to contact your DMV’s crime division to
report the incident. In the meantime, it may also be a good idea to check your
credit and possibly put a freeze on it should your social security number be a
part of the original hack and ask to be notified should anyone attempt to use
it.
When it comes to protecting you, your family
and your assets, data protection is a top priority. It’s important to know that
cybercrime is constantly evolving and that being proactive can make all the difference.
By using these simple tips, you are one step closer to keeping your personal
information protected online. For more information on staying protected online, check out
the link below.
