Identity Thieves Target Baby Boomers

by: JedJenson
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The first of almost 80 million baby boomers filed for Social Security benefits in October 2007. This individual may also have been one of the first baby boomers to fall prey to identity theft. More and more Boomers are being targeted by identity thieves because of their additional sources of income as well as their tendencies to avoid the internet, to rely on paper checks and paper mail, and to easily fall victim to pre-texting scams. Because of this, it is more important than ever for baby boomers, who are prime targets for identity thieves, to turn to identity theft services, such as LifeLock, to keep their identity and finances secure.

One of the top reasons baby boomers are being targeted by identity thieves is because older boomers (ages 51-60) have not completely moved into the electronic age and still use pen and paper to pay bills and send correspondences. This leaves boomers' mailboxes prime targets for theft. Because LifeLock removes members' names from pre-approved credit card mailing lists as well as junk mail lists, LifeLock protects boomers from identity theft and enables boomers, who so choose, to stay in their non-electronic comfort zone.

The second way LifeLock protects boomers, and saves them time and energy, is by pulling annual credit reports from all three credit bureaus and mailing them to their members. Because some boomers have never used the internet and are not aware of how to access their credit reports online; they do not keep as close a watch on their credit activity as younger adults do. LifeLock gives boomers the ability to check their credit report for discrepancies in order to prevent identity theft from occurring. In addition to pulling credit reports, LifeLock also places fraud alerts on member's credit files so that lenders must call the member for approval prior to issuing credit or loans.

The third way LifeLock protects boomers from identity theft is through their eRecon and TrueAddress services. LifeLock's eRecon service monitors criminal websites for the selling or trading of social security numbers, credit card numbers, driver's license numbers, etc. LifeLock's TrueAddress service detects any changes to a members' address on various databases and notifies the member if a change is detected.

A fourth way LifeLock works to protect the identity of baby boomers is through their WalletLock service. Boomers are more at risk of having their identities stolen through the loss or theft of a wallet. Because boomers tend to keep their personal documents close, in case of emergencies, they are more likely to have multiple sources of personal identification in their wallet. If a member's wallet is lost or stolen, LifeLock's WalletLock service assigns members a WalletLock specialist who helps in contacting each credit card company, banking institution, and any state and federal agencies who issue driver's licenses, etc. to cancel the accounts and begin the process of reinstating missing documents.

The fifth way LifeLock safeguards boomers from worry about identity theft is by easing their concerns about spending excessive amounts of time and money if their identity is stolen by offering a $1,000,000 full service guarantee. Although most boomers are receiving additional income, their income is barely enough to cover their cost of living expenses. Through LifeLock's $1,000,000 guarantee, LifeLock will hire attorneys, investigators, accountants, case managers, etc. to restore a member's good name and, if any money is lost as a result of the theft, they will reimburse the member the amount of money lost.

With LifeLock's Identity Theft Protection Services, boomers no longer need to worry about the security of their identity. In fact, the only security baby boomers may need to worry about is their Social Security benefits, which come from a system that is about to be tapped into by nearly 80 million baby boomers.

About the Author

Jed Jenson is full of identity theft tips. To get more advice about how to prevent identity theft, keep reading.  

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