Protect your identity!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of LifeLock Linkedin. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have you, or anyone you love, had their identity stolen?

Chances are, you do.  Here are some statistics from LifeLock.com, an identity theft protection service, about identity theft:

• 11.6 million adults were victims of identity fraud in 2011 and a total of $18 billion was lost.
• Households earning $100k + per year have the highest identity fraud rate at 7.4%.
• The average cost per person of having identities stolen is $1,513.

Years ago, my husband's grandmother had an identity theft problem.  A thief stole her Tax ID number and would file with the IRS each year with a change of address.  Then the thief would have her refund check sent to that address instead of to my husband's grandmother's home!    She didn't notice for years that this had happened; finally her daughter, my mother-in-law, realized that the checks had not been coming and investigated.  It took months of calls and visits to the IRS to get things settled.  I'm not sure if LifeLock would have helped with the IRS, but they probably could have helped with the initial theft of her personal information, had she had that service.

Identity theft can be very simple nowadays, with the Internet, smartphones, and social media.  Do you know how easy it is for a thief to discover you password?  According to LifeLock, it can be incredibly easy,  Find out: How hack-friendly is your password?

LifeLock.com is a service that helps you protect your identity online.  I recently had the chance to check out their services.  It looks like it would be crucial for those of us who use the computer for finances, and important for everyone who uses computers!  Their standard protection includes alerts to potential threats, identity monitoring, help in case of lost of stolen information, and comprehensive service to help you if your identity is stolen.  They're there to help 24/7.

LifeLock can additionally provide monitoring of your public records and credit reporting, as well as contact information changes.

Sounds like the kind of protection we all need nowadays!  To learn more, visit the LifeLock website, or find LifeLock on Linkedin.