#10. Insurance for identity theft victims
Identity theft may seem so far fetched but trust me it is not. With today’s technology and the growing sophistication of the world wide web, hackers and con artists are now living in a world that used to only exist in the pages of a science fiction book or a scene in a suspense-thriller movie.
This can be a major problem for anyone because not only will you have to worry about your personal properties like credit cards and bank accounts, you also have to think about the fact that someone else is using your name and your reputation to do god-knows what.
According to the FTC, there are more than 160,000 reported cases of identity fraud in the country in 2002.
Identity theft insurance reimburses the victims of identity thefts for the cost of restoring their identity and repairing credit reports. Some companies include these kinds of insurance as part of their homeowners insurance policies while others sell them as stand alone policies or as an endorsementa to a homeowners or renters insurance policies.
On average, these policies cost between $25 and $50 for $15,000 to $25,000 worth of coverage. Identity theft insurance provides reimbursement for expenses such as phone bills, lost wages, notary and certified mailing costs and sometimes attorney fees with the prior consent of the insurer.
Complaints about identity theft have surged from about 40,000 in 1992 to 750,000 in 1998, according to regulators.
Las Vegan Julia Twentyfive knows all too well how identity theft can destroy your life. A thief who stole her purse used her identity to rip off others in a credit card scam. Her nightmare cost her three days in jail, $15,000 and two years of her life to straighten it all out.
Metro police say they receive up to 75 new reports of identity theft every week here in Clark County. It's the fastest growing crime in America today. It's just a matter of time; sooner or later we'll all become victims.
Ted Burke is a former law enforcement agent who has spent many years dealing with identity theft victims. "They really didn't have an antidote or way to stop the bleeding until we came about. Burke is now the senior regional vice president of Prepaid Legal Services, Inc. in Nevada. His company has offices all over North America and has now partnered with the nation's biggest investigative agency, Kroll Inc., to provide an insurance policy for ID theft victims.
"Generally, we'll find out if they're a victim before they know and we'll notify them," Burke said.
It's called identity theft shield, an around the clock system of monitoring your credit, restoring your identity and reimbursing your costs in case your good name is stolen and used against you. And with 1 of out of every 4 Las Vegans at risk of falling victim to this rising crime, identity theft insurance may be the closest thing our society has to a cure.
Ted Burke adds, "It gives them peace of mind. They can sleep at night knowing we're watching their back 24-7, 7 days a week no matter where they are or what they're doing, we're taking care of them."
Identity theft shield benefits will cost your family anywhere from $10 to $12 a month. Pre-paid legal Services has been in business for more than 30 years and operating in Nevada since 1989.