Federal prosecutors unsealed indictments this week in one of the largest financial hacking cases in US history, further proof that no one is exempt from the threat of identity theft.
Four men are accused of crimes including computer hacking, securities fraud and money laundering in connection with the security breach, which occurred last year. The hackers obtained personal information belonging to more than 100 million Americans, most of them customers of JPMorgan Chase.
Identity theft expert Adam Levin tells Kane In Your Corner that all of us need to be aware that there is a good chance our personal information will be compromised in the near future if it has not happened already. As a result, he says, consumers should concentrate on strategies that will allow them to minimize the potential harm from identity theft.
"Heaven knows an awful lot of Social Security numbers have been exposed to breaches in the past few months," says Levin, a former director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs and author of the book "Swiped." "You're going to be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your life."
Levin advises checking your bank activity daily to look for suspicious transactions. He also suggests signing up for transaction alerts from credit card companies, and considering a credit freeze, to make it harder for someone else to open new accounts in your name.
In Tuesday's GOP presidential debate, Gov. Chris Christie provided more evidence that no one is exempt from the danger of identity theft, recounting how he himself became a victim earlier this year. A drug addict was arrested at a motel in Virginia with personal information belonging to Christie, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and other officials.