IDShield Blog

Identity theft is almost always a risk to look out for, but that risk grows greater in the wake of natural disasters. Victims of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and other horrible acts of nature are often susceptible to scammers who pose as agents of the Federal...

Election scams run rampant during voting season. No matter what candidate you support, chances are you will or have already received texts, phone calls, letters, or even knocks on your front door regarding the upcoming election. It’s safe to say that some of those...

Editor note: This post has been refreshed with the latest information to ensure accuracy and relevance to our readers. It was originally published Dec 20, 2019. The holiday season is filled with excitement—whether you're traveling to visit family, hosting gatherings,...

Scammers love to take advantage of this hectic school season. They can easily slip under the radar and steal personal information. Then, they can use the identity and other private data to make purchases, sign up for services, or sell personal information to other bad...

Imagine: You purchase a television, a sofa, or some other expensive item, and all you have to do is quickly sign up for a Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) program to pay off the debt in bite-sized installments instead of handing over huge chunks of cash up front. Who wouldn’t...

By Steve Earls, a seasoned cybersecurity leader who has innovated cybersecurity and risk management strategies at the CIA, Verizon Wireless, and Trane Technologies, is the Chief Information Security Officer overseeing LegalShield’s cybersecurity programs and teams....

You’ve had an amazing vacation, and you just got back home with a fresh tan or some amazing new memories. A few days later, you get a phone call from the landlord who owns the rental property where you stayed. They claim that you damaged their property and they want...

Moving is a big deal! You want to make sure that all your papers are signed, keys handed over, belongings packed, and movers arranged. But a busy moving season can quickly turn into a nightmare if you fall prey to a moving scam. Yes, you read that right! What might...

Housing valuations continue to climb, which means home equity has soared for homeowners… unless someone commits identity theft to steal that equity. Home equity theft, deed theft and title theft are on the rise, and many real estate and government officials fear it...

In the rush to fill our homes with intelligent devices ranging from voice-activated assistants to connected coffee cups to smart TVs, we seem oblivious to the security risks. These smart devices could be used as spy tools, opening doors for cybercriminals to steal...

Criminal identity theft happens when someone who is cited or arrested for a crime uses someone else’s personal information as ID. The result: a criminal record now exists in the name of the person whose ID was hijacked. This can have all sorts of repercussions, and...

Synthetic identity theft occurs when a fraudster combines real and fake personal information to create a new identity—as opposed to stealing an existing one.  A thief can use a real Social Security number combined with a fake name and date of birth to ‘Frankenstein’...