Your Identity Getting a Workout

There is one surefire method to ensure that nobody can get your personal information and steal your identity while you're out and about: leave your personally identifiable information and belongings at home. However, is this a realistic approach? For most people, probably not. Continue reading and decide for yourself.

Today in Sacramento, a husband and wife were arrested on charges of identity theft, forgery, burglary, possession of stolen property and vehicle theft according to an article at KCRA.com. The thefts occurred at local 24 Hour Fitness centers in the Sacramento area. While working out at various locations, the wife would go into the locker room and break into lockers and steal purses, cell phones, car keys, credit cards, etc. Such tactics are not uncommon. This is not the first time this type of crime has been committed, and unfortunately it won't be the last.

So how do we avoid this type of crime? Should we just leave all of our belongings at home? That doesn't sound like a practical idea. If all you're doing is going to the gym, okay, I suppose it's easier to leave a lot of things at home. But what if you're going to the gym on the way home from work? Leaving your items in your car is probably no better a solution. After all, you have to still take your car keys in the business and leave them in your locker.

It seems the answer to my original question is best left to the reader. It's your stuff. You decide how to best keep it safe. If you don't need to take it with you, you probably shouldn't. But when it comes to your identity, you can at least get recovery protection on your side in case you have the misfortune of having your personal information stolen.

A good identity theft plan should provide a fully managed recovery solution. That means a recovery advocate will work on your behalf, through a limited power of attorney, and make all the phone calls and clear up any problems that arise as a result of your identity being compromised. The advocate will also work until your good name is restored to its pre-theft status. In addition, there should be some sort of insurance reimbursement to help cover the out of pocket expenses.

A good identity theft recovery solution can save a lot of headache. So, if your identity winds up getting more of a workout than you do, you don't have to run around trying to catch up with it.