Identity Fraud - 
With all the news attention into the subject of identity theft lately, it is not wonder that there have been multiple articles on the subject springing up. Many of these identity theft articles give a lot of valuable information. However, consumers should be aware that many identity theft articles out there use scare tactics to get consumers to buy whatever product they’re selling. These articles can be easy to spot if you know what you’re looking for.

What to Watch For

There are a few things that consumers can watch for when looking at identity theft articles to ascertain whether or not the article they are viewing is a true informational article or whether or not it is nothing more than glorified sales copy. A few questions to ask yourself when reading the article include:

Is this article suggesting I buy something?

If the answer to this is yes, be careful. Many companies will use seemingly informational articles to push their own products.

If so, is it suggesting one source or talking about the product in general?

If the article repeats the need for one product over and over without suggesting many alternatives then the article may be sales-oriented and the information contained within it may be skewed.

Does the article portray identity theft information accurately?

Look at many sources for accurate identity theft information. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an excellent source for accurate, up-to-date information on the topic of identity theft.

Does the article seem to try to create concern or panic within the reader?

If the article suggests (or seems to suggest) that the reader must purchase this product or they will likely fall victim to identity theft it is likely a sales pitch. If they repeat terrible identity theft statistics, or mention something to the effect of “Mr. X had to pay $15,000 to get his life back after he was a victim of identity theft, don’t let this happen to you!” then it is likely the article is not worth your time.

Does the identity theft article include links to products to purchase that it recommends?

It is one thing to have a few suggested products listed after or within the article, if the information is presented in a clear, non-aggressive manner. However, if the information repeatedly lists the same products over and over with links built in, it is likely an article written to pitch those particular products rather than to provide a truly informative identity theft article.


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