More than 10 million people have their identities stolen each year. For small business owners, the stakes are even higher, because identity theft can result in more than just poor credit – it can also mean the loss of their businesses.
It’s difficult to say how many businesses have been victimized by identity theft because most of the research focuses on complaints by consumers. Some studies say there were as many as 10 million individual victims of ID theft last year.
But the more sophisticated identity thieves are targeting businesses more and more, because the payoffs are bigger. Business accounts general have higher credit limits and make larger purchases than consumers, so hefty charges by scammers are less likely to raise flags.
Small businesses in particular are good targets because they may be less savvy about protecting sensitive information than big companies that can afford to hire dedicated privacy officers. Small business owners are often too busy to worry about identity theft, until it happens to them. That’s the worst thing they can do – when it comes to identity theft, small businesses have to be small with a big business mentality.
Business owners can protect themselves by keeping sensitive files under lock and key, by restricting access only to employees who need it, and by closely watching their books.
Business owners can also protect themselves – and their businesses – by signing up with LifeLock. Not only can LifeLock proactively protect your personal information, but your business can be protected too. And that’s something to celebrate.
Call LifeLock today for more information. Receive 30 days free and get a 10 percent discount on enrollment with the LifeLock Promo Code “Defense.”
Tags: ID theft protection, Identity Theft, LifeLock, protect business from ID theft
