With the recent hacking of social sites, and the traumatic experiences that are in my book about identity theft and identity fraud, gives me even more reason to pause. Our privacy has been compromised for years. Yet, no one actually takes the time to really listen to what is "really" being said. If our information is stolen, we do not know how many people the thief actually sells our information to and what happens after the sale.
Working in the financial industry for many years, I witnessed the exact same situations. My clients, and with people who didn't become my clients. They said, "Oh, it will never happen to me." Many of these people would tell me God would take care of them. Had it ever occurred to these people, that working through my services, was God's way of helping these folks?
After leaving the financial industry, and I left because of my own identity theft, my lessons of life escalated. I myself never thought that I would be the target of identity thief. Yet, it happened to me. While alone and in trauma, I learned everything possible about the computer, and also how the Phantoms (as I have named them in my book), not only target people online but also offline as well.
Can it happen to anyone. Yes it can. Identity Theft is a stigma that is difficult to overcome. With retirement funds stolen, reputation ruined, bank accounts depleted, and credit cards appearing one after the other, security codes from the banks fraud department breached, targeted people experience a depth of betrayal that can result in a lifetime of work to gain trust, and feel secure.
But trust can return. It's not easy and it takes time. Learning to protect our identity is work. There are many habits we have (especially here in America) that need to be broken, and new habits learned. Example using Debit Cards with pin numbers, even at the ATM. This convenience is a habit that can lead to identity theft. The list can seem endless. But learning the list of ways to protect ourselves is not nearly as endless as the repercussions of the theft.
We must learn to place our lives in God's blessings and miracles network. The is a network where we can truly find safety and security. Many people proclaim to be strong believers, yet it is only lip service. Our identity is unique. No one else is exactly like us. When we lose our financial or professional identity, we many times leave our spirit stark naked and ready for the Phantoms to clothe us in depression, hurt, anger, and lack of trust; especially trusting God. This was my lesson to learn. And it did take a few years. Now, with lessons learned, I can take that trauma and teach other people how to not let it happen to them, and if it does happen to them, how to overcome and start over. But it's difficult to teach an ostrich with his head in the sand.
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