LegalShield Blog

What is a digital identity? Do I have a digital identity? And what, exactly, does my digital identity tell other people about me? It’s a fact of modern life that nearly everyone has a digital identity. It’s also a fact that your digital identity may not speak...

Not everyone will experience online identity theft. But hundreds of thousands of Americans do—it’s one of the fastest growing crimes in America. The fact is, these days, there are scammers looking to steal your online identity, any way they can, 24/7. So how does...

Have you ever asked yourself: “am I being hacked?” Perhaps not, because skilled hackers do their dirty work in a way that doesn’t tip off their victims. And that’s their point—the longer that a victim is unaware that they’ve been hacked, the more damage that hackers...

Generating a unique, random password and storing it in your password manager is, without question, a smart way to protect an online account. But it is, by no means, enough protection. Every year, billions of records are exposed in data breaches, creating a growing...

You’ve likely heard the term “digital identity” before, repeatedly and perhaps in the context of high-level government talks about internet security. Yet you may have had to ask yourself, What is digital identity, exactly? Your digital identity is how you prove you’re...

Talented identity thieves work subtly and quickly enough to get at your personal information before you even notice that anything’s wrong. So, how do you know if your identity has been stolen? We’ll go over how to check to see if you’ve been a victim then discuss ways...

As the Fab Four sang, you can’t avoid the tax man. But if you’re careful, you can avoid tax identity theft. What is tax identity theft? It’s when someone steals your identity and fraudulently files taxes or works in your name. Translation: someone else can end up with...

Your identity is important. We’re not talking about identity in metaphysical terms. We’re discussing identity in terms of your birth certificate, Social Security number, financial information, address, relatives, and so on—the stuff for which data security firms...

Identity theft is a serious business, and business is booming. Nearly 42 million Americans were victims of identity fraud in 2021, up a staggering 79% over 2020.  As every aspect of your life goes digital, your personal information lives on hundreds, if not thousands...

The most common form of identity theft is when people use someone’s Social Security numbers and other personal identifiable information and then create bogus bank and credit card accounts in the victim’s name. If you’re the victim of identity theft, you probably want...

If you have been the victim of identity theft, you will undoubtedly want to report it as soon as possible to prevent further damage to your credit and good name. But to who? Your first stop should be the Federal Trade Commission, which is the primary law enforcement...

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is unique information that can be used to link to an individual’s identity. In some cases, stolen PII can help identity thieves fraudulently access someone else’s identity. PII can include your full name, date of birth, and...

Your credit report and your credit score are two important pieces of your financial health, so you should review them regularly. Credit scores are different than credit reports. Reports show your credit history, while scores are a number based on several personal...

In 2020, 45.1% of U.S. marriages ended in divorce, according to the Centers for Disease Control and  Prevention (CDC). This is not a statistic couples want to consider on their wedding day, but if they wind up in divorce court, they may wish they had signed a prenup...

So you want to know how to place a lien on a property? Liens come about because someone owes you money and refuses to pay or only partially pays. Make no mistake, they take time—they don’t happen overnight, and different jurisdictions have different laws governing...

Here’s a scenario many homeowners are familiar with: you hire a contractor for a much-needed remodel, but they don’t deliver on the work. So, you don’t want to pay. The contractor then tries to force payment by placing a mechanic’s lien on your property, and now your...

You may be asking yourself, what is a Trust? Trusts and Wills clearly spell out the rights of beneficiaries and responsibilities of legal guardians or executors of estates. As a beneficiary, it is important to thoroughly understand and be aware of the rights you have...

A Power of Attorney is a legal document that gives someone the authority to make decisions on your behalf. This can include things like making financial decisions, handling business affairs, or managing your health care. But can a Power of Attorney change a Will? In...

A Will is one of the most important estate or end-of-life care planning documents that you can prepare. Learn which of the different types of Wills are right for you.

When someone dies, their loved ones are often left to deal with the aftermath. This can be a difficult time, and it is often made even more complicated if the deceased person did not leave a Will. How a Will helps your family is very clear. This document outlines a...

The impact of social media Newsflash: We live in an increasingly online world. Nowadays, we can communicate, get things done, take photos and videos, entertain ourselves, and do business all within the palm of our hands. When a thought or opinion comes to mind that we...