The other morning I had a dream about being robbed. I placed my purse with all its treasures on a store counter. In the brief moment that I looked away, the purse disappeared. With the help of a store clerk, we searched hoping that at least some of the contents as well as the purse would have been quickly discarded. Nothing was found. In the dream, I used reasoning power. I told myself that I was in a dream and there was no cause for concern. When I awakened, the message was clearly understood. If any of us desire to live in peace and harmony, we must pay attention at all times not only to what is going on in our own mind but all activity that surrounds us. Living in a dream becomes a false reality when we are not alert to our own spiritual identity and purpose in living. When we temporarily forget the answers to both questions, we lose important aspects of who we really are. Identity theft occurs because we are negligent and forgetful. To be aware at all times is to be truly alive. We are less prone to mishaps and imbalances if we keep our focus.
Identity theft occurs when we do not know who we really are. This is a serious problem for millions of souls. We have to understand this question before we can answer it. We educate ourselves about how to use the Internet as an example, how to take care of mechanical things, how to care for our bodies and everything imaginable. What about answering the bigger questions instead of being philosophically illiterate? It takes courage to confront what appears as a mystery. A good start is to study sages, true philosophers, who have applied and tested their knowledge in daily life. Another tool is acute self-inspection. With self-inspection and firsthand experience with the inner intuitive voice, an inner authority will eventually surface. The authority is not merely abstract but very practical. What people simply do not get is that they will never transform themselves by accumulating only head knowledge. It will broaden the point of view but the underneath remains the same.
If we begin to understand the drama we are living and can seriously answer the questions, Why am I here? or What am I to do here? - we are less apt to experience identity theft when we know the answers. Why is that? We begin to honor who we are and pay close attention to what is happening within and without. Most people crave understanding but understanding will not happen if we keep looking outside of self. Lack of understanding, which is in my opinion, soul ignorance, generates illusions, attachments and therefore suffering. Ignorance is a sickness of the heart and mind and is accompanied by attachment. We must awaken the god in the soul. We have been given many ways as to how to awaken the sleeping soul. The unfolding of our spiritual nature is as much an exact science as astronomy, medicine or law. It is not a haphazard journey based on a particular faith. It is a sacred science focused on the subject of true identity. The most priceless secret is true understanding. All other things are impermanent. Understanding endures.
Before we can permanently hold on to our true identity, ignorance must be removed. The following are some of the traps that rob the soul of its fullness.
1, When we deny the Light of God, we invite the darkness of ignorance.
2, Refusing to develop a clear understanding of who we are and our purpose creates unbalance and confusion.
3, Jealousy and greed are lethal.
4, To allow enslavement of the body and mind through abuse and harmful habits are denial of the soul.
5, Thinking that intellectual knowledge, books and pretence constitute real power indicates that you have not yet awakened to inner wisdom.
6, Taking upon yourself the task of leading others when you lack pure intention is teaching with deceit.
There are many traps that must be removed to be totally free of falsity and pretense. If you really want your identity back, erase the false designs that you have created and replace them with a higher design. Peace, certainty and victory are established when we awaken to the fact that we already are what we seek. It is up to us to bring the evidence out into the open. Our real identity is secured when we daily accept and live who we really are. No one or no thing can steal this inner nature from us.
Compared to my business partner's six year nightmare "only" maybe appropriate but like most victims of identity theft, he probably thought "when". As in, "when will I get my life back?"
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a consumer nonprofit organization, reported that victims spend on average 175 hours trying to recover their identity, often over a period of years. Factor in out of pocket expenses, (usually over $1,500 according to the FTC) and recovery gets painfully magnified.
What are the steps to identity restoration? It starts with obtaining a police report. That report doesn't mean other law enforcement agencies have been contacted. Yet you must do a complete search of local and federal law enforcement databases too find out if anything else, including criminal activity exists on your identity.
You're also going to need the police report to contact the many and I mean many different agencies and organizations, including the Social Security Administration, The Federal Trade Commission, all of your financial institutions, the 3 major credit bureaus, the Passport Office,The Department of Motor Vehicles, the Post Office, as well as the Medical Information Bureau . All of these places must be sent a fraud notification alert. Concerning your financial institutions, get them to cancel your credit cards and close your bank accounts. Find out from your bank about any suspicious activity, such as accounts tampered with or opened fraudulently. Reopen new bank accounts with password verification.
Know your rights. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1992, you must be told not only what's in your file but if that information is being used against you. The Federal Trade Commission recently expanded the rights available to victims of identity theft, including your right to get negative information due to fraud blocked from your records.
This brings us to the credit bureaus. Make sure your credit report reflects the identity theft and gets flagged with a fraud alert. Many victims have received assurances that the matter would be resolved, however months and sometimes years later, the credit bureaus have not cleared their records. This without a doubt ranks as THE biggest headache for identity theft victims.
Once a negative gets put on your record, it seems the credit bureaus refuse to remove it, in spite of the countless documentation you provide to them. This can affect you well into the future when buying a house, car or any other big ticket item. If you are going to do this by yourself, constant follow up is critical. That goes for all the organizations but especially the credit bureaus. Be diligent until the matter gets resolved. Getting a lawyer wouldn't be a bad idea.
Stay Away from "credit repair companies". No matter what they advertise, there's usually nothing they can do to help you with identity theft. Some of them even offer to help you apply for credit under a new identity. Hello? When trying to eliminate fraud from your record you don't want to create more fraud!
Advise the utility companies. It's not just bank accounts and credit cards. Many identity thieves commit fraud by opening telephone accounts, purchasing cable television or establishing credit with the gas & electric companies, in the hopes it will go unnoticed for as long as possible.
If necessary get counseling. Identity theft can be a shattering experience mentally and emotionally. Victims and family members often feel violated. It's not their fault of course but the feelings remain. A network of support groups and counselors exists if you need it.
The road back from identity theft can take years, cost a lot of money,and cause much stress and pain . But with follow up, support and belief that the nightmare will end...the nightmare WILL end.
Both Shirlee Hall & Daryl Campbell are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.