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Identity Theft: Stealing Lives 如何防范身分窃盗

課文朗讀

課文中英文講解

 繁體中文譯本

When people hear the sum U.S. $57 billion, the first thing they might think is, “Wow, that’s a lot of money!” That’s the amount consumers in the U.S. lost because of identity theft in 2005. It is the latest crime, and is made much easier by the free flow of information on the internet.

当人们听到570亿美元这个数目时，首先想到的可能就是：「哇，好大一笔钱！」此为2005年全美国的消费者因身分遭窃所损失的金钱。这是最新型的犯罪，而网络上信息的自由流通使得这种犯罪更加容易。

Unlike a sum of money or an object, when thieves steal someone’s identity, the damage can be catastrophic. A theft can literally act as if he were you, and take out bank loans and obtain credit cards in your name. At the end of his shopping spree, you are the one who is suddenly faced with the bill.

不同于遗失金钱或物品，身分遭窃可能造成无比的伤害。窃贼可以冒充是你本人，以你的名义向银行贷款或申请信用卡。在他尽情挥霍之后，你却是那突然间要面对账单的人。

So what can you do about the problem? To start with, never give out personal or financial information when you use email or instant messages. There are many scams where thieves send emails asking for information, and they often look legitimate.

对于这个问题，你该怎么办呢？首先，使用电子邮件或即时消息时，千万别公开个人或金融方面的信息。许多诈骗案件都是窃贼寄发电子邮件询问信息，而且通常看似合法正当。

Transactions done online are usually safe, but make sure you are doing business with a website you can trust. The address should begin with “https,” with the “s” meaning “secure.” And before giving any information, make sure you look for the Secure Socket icon on your browser. This looks like a little padlock, and it lets you know you have a secure connection.

网络交易通常是安全的，但必须确定你所交易的网站是可以信赖的。这种网站的网址必须是以「https」开头，「s」即表示安全。而在给予任何信息前，确认浏览器底端有一个在线安全交易加密的图样，看起来像一个小挂锁，让你知道你的连线是安全的。

Vocabulary

theft [θɛft] n. 偷窃，盗窃

scam [ˋskæm] n.【俚】骗局﹐诡计﹐欺诈

legitimate [lɪˋdʒɪtəmɪt] adj. 合法的

transaction [trænˋzækʃən] n. 交易

secure [sɪˋkjʊr] adj. 安全的

More Information

sum [sʌm] n. 总数，总和

catastrophic [͵kætəˋstrɑfɪk] adj. 灾难的

obtain [əbˋten] v. 得到，获得

spree [spri] n. 无节制的狂热行为

financial [faɪˋnænʃəl] adj. 财务的,金融的

padlock [ˋpæd͵lɑk] n. 挂锁

connection [kəˋnɛkʃən] n. 连线

課文中英文講解

Most personal information that ends up being stolen wasn’t given away online, though. Thieves go to mailboxes and steal checks, credit card statements, and other correspondence that may hold personal information. The first step, therefore, is to make sure your mailbox is physically locked.

然而，多数遭窃的个人信息并非从网络上流出。窃贼会偷取信箱内的支票、信用卡账单，或其他可能包含个人信息的信件。因此，第一步就是要确定你的信箱是上好锁的。

Another way thieves get information is by sifting through garbage, looking for bills or credit card statements. Avoid throwing away papers with personal information on them. This means bank statements, forms that contain your National Identification Number, or even credit card statements. If you must discard them, make sure to cut them into small pieces first.

窃贼盗取信息的另一个方式是翻找垃圾，找寻账单或信用卡消费明细。因此，避免丢弃记载个人资料的纸张，如银行对账单、填有身分证字号的表格，甚至是信用卡账单。如果一定得丢弃这些东西，记住先将它们撕成小碎片。

Of course, in your home there will always be plenty of personal information available. Make it hard for a person who has broken into your home to find that information. Use a hidden safe, or at least one that is securely bolted to the floor. This will likely keep your information safe.

当然，家中总是有许多唾手可得的个人资料、别让闯进你家里的人轻易发现这些资料。使用隐藏式保险箱，或至少是牢牢固定在地上的保险箱，如此较能保全你的信息。

Finally, always keep a close eye on your finances. If you see a charge you didn’t make, or notice something unusual, contact your bank or credit card company immediately. If you have had your identity stolen, gather up all your papers and let the authorities know right away. The sooner they know a crime has been committed, the faster you’ll be able to clear your name.

最后，一定要随时注意你的财务状况。若你发现有你没有从事的消费，或任何异常之处，立刻联络银行或信用卡公司。如果身分遭窃，就收集好所有文件，立即通知相关单位；他们愈早知悉犯罪情事，你就可以愈快获得清白。

−by Joseph Schier

Vocabulary

correspondence [͵kɔrəˋspɑndəns] n.（总称）信件

sift through [sɪft] v. 详查，细究[（+through）]

discard [dɪsˋkɑrd] v. 抛弃，摒弃，丢弃

bolt [bolt] v. 将……用螺栓拴紧; 闩上

More Information

end up 结果成为, 最终成为

statement [ˋstetmənt] n.（银行等的）报告单，结单

plenty of 大量的

break into 闯入; 强行进入某处;

safe [sef] n. 保险箱

keep an eye on 照看；注意

authority [əˋθɔrətɪ] n. 管理机构

commit [kəˋmɪt] v. 犯（罪）

clear [klɪr] v.洗刷（某人）的嫌疑

Reading Questions

1. What do thieves do in email scams?

A. They send emails that look trustworthy to get your personal information.

B. They cause catastrophic damage to everyone who gets an email from them.

C. They get your financial information from your bank.

D. They steal information over secure connections.

2. According to this article, which of the following statement is NOT true?

A. Most personal information is not actually stolen online.

B. Thieves who steal your identity can get credit cards in your name.

C. You should never keep personal information in your home.

D. You should never give out personal information in emails or instant messages.

3. Which of the following is mentioned as a way to keep your personal information safe?

A. You should get a safety deposit box at a bank to store the information.

B. You should only do transactions online when you know you have a secure connection.

C. You should contact your bank whenever you notice a change in your account information.

D. You should stop using credit cards and always use cash instead.

4. What can be inferred from this article?

A. That the problem with identity theft is only going to get much worse.

B. That email scams are probably the most damaging cases of identity theft.

C. That most banks are not very helpful when people have had their identity stolen.

D. That protection against identity theft will take active involvement on your part.

Answer