Identity Theft (excerpt)
A short informational film I shot, directed and edited in January 2005 for the Elder Consumer Protection Project, funded in part by the Administration on Aging.
Phone Scams and Identity Theft Protection
The crime that is synonymous with the 21st century is identity theft. Therefore, it is very important that you engage in a program or reliable and comprehensive identity theft protection. Through this article you are provided with specific information about identity theft protection and phone scams. Armed with this information you will be in the best position to better protect yourself against one of the more common ways in which your identity can be stolen.
One of the common tools that people use in order to commit identity theft is the telephone. Through the years, the telephone has been used to facilitate a considerable number of different types of criminal schemes and enterprises.
There are a number of different telephone based identity theft schemes that you need to be on guard for when it comes to your overall efforts at identity theft protection. One common scheme involves an identity thief calling you under the guise of raising money for a reputable and bona fide charity. These individuals have become very adept at making a strong pitch for money for the support of this alleged charity. In short, these individuals can be very convincing.
The identity theft protection plan that you will want to implement in such a situation is to advice the caller that you might be interested in making a donation to the charity in question but you want to do some more homework initially. In this day and age you simply cannot agree to blindly make such a donation over the phone. The odds are great that you will become the victim of identity theft by doing so.
Another scheme that you need to be on guard of when it comes to identity theft by phone involves a caller pretending to be from your bank, credit card company or some other financial institution. These callers likely will tell you that it is necessary to update your account information. As part of your identity theft protection efforts, you must never provide any information in response to such a call. What you need to do is contact your bank, credit card company or other financial institution directly to see if there is a need to update your account information.
There are other phone based identity theft schemes in use today – and new ones are arising all the time. However, through a identity theft protection plan like the one described in this article, you will be in the best possible position to protect yourself against this type of identity theft.
By: Bernard Pragides
About the Author:
One of the common tools that people use in order to commit identity theft is the telephone. Through the years, the telephone has been used to facilitate a considerable number of different types of criminal schemes and enterprises.
There are a number of different telephone based identity theft schemes that you need to be on guard for when it comes to your overall efforts at identity theft protection. One common scheme involves an identity thief calling you under the guise of raising money for a reputable and bona fide charity. These individuals have become very adept at making a strong pitch for money for the support of this alleged charity. In short, these individuals can be very convincing.
The identity theft protection plan that you will want to implement in such a situation is to advice the caller that you might be interested in making a donation to the charity in question but you want to do some more homework initially. In this day and age you simply cannot agree to blindly make such a donation over the phone. The odds are great that you will become the victim of identity theft by doing so.
Another scheme that you need to be on guard of when it comes to identity theft by phone involves a caller pretending to be from your bank, credit card company or some other financial institution. These callers likely will tell you that it is necessary to update your account information. As part of your identity theft protection efforts, you must never provide any information in response to such a call. What you need to do is contact your bank, credit card company or other financial institution directly to see if there is a need to update your account information.
There are other phone based identity theft schemes in use today – and new ones are arising all the time. However, through a identity theft protection plan like the one described in this article, you will be in the best possible position to protect yourself against this type of identity theft.
By: Bernard Pragides
About the Author:
Author and internet entrepreneur Bernard Pragides offers expert advice and tips regarding identity theft. Learn more about identity theft and fraud by visiting his identity theft blog at http://www.LifeLockBlog.com.
Posted on 21 February '10 by admin, under Identity Scams, Identity Theft Prevention, Identity Theft Protection, Lifelock. No Comments.
Protect Your Identity This Holiday Season
With the holiday spending season fast approaching, it’s crucial that you understand the dangers of identity theft. Though many of the methods thieves use to steal identities are out of our control, there are many measures you can take to protect yourself from the threats identity thieves pose.
Protect Your Credit Card Number From Prying Eyes
When making purchases with your credit or debit card, make sure that only the last 4 digits of your card number are shown on the receipt. The first 12 digits should be unknown, and are usually replaced by Xs. If they aren’t, by law you are permitted to mark out the first 12 digits on the merchants copy with a pen.
It is especially important that you check your credit card receipt at restaurants. Don’t leave the restaurant’s copy on the table after your meal if all 16 digits are shown. It’s best to cross out the first 12 digits and personally hand the receipt to the wait staff. Otherwise, you risk an identity thief walking away with your name, account number, and quite possibly your card’s expiration date.
Only Use Your Social Security Number When Absolutely Necessary.
Though it is necessary to use your social security number when applying for credit or opening a bank account, it isn’t always necessary that you use it in other circumstances. Although not that common nowadays, some stores and organizations may want to use your SSN as an ID number within their system. Though this practice is discouraged by law, you will still run across it from time to time. In these situations it is best to use your judgment. If for any reason you feel uncomfortable, there is usually an alternative available if you ask.
Your Trash is Treasure to an Identity Thief
The most important investment you can make in protecting your identity is a good paper shredder. Identity thieves won’t think twice about going through your trash in order to find sensitive personal information that will help them obtain credit in your name. Shred anything and everything that has personal information, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, etc. Do it at home. Do it at work.
The holiday season is a time for us to enjoy shopping for our friends and family. With every swipe of our credit cards, however, it is imperative that we protect our financial futures from the dangerous threats identity thieves pose.
By: Cat Tobin
About the Author:
Protect Your Credit Card Number From Prying Eyes
When making purchases with your credit or debit card, make sure that only the last 4 digits of your card number are shown on the receipt. The first 12 digits should be unknown, and are usually replaced by Xs. If they aren’t, by law you are permitted to mark out the first 12 digits on the merchants copy with a pen.
It is especially important that you check your credit card receipt at restaurants. Don’t leave the restaurant’s copy on the table after your meal if all 16 digits are shown. It’s best to cross out the first 12 digits and personally hand the receipt to the wait staff. Otherwise, you risk an identity thief walking away with your name, account number, and quite possibly your card’s expiration date.
Only Use Your Social Security Number When Absolutely Necessary.
Though it is necessary to use your social security number when applying for credit or opening a bank account, it isn’t always necessary that you use it in other circumstances. Although not that common nowadays, some stores and organizations may want to use your SSN as an ID number within their system. Though this practice is discouraged by law, you will still run across it from time to time. In these situations it is best to use your judgment. If for any reason you feel uncomfortable, there is usually an alternative available if you ask.
Your Trash is Treasure to an Identity Thief
The most important investment you can make in protecting your identity is a good paper shredder. Identity thieves won’t think twice about going through your trash in order to find sensitive personal information that will help them obtain credit in your name. Shred anything and everything that has personal information, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, etc. Do it at home. Do it at work.
The holiday season is a time for us to enjoy shopping for our friends and family. With every swipe of our credit cards, however, it is imperative that we protect our financial futures from the dangerous threats identity thieves pose.
By: Cat Tobin
About the Author:
You Could Be A Victim of Identity Theft!
Learn the Dangers of Identity Theft & How to Protect Yourself: www.tobinfo.com
Learn the Dangers of Identity Theft & How to Protect Yourself: www.tobinfo.com
Posted on 15 February '10 by admin, under Identity Theft, Identity Theft Prevention, Identity Theft Protection, Lifelock. No Comments.
Articles Concerning Identity Theft
Identity theft is when someone else assumes your personal information and poses as you. Therefore it’s not only just a question of stealing credit card numbers. There are several ways and places where your personal information can be stolen by the identity thieves.
There are four different categories of identity theft; they include business or commercial identity theft, identity cloning, criminal identity theft, and financial identity theft.
People use identity theft for different reasons. There are those who can use identity theft to blackmail someone, use it for terrorist activities, or illegal immigration. Identity cloning is mostly used for online credit card processing. Those who use identity theft for non financial purposes could use them to get attention for the victim’s achievement, which is also referred to as media identity theft.
Financial identity theft is mostly used for bank fraud whereby the identity thief is able to impersonate someone else and manage to obtain a loan from a financial institution by presenting all the accurate information of the victim to the bank, especially if the transaction is carried out online.
This type of crime is referred to as non-self-revealing and it’s quite common since the perpetrator doesn’t have to show his face. However, if the funds are released, the authorities can still be able to track down the criminal. Once the money is given, the financial institution is never paid back whereas the criminal keeps the money while the victim is accused of defaulting on a loan that was never authorized by the victim.
In cases of identity concealment and cloning, the criminal impersonates the victim by acquiring the victim’s personal identifiers for the sole reason of concealing himself from the authorities. This is mostly done by people working in foreign countries, a person who wants to avoid arrest or someone who wants to avoid other individuals or creditors.
This kind of identity theft crime is known to go on for a long period of time, and the perpetrator may go on to obtain fraudulent IDs that go as far as making the criminal more authentic .
Most of these criminals get the personal identifiers of their victims from dumpster diving, shoulder surfing, smart cards, or by infiltration of organizations that keep large amounts of personal information. Even social online network services that happen to expose the personal details of users can be an easy target for identity thieves.
When there is a serious breach of privacy, the possibility of a criminal getting your personal identifiers becomes much easier. As much as some of the personal identifiers are got through burglary or theft, the best strategy for potential victims is to protect themselves from such thieves by whatever means possible by ensuring that their personal information is safe and secure at all times. ?
By: Bill Protresi
About the Author:
There are four different categories of identity theft; they include business or commercial identity theft, identity cloning, criminal identity theft, and financial identity theft.
People use identity theft for different reasons. There are those who can use identity theft to blackmail someone, use it for terrorist activities, or illegal immigration. Identity cloning is mostly used for online credit card processing. Those who use identity theft for non financial purposes could use them to get attention for the victim’s achievement, which is also referred to as media identity theft.
Financial identity theft is mostly used for bank fraud whereby the identity thief is able to impersonate someone else and manage to obtain a loan from a financial institution by presenting all the accurate information of the victim to the bank, especially if the transaction is carried out online.
This type of crime is referred to as non-self-revealing and it’s quite common since the perpetrator doesn’t have to show his face. However, if the funds are released, the authorities can still be able to track down the criminal. Once the money is given, the financial institution is never paid back whereas the criminal keeps the money while the victim is accused of defaulting on a loan that was never authorized by the victim.
In cases of identity concealment and cloning, the criminal impersonates the victim by acquiring the victim’s personal identifiers for the sole reason of concealing himself from the authorities. This is mostly done by people working in foreign countries, a person who wants to avoid arrest or someone who wants to avoid other individuals or creditors.
This kind of identity theft crime is known to go on for a long period of time, and the perpetrator may go on to obtain fraudulent IDs that go as far as making the criminal more authentic .
Most of these criminals get the personal identifiers of their victims from dumpster diving, shoulder surfing, smart cards, or by infiltration of organizations that keep large amounts of personal information. Even social online network services that happen to expose the personal details of users can be an easy target for identity thieves.
When there is a serious breach of privacy, the possibility of a criminal getting your personal identifiers becomes much easier. As much as some of the personal identifiers are got through burglary or theft, the best strategy for potential victims is to protect themselves from such thieves by whatever means possible by ensuring that their personal information is safe and secure at all times. ?
By: Bill Protresi
About the Author:
Bill Protresi is an online providing tips and advice. Visit Bill at Articles Concerning Identity Theft.
Posted on 24 December '09 by admin, under Identity Theft, Identity Theft Protection, Lifelock. No Comments.
Identity Theft Protection: Key Tips
Identity theft is a serious crime and it can lead to devastating results in thousands of people. There have been several cases of persons committing suicide because his identity was stolen. Relationships, plans, and dreams are destroyed because of identity theft. This is why the government is taking steps in addressing the rising problem of identity theft. However, it seems that these cyber-thieves are very talented. They are difficult to catch. This is why it is up to the individual to take measures to protect against identity theft. Here are the key tips that every individual must keep in mind.
Keep the social security card in a secret and secure place. This means that an individual should never place his social security card in his wallet. This card might be as good as the driver’s license but it contain one extremely sensitive information, which is the nine-digit social security number (SSN) that identifies a person and unlocks bank and credit information. Thus, leave that card out of the wallet. In connection with the idea of protecting the SSN, an individual should never tell it to strangers and should never reveal it in an online form.
Shred any document or paper that contains important information. An individual will regularly receive mail and documents that contain important information about his person, such as bank account number and credit card account number. These documents must be shredded, as opposed to simply throwing them in the garbage can. Identity thieves have been known to go through trashcans to retrieve the said information.
Think first before you click. Identity thieves who use the internet have learned to copy websites and use these websites to steal information. Such websites are called phishing websites. For example, the identity thief or scam artist will copy the website of a bank. A client of this bank, who absentmindedly logs into the online banking site, will be facing a webpage that asks for information. This webpage would explain that it is updating information about the bank’s clients. And the gullible client may simply fill out the form and click the “OK” or “SEND” button.
Before clicking the button or sending vital information in the internet, an individual must first check the URL (Universal Resource Locator) of the webpage that he is facing and determine if it is authentic. For example, the authentic website for eBay is http:ebay.com and the fake one is https:ebay.com. There is a one-letter difference. This does not mean that the “https” indicate a phony website. In fact, the additional s is desirable when entering personal information. This letter s, along with a symbol of a lock at the bottom screen, indicates that the website is secure.
And lastly, always check the details, especially the details on the bank account statement and the credit card bill. Some people, upon receiving the credit card bill, postpone the opening of the envelope because they don’t want to see how much they must pay before a specified due date. This habit can be damaging because these people do not immediately know if there have been unauthorized use of the credit card.
By: Puripong Koomsin
About the Author:
Keep the social security card in a secret and secure place. This means that an individual should never place his social security card in his wallet. This card might be as good as the driver’s license but it contain one extremely sensitive information, which is the nine-digit social security number (SSN) that identifies a person and unlocks bank and credit information. Thus, leave that card out of the wallet. In connection with the idea of protecting the SSN, an individual should never tell it to strangers and should never reveal it in an online form.
Shred any document or paper that contains important information. An individual will regularly receive mail and documents that contain important information about his person, such as bank account number and credit card account number. These documents must be shredded, as opposed to simply throwing them in the garbage can. Identity thieves have been known to go through trashcans to retrieve the said information.
Think first before you click. Identity thieves who use the internet have learned to copy websites and use these websites to steal information. Such websites are called phishing websites. For example, the identity thief or scam artist will copy the website of a bank. A client of this bank, who absentmindedly logs into the online banking site, will be facing a webpage that asks for information. This webpage would explain that it is updating information about the bank’s clients. And the gullible client may simply fill out the form and click the “OK” or “SEND” button.
Before clicking the button or sending vital information in the internet, an individual must first check the URL (Universal Resource Locator) of the webpage that he is facing and determine if it is authentic. For example, the authentic website for eBay is http:ebay.com and the fake one is https:ebay.com. There is a one-letter difference. This does not mean that the “https” indicate a phony website. In fact, the additional s is desirable when entering personal information. This letter s, along with a symbol of a lock at the bottom screen, indicates that the website is secure.
And lastly, always check the details, especially the details on the bank account statement and the credit card bill. Some people, upon receiving the credit card bill, postpone the opening of the envelope because they don’t want to see how much they must pay before a specified due date. This habit can be damaging because these people do not immediately know if there have been unauthorized use of the credit card.
By: Puripong Koomsin
About the Author:
If you enjoy reading this, you may enjoy to read more about Lifelock Reviews or get Lifelock Promotion Code and save 17.5%. Read more about Lifelock here.
Posted on 8 December '09 by admin, under Identity Theft, Identity Theft Knowledge Base, Identity Theft Protection, Lifelock. No Comments.
What You Should Know About Identity Theft Arrests
There is much that you should know about identity theft arrests, and in particular, you are going to want to know that identity theft arrests happen when an identity thief is caught, and proven to be guilty. Identity theft is one of the most serious issues out there these days, and that is primarily due to the fact of how technologically advanced the world is today.
More About Identity Theft Arrests
Identity theft arrests take place all the time, and mainly this is because so many people here today have dozens of credit cards and use computers at least once a day, and this is because then these people end up putting their personal information out more than they should, thus allowing identity thieves to more easily be able to steal the information and thus steal identities.
Identity theft arrests are in fact one of the most common types of arrests of all, and this just goes to show how important it is to be as protected against it as you can be. There are so many different steps that you can take in order to make yourself protected, and so the first thing that you are going to want to do is make sure that you only carry around with you what you really need to.
As well, if you ever do lose any of your identification, then you want to make sure that you report it right away, so that you can notify the correct people and so that if someone does end up finding it and using it that you will be able to know as soon as possible. So many cases of identity theft happen each and every day, and so you want to make sure that you are not just another victim.
When you are using the Internet, you want to make sure that you only give out your credit card numbers onto sites that are privacy protected, and this means that you will see a picture of a secured lock somewhere – usually at the bottom – of the homepage. If you want to make extra sure, then you can go through the Better Business Bureau, which is a business that allows you to see whether or not a company is legit, as well as how long they have been in business, and so on.
You can find out everything that you need to about a company this way, and so you definitely are going to want to make sure that you do this before giving out your personal information on a site like this.
By: Ann Marier
About the Author:
More About Identity Theft Arrests
Identity theft arrests take place all the time, and mainly this is because so many people here today have dozens of credit cards and use computers at least once a day, and this is because then these people end up putting their personal information out more than they should, thus allowing identity thieves to more easily be able to steal the information and thus steal identities.
Identity theft arrests are in fact one of the most common types of arrests of all, and this just goes to show how important it is to be as protected against it as you can be. There are so many different steps that you can take in order to make yourself protected, and so the first thing that you are going to want to do is make sure that you only carry around with you what you really need to.
As well, if you ever do lose any of your identification, then you want to make sure that you report it right away, so that you can notify the correct people and so that if someone does end up finding it and using it that you will be able to know as soon as possible. So many cases of identity theft happen each and every day, and so you want to make sure that you are not just another victim.
When you are using the Internet, you want to make sure that you only give out your credit card numbers onto sites that are privacy protected, and this means that you will see a picture of a secured lock somewhere – usually at the bottom – of the homepage. If you want to make extra sure, then you can go through the Better Business Bureau, which is a business that allows you to see whether or not a company is legit, as well as how long they have been in business, and so on.
You can find out everything that you need to about a company this way, and so you definitely are going to want to make sure that you do this before giving out your personal information on a site like this.
By: Ann Marier
About the Author:
Ann Merier has written many articles on family health problems and useful house and garden Topics.
More How To Prevent Identity Theft articles
More How To Prevent Identity Theft articles
Posted on 3 December '09 by admin, under Identity Theft, Identity Theft Prevention, Identity Theft Protection, Lifelock. No Comments.
Teenagers/social Networking Sites and Identity Theft
We have written this article for all the Teenagers, and your moms and dads.
Millions upon millions of teenagers are using the Social Networking Sites to chat with friends and meet new friends. The majority of people online are probably ok, but the law of averages demands that some are not. Some people are, quite frankly, stalkers and identity thieves. Those of you looking for a relationship may be the most vulnerable for a stalker. The identity thief and the person who wants to do you physical harm intentionally hunts for people who are open, trusting and looking for a relationship. They will put the time and effort into gaining your trust and finding out everything about your identity. Protect your identity. You must think before posting something on your blog.
If you post photo’s that show adult content and text about engaging in mature conduct you may very well be inviting people who want to harm you and identity thieves. Please be discreet and use good judgment. If you wouldn’t want your mom or dad to see it, then don’t post it. Never make your full name public and even your first name is may be a mistake. Instead, you could use a nickname. By doing this, no one will know who you really are, unless you want them to. Identity thieves are also online when you are, looking for those who post their address, phone number, driver license number, Social Security number, student ID number, and date of birth and the town you live in.
The identity thieves have the knowledge and skill to figure out a Social Security number when they have your year of birth and town you were born in. It would be fine to post the year you were born or your age, but when the thief or stalker combines this info with where you were born, they have the ability to figure out your SSN.
When meeting new people online you must never give your personal information to anybody. Just know that 15% of all identity theft is committed by a family member or real good friend who the victim thought they could trust. As far as I can tell, most teenagers join the social sites so they can meet someone new. Most of the time the new people you meet, are fun and decent. But the problem is that the identity thieves and stalkers have joined the same site as you and they are hunting.
If you do decide to meet someone in person, meet them somewhere public, like a mall or a restaurant with good parking and lots of lighting. A coffee shop is a good place to meet. Why not ask one your friends to go with you so you’re not alone? Protect your identity and don’t tell the new person where you live and meet somewhere that is at least ten miles from your home. When it is time to leave, walk to your car by yourself because they may write down your license number or follow you home when they see the kind of car you drive. Don’t go to their house until you really know them and when meeting someone new let your parents know where you are going and when you’re coming home.
Don’t worry about hurting anybody’s feelings if you don’t want to meet, just politely tell them your not interested and remember that these identity thieves and stalkers are quite good at their trade and they know how to sound sincere. If you are having a party please be careful about inviting new people. Your new friend may be ok but he may bring friends who are creeps and they are coming over only to steal items or look around the house for items and entry points so they can break in later. Always meet new people somewhere other than your place and trust your inner feelings (gut).
By: Randy Vezina
About the Author:
Millions upon millions of teenagers are using the Social Networking Sites to chat with friends and meet new friends. The majority of people online are probably ok, but the law of averages demands that some are not. Some people are, quite frankly, stalkers and identity thieves. Those of you looking for a relationship may be the most vulnerable for a stalker. The identity thief and the person who wants to do you physical harm intentionally hunts for people who are open, trusting and looking for a relationship. They will put the time and effort into gaining your trust and finding out everything about your identity. Protect your identity. You must think before posting something on your blog.
If you post photo’s that show adult content and text about engaging in mature conduct you may very well be inviting people who want to harm you and identity thieves. Please be discreet and use good judgment. If you wouldn’t want your mom or dad to see it, then don’t post it. Never make your full name public and even your first name is may be a mistake. Instead, you could use a nickname. By doing this, no one will know who you really are, unless you want them to. Identity thieves are also online when you are, looking for those who post their address, phone number, driver license number, Social Security number, student ID number, and date of birth and the town you live in.
The identity thieves have the knowledge and skill to figure out a Social Security number when they have your year of birth and town you were born in. It would be fine to post the year you were born or your age, but when the thief or stalker combines this info with where you were born, they have the ability to figure out your SSN.
When meeting new people online you must never give your personal information to anybody. Just know that 15% of all identity theft is committed by a family member or real good friend who the victim thought they could trust. As far as I can tell, most teenagers join the social sites so they can meet someone new. Most of the time the new people you meet, are fun and decent. But the problem is that the identity thieves and stalkers have joined the same site as you and they are hunting.
If you do decide to meet someone in person, meet them somewhere public, like a mall or a restaurant with good parking and lots of lighting. A coffee shop is a good place to meet. Why not ask one your friends to go with you so you’re not alone? Protect your identity and don’t tell the new person where you live and meet somewhere that is at least ten miles from your home. When it is time to leave, walk to your car by yourself because they may write down your license number or follow you home when they see the kind of car you drive. Don’t go to their house until you really know them and when meeting someone new let your parents know where you are going and when you’re coming home.
Don’t worry about hurting anybody’s feelings if you don’t want to meet, just politely tell them your not interested and remember that these identity thieves and stalkers are quite good at their trade and they know how to sound sincere. If you are having a party please be careful about inviting new people. Your new friend may be ok but he may bring friends who are creeps and they are coming over only to steal items or look around the house for items and entry points so they can break in later. Always meet new people somewhere other than your place and trust your inner feelings (gut).
By: Randy Vezina
About the Author:
Mr. Randy is the owner of Integrity Upfront, the aim of Intigrity Upfront is to educate the people of North America about the identity theft and its protection. While the LifeLock is the industry leader in the rapidly growing field of Identity Theft Protection, based in Tempe, Arizona. Company is led by experienced and successful entrepreneurs and industry experts and are backed by Bessemer Venture Partners, one of the leading venture capital firms in the world. They serve tens of thousands of consumers in every state of the union, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
Posted on 3 December '09 by admin, under Identity Theft, Identity Theft Prevention, Identity Theft Protection, online identity theft. No Comments.
Fraud Alerts and Identity Theft: is This Enough?
Note: You have a one in ten chance of becoming the victim of identity theft this year. With this in mind, you need to make sure that you take all reasonable steps available to you to protect yourself from becoming the victim of identity theft. With this in mind, if you have detected that you may have become the victim of identity theft, one of the initial steps that you will want to take in response is to put a fraud alert on your credit reports. You will want to contact the three major credit reporting agencies and have them flag your accounts with these fraud alerts.
Fraud alerts do serve a very helpful purpose when it comes to protecting you from become a victim of identity theft or becoming re-victimized by an identity theft. When you ask the credit reporting agencies to place a fraud alert on your credit reports, when an attempt is made by an identity thief to open up new credit accounts in your name, the financial institution from which the credit or loan is being sought will see the credit alert and will proceed accordingly. For example, rather than issue a new credit card to the identity thief in your name, the financial institution will put the whole process on hold until the time that it can confirm that it really is you who is seeking this extension of credit – in this case, a credit card.
Despite the definite importance of fraud alerts, these alerts simply are not enough to clean up after you have become the victim of identity theft or to protect you from becoming the victim of identity theft in the future. Fraud alerts are one weapon in your arsenal that can be a part of your overall effort at responding to and preventing identity theft.
For example, if you have been the victim of identity theft, in addition to seeking and obtaining fraud alerts you absolutely must also file an appropriate police report. Moreover, you must notify each and every financial or similar type of institution or business through which you have an account. You need to make these types of individual notifications in the aftermath of becoming the victim of identity theft.
If you have not been the victim of identity theft per se, fraud alerts also represent one line of defense that can be helpful to you. But, you must maintain a vigilant and comprehensive approach to doing everything possible to protect your identity.
By: Bernard Pragides
About the Author:
Fraud alerts do serve a very helpful purpose when it comes to protecting you from become a victim of identity theft or becoming re-victimized by an identity theft. When you ask the credit reporting agencies to place a fraud alert on your credit reports, when an attempt is made by an identity thief to open up new credit accounts in your name, the financial institution from which the credit or loan is being sought will see the credit alert and will proceed accordingly. For example, rather than issue a new credit card to the identity thief in your name, the financial institution will put the whole process on hold until the time that it can confirm that it really is you who is seeking this extension of credit – in this case, a credit card.
Despite the definite importance of fraud alerts, these alerts simply are not enough to clean up after you have become the victim of identity theft or to protect you from becoming the victim of identity theft in the future. Fraud alerts are one weapon in your arsenal that can be a part of your overall effort at responding to and preventing identity theft.
For example, if you have been the victim of identity theft, in addition to seeking and obtaining fraud alerts you absolutely must also file an appropriate police report. Moreover, you must notify each and every financial or similar type of institution or business through which you have an account. You need to make these types of individual notifications in the aftermath of becoming the victim of identity theft.
If you have not been the victim of identity theft per se, fraud alerts also represent one line of defense that can be helpful to you. But, you must maintain a vigilant and comprehensive approach to doing everything possible to protect your identity.
By: Bernard Pragides
About the Author:
Author and internet entrepreneur Bernard Pragides offers expert advice and tips regarding identity theft. Learn more about identity theft and fraud by visiting his Identity theft protection resource site at http://www.IdentityTheftProtection.org
Posted on 21 October '09 by admin, under Identity Theft Knowledge Base. No Comments.
Identity Theft – Key Ways to Help yourself and Avoid Becoming the Next Victim
Have you ever shopped online and felt hesitant about submitting your personal and credit card information? Well you should be. Every couple of seconds another person falls victim to identity theft. These days, more and more focus is placed on secure online transactions, but at the same time, the criminal element is also focusing on ways to steal your identity. Find out what you can do yourself to better protect against identity theft.
Protect personal and financial documents
If you are going to keep any personal or financial documents, it is best to keep them in a safe or invest in a safety deposit box. Thieves will do whatever it takes to get your information, don’t make it simple by leaving important documents out for everyone to see and take.
Shred the rest
If you do not plan on keeping important documents, make sure you shred them all. Invest in a personal shredder, preferably one that will also shred credit cards. Many times someone looking to steal your identity will stop at nothing, including digging through your trash or dumpster – it’s easy pickings for them.
Monitor account activity
Every month you need to check activity on your account – looking for unusual transactions and activity. It is best to also confirm your personal information is accurate. If you suddenly receive billings for credit cards you didn’t apply for, it could be that someone has applied for you! It is crucial that you verify all information and activity on a regular basis.
Don’t give out personal or financial information freely
Unless you are confident of the source, do not divulge account information, social security numbers, even address and phone numbers. Sometimes a thief will masquerade as a telemarketer in an attempt to get information from you. No matter how good an offer might be, don’t be foolish. It is possible for thieves to embed spyware and other malicious scripts and software into emails you receive – and now have access to your personal and financial information. If you do not know the source, do not even open it as that could trigger the software. Delete it without opening it.
Seek professional help
No, I am not labelling you as a nut-case in need of help, however, it might fit if you are lazy about monitoring your personal and financial information! What I am referring to is a company that helps to monitor your credit. They work 24/7 to ensure that all activity on your credit is legitimate and take action as needed. The fees for such services are minimal when you consider how much time, money, and grief they can save you in the long run.
Bottom line – you are ultimately responsible for the use, and abuse, of your personal information and credit. Usually someone does not realize they are a victim of identity theft until it is too late. On average, three months pass before you even know you have been hit. With all you can do yourself, it can still not be enough. Investing in the services of a credit monitoring company in combination with your own protective habits is the ultimate choice. To get more information on credit monitoring services, visit my website, http://protectionidentitytheft.blogspot.com/
By: David Leonard Houde
About the Author:
Protect personal and financial documents
If you are going to keep any personal or financial documents, it is best to keep them in a safe or invest in a safety deposit box. Thieves will do whatever it takes to get your information, don’t make it simple by leaving important documents out for everyone to see and take.
Shred the rest
If you do not plan on keeping important documents, make sure you shred them all. Invest in a personal shredder, preferably one that will also shred credit cards. Many times someone looking to steal your identity will stop at nothing, including digging through your trash or dumpster – it’s easy pickings for them.
Monitor account activity
Every month you need to check activity on your account – looking for unusual transactions and activity. It is best to also confirm your personal information is accurate. If you suddenly receive billings for credit cards you didn’t apply for, it could be that someone has applied for you! It is crucial that you verify all information and activity on a regular basis.
Don’t give out personal or financial information freely
Unless you are confident of the source, do not divulge account information, social security numbers, even address and phone numbers. Sometimes a thief will masquerade as a telemarketer in an attempt to get information from you. No matter how good an offer might be, don’t be foolish. It is possible for thieves to embed spyware and other malicious scripts and software into emails you receive – and now have access to your personal and financial information. If you do not know the source, do not even open it as that could trigger the software. Delete it without opening it.
Seek professional help
No, I am not labelling you as a nut-case in need of help, however, it might fit if you are lazy about monitoring your personal and financial information! What I am referring to is a company that helps to monitor your credit. They work 24/7 to ensure that all activity on your credit is legitimate and take action as needed. The fees for such services are minimal when you consider how much time, money, and grief they can save you in the long run.
Bottom line – you are ultimately responsible for the use, and abuse, of your personal information and credit. Usually someone does not realize they are a victim of identity theft until it is too late. On average, three months pass before you even know you have been hit. With all you can do yourself, it can still not be enough. Investing in the services of a credit monitoring company in combination with your own protective habits is the ultimate choice. To get more information on credit monitoring services, visit my website, http://protectionidentitytheft.blogspot.com/
By: David Leonard Houde
About the Author:
David writes articles related to issues with relationships. Visit his web site: http://infidelity-cheating-affairs.blogspot.com/
Posted on 10 October '09 by admin, under Identity Theft Knowledge Base. No Comments.
Should you Really Worry About Getting Identity Theft Protection Service?
You must be hearing that every year number of identity theft victims has been rising exponentially. There are already millions of identity theft victims so far. With “Nobody is spared” situation, you are as much likely as anybody else. As you can not ignore the possibility of your identity theft, you are left with two ways either to protect your identity yourself or hire professional service in this regards.
What Statistics says?
It is claimed that the identity theft is the fastest growing crime. It is worldwide but more prevalent in developed countries. Considering details of USA for year 2006 only, there were close to 10 million people were victimized fro their identity theft. You can compare it with figures of year 2004 to find that the number of victims has grown almost 10 times. The striking fact of the identity theft report shows in most of the cases the thief comes out to be a relative or a friend of victim. On an average identity victim loses around $500. If you are lucky, you may not pay anything as most companies no longer hold customer you accountable for any charges made through identity theft. At the same time you should not feel sheltered from statistic only as you can be the ‘unfortunate’ to lose much more in some worst situations. Statistics also warn that with the continuous changes in the cases of identity theft, you can not fully assured by the companies providing identity theft protection service.
What is offered under ‘Identity theft protection service’?
1. Tracking of credit report, police report, medical records 2. Alert in case any suspicious activity shows up 3. Assistance in the process of clearing credit through financial formalities
While you are seeking assistance from the company, the company may require some sensitive information from you.
Different plans offered for Identity Theft Protection
The basic of all plans is “Tracking of credit report & alert in case suspicious transactions” Some companies offer basic service while some offer in-depth service.
• Under the basic plan you will receive alert whenever there is a new account is opened or a new inquiry appears on your report. You can get this basic plan free from many lenders.
• More detailed plan for identity theft protection – you are charge a fee: This plan includes monthly reports (against yearly report in basic plan) and counseling services. Some companies also cover of out-of-pocket fees in case you fall victim to identity theft.
• There are also comprehensive plan available which covers each & every cost consumer incur through identity theft. Obviously these plans charge much higher fees.
With all this information, you will be in a better position to decide if you should pay for identity theft protection or just being careful is sufficient.
By: Bernard Pragides
About the Author:
What Statistics says?
It is claimed that the identity theft is the fastest growing crime. It is worldwide but more prevalent in developed countries. Considering details of USA for year 2006 only, there were close to 10 million people were victimized fro their identity theft. You can compare it with figures of year 2004 to find that the number of victims has grown almost 10 times. The striking fact of the identity theft report shows in most of the cases the thief comes out to be a relative or a friend of victim. On an average identity victim loses around $500. If you are lucky, you may not pay anything as most companies no longer hold customer you accountable for any charges made through identity theft. At the same time you should not feel sheltered from statistic only as you can be the ‘unfortunate’ to lose much more in some worst situations. Statistics also warn that with the continuous changes in the cases of identity theft, you can not fully assured by the companies providing identity theft protection service.
What is offered under ‘Identity theft protection service’?
1. Tracking of credit report, police report, medical records 2. Alert in case any suspicious activity shows up 3. Assistance in the process of clearing credit through financial formalities
While you are seeking assistance from the company, the company may require some sensitive information from you.
Different plans offered for Identity Theft Protection
The basic of all plans is “Tracking of credit report & alert in case suspicious transactions” Some companies offer basic service while some offer in-depth service.
• Under the basic plan you will receive alert whenever there is a new account is opened or a new inquiry appears on your report. You can get this basic plan free from many lenders.
• More detailed plan for identity theft protection – you are charge a fee: This plan includes monthly reports (against yearly report in basic plan) and counseling services. Some companies also cover of out-of-pocket fees in case you fall victim to identity theft.
• There are also comprehensive plan available which covers each & every cost consumer incur through identity theft. Obviously these plans charge much higher fees.
With all this information, you will be in a better position to decide if you should pay for identity theft protection or just being careful is sufficient.
By: Bernard Pragides
About the Author:
Author and internet entrepreneur Bernard Pragides offers expert advice and tips regarding identity theft. Learn more about identity theft and fraud by visiting his blog at http://www.identity4life-blog.com and his website http://www.IdentityProtek.com for more helpful information.
Posted on 29 September '09 by admin, under Identity Theft Knowledge Base. No Comments.