Identity Theft

Identity theft is becoming a popular crime in the United States. Cases usually involve names, addresses, bank account information, credit card information, and so on. About 10 million Americans have encountered these problems. This is why the Federal Trade Commission has reminded people to be on guard all the time.

Once someone has stolen your identity, they will take over your financial identity. Usually, this includes spending your money without you knowing. For instance, if a thief steals your credit card information, he/she may make a lot of purchases that will be charged on you. Worse cases of identity theft involve anonymous people making loans and opening bank accounts using your name without again without you knowing. It could get even worse.

So how do you defend yourself from such unscrupulous criminals?

Authorities say that you, like anyone else, are not safe from identity theft. So, authorities have devised certain tactics to lessen your likelihood of becoming an identity theft victim.

1. Hide your social security number. It is difficult to memorize phone numbers, bank account numbers, passwords and social security numbers that sometimes we choose to write them down on a piece of paper. However, when you do so, you become vulnerable to identity theft. What if you leave that number on your table or you drop it somewhere on your way home?

2. Make sure that you sign out your e-mail even when you are at home and most especially when you are using the internet outside. It is extremely careless and irresponsible to leave your email account open when you leave. This is not necessarily an act of paranoia but of precaution. Have you heard of people who could no longer access their emails because they accidentally left them open? There have been several cases and even the worse could happen. Log out your Facebook or Twitter accounts, too, when you leave your desk.

3. Do not throw your credit card and bank statements anywhere, because they contain some personal information. The safest way to dispose of them is by using a shredder.

4. Do not give your personal information right away. There will be instances where you receive phone calls, text messages, or emails from people you do not know, and they may be telling you about special offers and promos. If they ask for your personal information, do not respond. You have to be smart and alert all the time.

5. Protect your PC by making sure that it is updated. Update your antivirus software program as well. This will protect you from cyber attacks. Beware when downloading files or installing programs, because some of them could include spywares. Another way to protect your computer is to use a password that only you know.

6. Have photocopies of your credit cards and store them in a safe, locked place in your home. If your wallet gets stolen, you should cancel all your credit and debit cards right away. Canceling them would be fast if you provide the needed information without a hassle. In case your credit or debit card gets lost, you must inform your bank immediately.

7. It is also recommended that you double-check your credit report to see if there is any strange activity. Contact the bank and the authorities if you see anything suspicious, like purchases that you do not remember making but appearing on the report.

8. Change the passwords of your email, social media, and online banking accounts regularly. Make sure your passwords are not easy to guess.

For more information about identity theft, click here or visit our website, http://www.safeidentityprotection.com/.

View the original article here

Identity theft is an ever-increasing issue given the sheer amount of people who are having financial difficulties due to the worldwide financial crisis. You can only protect yourself against identity theft, do not leave it up to anyone else to help you.

There are some basic measures we can all take to reduce the risk. The first of which I would suggest would be two have two separate email addresses, one for your financial business, and the other for everything else.

So your online banking, PayPal, your accountant and just about anything you buy online, you should use your financial email address. Use a very difficult password with a minimum of 10 characters including capitals and symbols and don't give this email address out to anyone else. The reason we include any purchases in this email is that you are giving your financial information away to these sites included card numbers and pertinently, your address.

Use the email address only for your financial transactions and never give it even to friends. Use your other email address for everything else.

It's fairly obvious why you wouldn't want people getting hold of your bank details or card number, but the reasons run a little deeper as to why we wouldn't want people accessing this email address. If they guessed your password what would they have access to? A few online purchase receipts (with your address on), details of your PayPal account which they can access to withdraw cash to themselves, your online banking login details? You might think "Well just because someone can access my email doesn't mean they could access your PayPal or online banking accounts" and you would only be partly correct. All they need is access to your email address and they could request a new password be sent. Bang! You're in trouble.

If you have to write down the password and place it in your purse or wallet do so, it's better than making it an easy password to guess or hack.

This has been really focussed on fraud, but there is another, more insidious factor, we need to bear in mind. That factor is identity theft.

Identity theft, to my mind, is worse than fraud. Yes fraud involves stealing your own assets, but identity theft runs deeper than that, they steal your identity and take out loans and credit cards in your name. When the lender comes calling, they are going to be calling the named lender, you! This can not only hurt you financially, but can also affect your future ability to lend, your reputation and your health.

You are particularly susceptible if you create relationships online, i.e. from dating or from social networking. The whole process is ripe for identity theft, it is all about getting to know someone so you can give out very personal information during the course of the chat. For example, they want to know how old you are, you tell them because it's one of those things that come up a lot. But let's take the conversation further:

"What star sign are you?" "Wow I'm Virgo too, when's your birthday?" It all seems innocuous enough, but if you tell them, they combine it with your age and they have your date of birth as easily as that.

Let's go back to the earlier example of them accessing your email. If you have one email address and you give it out, to exchange photos or something (or bear in mind how much information you show on Facebook) they can go to your email provider and pick the option that you have forgotten your password, they can they find out what your security question is and either find the answer by searching through Facebook or directly asking you. As an example, the security question might be your first pets name. They then might start asking questions about your past. "Where were you born?" "Do you have any brothers?" "Were you a happy child" "Did you have any pets?" and before you know it you're discussing fluffy your first rabbit and how it got stuck in your boots. They can then close the conversation, go to your email account and unblock your inbox.

So they have your date of birth and access to your email account, all they need to do is login, find the receipt for the table you bought a week ago and BAM they have your address. And all they have had to do is ask a few questions, ones that are asked every day, very innocuous.

Let's go back to the conversation. They have asked where you were born. In the UK the only information someone needs in order to get a real copy of your birth certificate is your name, town of birth and date of birth. With your birth certificate they have the basis of your whole life.

Where else can someone get your address? Are you on an online directory? Like for example is your phone number listed? The electoral role? Can they search your surname and area and find you?

If you are going to meet someone, do it in a public place, don't show them pictures of your house or your car, all these things can be traced.

Once someone has your address you are open to having your whole life destroyed.

They can apply for loans, credit cards in your name, they could also change your address at your bank although this makes it more likely they will be caught. But if someone has your address and date of birth, and takes out a loan in your name using your credit history by telling them you have recently moved address. Of course this means that the lender will come to you on the first default, also your future credit options will be limited.

Even without your address, if they have your date of birth and birth town it doesn't take much more to get your birth certificate which in some respects can be used to prove your identity. Let's say they want to open a basic bank account in your name, they can take out an electricity account in your name with no ID requirements, when you get your first bill, this can be used as proof of your address, with that, along with your birth certificate, they can open a basic bank account with no credit facility. But after a bit of time they can easily use your electricity bill, bank account statement and birth certificate to take out a contract phone in your name giving them a credit file and history. After a bit of time they can use this credit file to take an overdraft and/or loan in your name, even a mortgage. They can also use your bills to apply for a replacement driving license in your name.

It's surprisingly easy to do all the above simply by knowing your date of birth and address, or in the US your social security number.

So you have to protect yourself. Start off by saving your important emails to your computer and deleting them from your email account. Open a new email account and protect it with a top notch password. Further protect it with a security question that is unusual, one that might cause you to question it if it comes up in conversation. If all the questions are easy then substitute the real answer with one that you will remember that's incorrect, i.e. Mothers maiden name: table.

Be very careful what personal information you give out during normal conversation, it might be a good idea to train yourself to re-read anything you write before you click send.

Be aware also that even your nearest and dearest can steal your identity. I once investigated a case for a woman who's best friend had stolen her identity. In cases like this, I would suggest signing up with a credit reference agency who will be able to email you whenever a change to your file has been logged.

Finally, how do we rectify identity theft? Well if you are in the US, you can call the Federal trade commission on 1-877-IDTHEFT and the IRS on 1-800-908-4490. You should also report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. If in the UK, report it to the police first and foremost, then contact the lenders and give them the crime reference number. Keep a close eye on your credit report and deal with issues as they arise. Give your crime reference number to your bank and any lenders you have. Any company part of the finance act has guidelines on how to assist in these circumstances and they will be able to provide you with further information and support.

Phishing websites.

Phishing is the practise of someone getting you to reveal your bank account (or other account) details by way of a form that looks just like the real thing. Most of these scams are done through emails and you will receive it from a legitimate looking address, it might tell you that there is a problem with your account and you should click the link to get it unblocked. The email looks genuine, the link looks genuine and the page it takes you to looks genuine. The way to always stop these in their tracks is to hover over the genuine looking link and read the actual destination link that pops up in a small box, this is the actual destination rather than what is actually typed in the email. Is this destination address taking you through to the right place? If not, delete it. An example destination address might read paypall.com and you might miss the extra L if you wasn't specifically looking for it.

Most financial institutions have a fraud department dedicated to investigating these matters so you can always forward on the email to the company it is purported to have come from. As an example, there was a recent story that the HMRC (British version of the IRS) were sending out tax refunds to people, the stories were correct, but phishers were sending emails to people asking them to log onto a fake online form where they could collect the details. Once I read it and seen it wasn't genuine I forwarded this straight to the HMRC fraud department. Whether anything comes of it they don't say but I hope they catch the culprits.

Dave P Thompson is a security expert of high regard. Dave operates the highly successful ScamSeeker.org website offering free investigative services to anyone.

Also stars as a public speaker dealing with consumer security protection, offering advice on identity theft, phishing and fraud.

To learn more, please visit ScamSeeker.org

View the original article here

Most mail theft is done by so called low key criminals. Because stealing mail from a mailbox is so easy it's a low tech crime. I doesn't take much brain power to open the mailbox door and take the mail out.

There are 3 ways to cut down the chance of mail theft. The most obvious is don't use a mailbox. Use a locking mailbox is another way. There is also a way to know when your mail has come so a thief doesn't have a chance to take it.

The number one way to thwart mail theft is to not use a home mail box. Though the most positive, it is a big pain. You have to take your mail to work or take it to the post office. Even mail at work may not be theft proof. Having a Post Office Box is pretty safe. There are many problems with a P.O. Box like not having your key or not being open all hours.

The second way to discourage mail theft is a locking mailbox. A lot of people think a locking mailbox will solve the mail theft problem. Though partially correct, a locking mailbox is not theft proof.

I am going to tell you how I know this stuff. I am a retired rural mail carrier. I drove my own car mostly in rural areas and delivered mail. I delivered mail to a woman's shelter. They had a locking mailbox, for a good reason. One day the mailbox was gone. I found out that an irate husband wanted his wife's mail. Because the box was locked, he wrapped a chain around the post, hooked it up to his truck and took box and all down the street until he was caught.

The third way to stop mail theft is get the mail as soon as the mail person puts it in the mailbox. If there is someone home during the day like a retired, disabled or work at home person, getting the mail as soon as it comes is easy. You just need to know when the mail has come.

I am going to add a few tips to help you safeguard your mail. Put your mail in the box to go as late as you can before the mail carrier comes. Have the mail carrier leave a note if you have a package that won't fit in the mail box. As a carrier I disliked leaving a package on the porch. That was an open invitation saying: we are not home. Don't ever leave your mail in the mailbox over night. A flag up at night is saying: come and get it. If you are going to be gone for a day or two ask your regular mail carrier to hold the mail. In most instances he or she will remember to hold your mail. It is not easy as a mail carrier to remember to hold someones mail if there are a few people asking. If you are going to be gone three or more days go on line and fill out a hold request.

One of the best ways to protect your mail is to get it as soon as you can after delivery. Check out the very short video and products at http://mailboxdooralert.com/. Click the link now and look at the site. Sign up for the no cost free report there too.

View the original article here

Uses of the internet have increased tremendously in recent times. People use the internet for sharing information, learning, communicating, and doing business. There are also some people using the internet as a resource to steal your identity. This is why every internet user needs to protect his or her personal information against identity theft. There are several things you should do to protect yourself against identity theft online.

Firstly, guard your online information. Use very strong passwords which should be very hard for anyone to guess. You should also not use one password for every website you use. Never write your password down or save it in a document in your computer. Your passwords should not be your birth date, your family member's name or your pet's name. Instead use unrelated words with numbers and symbols.

The second thing you can do to protect yourself from identity theft online is shred sensitive documents. Many people just fold or tear apart vital documents into several pieces. An identity thief can easily put those papers together and read your personal information. Shredding outdated bank statements, credit card applications and bills before dumping it into trash or recycling will make it very hard for a thief to put the papers back together. In fact it is almost impossible.

You should be aware of phishing. In phishing, an identity thief pretending to be personnel of a famous or loyal company sends an email telling you that you have won some money. The email usually contains a link where you will be directed to fill personal information online. To avoid falling for this, never verify personal information online before researching for the company in question. In your search you can include the word scam and several results relating to scams in the name of the company in question will display. Go through the search results and learn how other people have dealt with it.

Identity theft protection services can also help you to protect yourself from online identity theft. Most of the companies that offer these services, submit fraud alert on your behalf to avoid identity thieves from opening new lines of credit. Some companies also search through the internet for you, to make sure that nobody is using your credit card and social security numbers. Some of the most famous companies include: Identity Guard, Trusted ID and Equifax ID.

The law puts you at liberty to get a free copy of your credit report every year upon your request. You should go through the report keenly, checking on the accuracy to make sure that you can account for each line of credit. It is recommended that you check your credit reports at least three times in a year. Apart from the free copy that you are entitled to; you can purchase the reports from the major credit bureau, that is, Equifax, Experian or Trans Union.

Another important thing you should do to protect yourself from identity theft online, is to secure your computer. Make sure that your antivirus software is updated regularly. This makes a barrier between your trusted networks and untrusted networks which might be trying to access your computer. In addition to that, your mobile devices like smart phones or iPads, should be secured with strong passwords just in case they get lost.

Identity Theft is something to really watch out. Learn how to protect against identity theft

View the original article here

Identity theft is a heightening concern for many of us.

Spotlighted regularly on the news and shows like Dateline, identity theft is a particularly frightful subject and could cause the victim all types of emotional pain and monetary trouble. For this reason it is very important to know how to protect identity theft from affecting you.

This kind of theft can happen by countless techniques such as someone using your Social Security, checks, cards, driver's license and much more.

Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to protect identity theft from hurting your life.

Documents are the most serious problem for most people. Stopping document theft all circles around how you handle and dispose of those documents.

From bank records to hospital bills, you get mail consistently that is always full of your private info. You would think in this computer dominated world, they could ultimately put a stop to all of these paper bills and documents and just send you everything electronically. However, that would not come about for quite some time.

Though you could contact your financial institutions yourself to do so, as that is one great thing to add to your list of how to protect from identity theft through the mail.

Another tip on how to protect from identity theft is to make sure you rip up or shred anything with your information on it.

Using a shredder might be easier for you as constantly ripping by hand may be a problem. Once shredded, make sure it is not visible in your trash bag.

Besides documents, there are several more tips on how to protect identity theft from entering your life that should generally be known, but can often be overlooked.

For example, you should be aware that checks definitely make it easy to take your money. When you're out you should never bring your social security card, birth certificate or checkbook. They not only have your private info, but they also have your checking account number and routing number right on them.

Some folks even put their Social Security ID right there on the check! Don't do that. This is definitely not how you protect from identity theft. In fact you'd be kind of inviting it, and the check with the social security on it is the invitation.

Using your common sense and information can go a long way in safeguarding yourself. Be conscious of these things, and keep your identity safe.

Rebecca Jones has dedicated her life to helping people improve their financial lives, as well as to show you how to protect identity theft from hurting you and your loved ones. To get exclusive info you won't find anywhere else, visit http://howprotectidentitytheft.com/

View the original article here

Every year, thousands of people are made victims by identity theft. Modern telecommunications devices and computer processing can make it easier for us to stay in touch and process transactions, yet they can also make it easier for criminals to get hold of valuable information.

Be it paper or digital, preventing the wrong element from getting a hold of information they can use to steal from you and others, is important.

Imagine your children's information being used to establish credit cards and loans before they are even old enough to work. Imaging your identity stolen and your credit rating trashed for bad debt that someone else created for you. Worse yet, imagine being arrested for crimes you never committed.

In doing some research on the topic, these are just some of the scenarios I found that identity theft victims have had to live through.

Your safety is my concern, and so in order to prevent any one of these stories from ever being yours, today I offer some tips on identity theft prevention to help you protect yourself, your loved ones, and your business.

Common ways to protect yourself:

Paperwork
One easy first step to helping prevent someone from getting a hold of your private details is to invest in a paper shredder. Expect to spend $30.00 - $100.00 depending on what your volume of shredding may be. Shred personal information, credit card and debit card receipts, pre-approved credit applications etc. Cross cut shredders that can handle full sheets of paper make shredding easy and effective.

You can also bring your papers to service providers who make it their business to shred your docs on site. Some will even come to you, should you have a significant amount of documentation to destroy.

Around Town
When using your debit and credit cards, watch who is standing around you. Guard your pin number from prying eyes. Also, try not to carry extra credit cards you don't use. That goes for cards like you Social Insurance Number too. Better to leave that in a safe at home if you can.

For added security for your credit cards, cover up the 3 digit code on the back too. Memorize those numbers or write it down in a secret place somewhere separate from the card. That way you won't be sharing that code to everyone you hand your credit card too. I personally got stung on this one not long ago.

At the Mail Box
When ordering checks, have them delivered to your local bank instead of to your home. If getting new cards mailed to you, watch that they come on time. If you suspect it's late call the card company to see when it was mailed. If too much time has passed, have the card canceled. Same can go for your bills too.

On-Line
Secure your computer with anti-virus, anti-malware and anti-spyware programs. Have a firewall set up and when shopping on-line be sure that the site you are providing your private details to, is secure.

Set clever passwords for your on-line accounts. Combo's of letters and numbers is best. Don't use things like your mother maiden name or the city you were born in.

Personal Information
Unless you initiated the call yourself, do not give out personal information over the phone. Keep in mind too that there is technology available to monitor cell phone calls, so use a land-line if you can when you are going to give personal information over the phone. And another tip is to keep your phone number or social security number off of your personal checks.

Some key information that you should be diligent in protecting would be, your full name, date of birth, address, credit card numbers, Social Insurance Number (SIN) and any other personal identification numbers that could be used to open accounts, redirect mail, establish cell phone services, rent vehicles or even secure employment.

Stay Safe!

Michelle Panzlaff
Owner & Principal Organizer

Tidy Tiger Solutions helps individuals and businesses by working with them to create customized solutions designed around their needs. At home or in the office you can simplify your life and benefit from increased efficiency.

Vist Tidy's website to learn more about the benefits of getting organized.
Free gifts and printables and much more at http://www.tidytiger.biz/

View the original article here

As the fastest growing and one of the most insidious consumer crimes in the United States, identity theft affects nearly ten million people every year. That's about 30,000 identities stolen every day. These are alarming statistics, but even worse is that some of these identity theft victims are arrested for crimes committed in their good name.

Take, for example, a case in which an Indiana man named Jeff Goldsmith was arrested for allegedly abusing his girlfriend's six-year-old son so badly that the child had to go to the hospital. Trouble is, Goldsmith didn't have a girlfriend, let alone a six-year-old son. In fact, he had been married for twenty years and hadn't visited the city where the alleged abuse occurred in over two years. The identity thief used Goldsmith's identity to rack up charges and then subsequently commit a brutal crime-all in Goldsmith's name. After seeing Goldsmith the mother of the actual victim confirmed that he indeed was not the man who abused her son. In like so many other ID theft cases, the real criminal remains unidentified.

Looking back, Goldsmith realized that he could have avoided becoming an identity theft victim if he would have paid more attention to the warning signs. He had received a phone bill and an insurance bill for a vehicle he didn't own. After calling the companies to clear-up the charges, Goldsmith signed-up for ID theft insurance and began monitoring his credit reports more closely. Unfortunately for Goldsmith, the identity thief was able to continue to use his identity to commit fraud and elude police following the abuse allegations.

But what about the ID theft insurance? And the credit monitoring? Goldsmith found out the hard way that identity theft insurance only covers some of the expenses to deal with the aftermath of ID theft. It does nothing to prevent it. Credit monitoring, although important, only shows unauthorized charges and damages after they have occurred. So, what could Goldsmith have done to avoid becoming another ID theft victim?

He could have been more proactive. Most ID theft protection companies only monitor credit and send alerts when someone's credit is checked. Of course, this often occurs for completely legitimate reasons as well, such as when someone (using his or her real identity) applies for a loan. Credit monitoring services and ID theft insurance companies simply do not address the root of the problem-before it becomes a real problem and claims another identity theft victim.

After all, one of the problems with ID theft is that once you're a victim you're guilty until proven innocent. Police officers are simply doing their jobs when they arrest ID theft victims. But the fallout for the victims can be devastating. Studies show that it can take three to five years and more than $1,300 to restore a stolen identity.

The only real solution is to use an identity theft prevention and recovery service that proactively prevents identity theft from occurring in the first place. Entrust America, a company that was created by law enforcement professionals for law enforcement, is the only service that both prevents ID theft and guarantees to restore identity theft victims to pre-theft status.

Too many ID theft victims unknowingly put their trust in services that masquerade as ID theft prevention or, worse, do not invest in a service to protect their identity at all. As in the tragic case of Jeff Goldsmith, it's obvious how the right ID theft prevention service could have prevented his nightmare.

Don't become another identity theft victim. Learn more about protecting your identity by visiting http://www.TheIdentityAdvocate.com or calling 310.831.4400.

Linda Vincent, R.N., P.I., is an identity theft, medical identity theft, and healthcare fraud prevention expert specializing in medical consulting and investigations. She is the president of The Identity Advocate, which teaches corporations, professional practices, and consumers how to stop identity theft, medical identity theft, and healthcare fraud. Visit http://www.theidentityadvocate.com/ or call 310.831.4400.

View the original article here

Checking your credit on a regular basis is the best way to protect yourself from identity theft. Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information such as Social Security number or bank account numbers without your knowledge. This could be to open up loans in your name, make purchases or open up accounts.

When someone opens credit fraudulently in your name most often the person who opens these accounts has no intention of making payments. So you have negative accounts that weren't opened by you showing negative information on your credit report. The consequences to you are it can make it difficult for you when you go to apply for an auto loan, mortgage or credit card because the fraudulent accounts that are in a derogatory status appear to be yours which then makes it difficult to obtain credit.

By monitoring your credit report from each one of the credit bureaus you can catch any inaccurate or unauthorized items that appear. If you suspect there is suspicious activity on your report take action immediately. There are several steps you can take to reverse the inaccurate information. By following these steps you can

Start by contacting each one of the credit bureaus to have fraud alerts placed on your report. With a fraud alert on your report, anytime your credit is pulled for an application for credit the lender must contact you and confirm your identity before extending credit. If someone does try to open credit in your name this should prevent any new attempts from going through. Close any fraudulent accounts or accounts that you feel may have been compromised. File a report with your local police and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

Don't think it can happen to you? It happens more than you might think. According to Javelin Strategy and Research, in 2008 there were 10 million victims of identity theft. One in every 10 U.S. consumers has been a victim of identity theft. Another study found that it can take the equivalent of working a full-time job for two years to correct the damage done by identity theft.

It is possible to protect yourself from identity theft. You don't have to be a victim. By keeping tabs on the activity on your credit reports you can catch inaccurate or suspicious activity early on before it causes severe damage to your financial reputation.

Jeff Byron has worked in the finance industry for several years and has knowledge of credit and lending. For more information and tips on protecting your credit visit Articles On Credit.

View the original article here