Jason Gluckman asked:




Identity theft is a malicious action that involves the taking of a victim’s identity (name, birth date, and address, for example) and using this personal information in order to obtain money from the victim’s bank account, to apply for loans, and even to establish accounts with various companies. While no one can totally prevent this activity from occurring, there are some positive steps to take to decrease the risk of becoming a victim.

At least once a year, you should check your credit reports from credit reporting agencies. This way, you will be able to determine unauthorized accounts and fraudulent activities that will surely arouse your suspicion.

Guard your social security number since identity thieves can easily access this. If you will not be using it for any transaction for the day, better leave your Social Security card in a safe place at home.

Make sure that when you give out your personal information orally, strangers are not within your distance because they may try to eavesdrop and overhear the information you give. And if your conversation is by phone, be suspicious of telephone solicitors. You should never provide the person you are talking to any information not unless you are the one who initiated the call.

Use a crosscut paper shredder to destroy papers with confidential information. This is better than throwing them away in a wastebasket, as anyone can search through the discarded papers and get the information written on them.

And lastly, since the Internet is the easiest place for identity thieves to gain access to your personal information, see to it that you delete any suspicious email requests without replying to them. Never a use password that contains any of your personal information like your birthday or your email address.

These steps are important in order to decrease people’s risk factors of being identity theft victims. Simply follow all these precautions, and be on the look out at all times.

Steve

conclips asked:

Interesting segment from the Today Show If your wallet is stolen: File a police report; Start keeping detailed records including the names, dates, and phone numbers of people you’ve reported this theft to; Report all your credit cards as stolen so that you are issued new cards with new account numbers. (Most credit card companies will automatically place a fraud alert in your credit report on your behalf when you notify them of a stolen card); FREEZE all three of your credit reports–do not rely on the theft alert alone, as it will not fully protect you from having accounts opened in your name, that is something only a full credit report freeze will do; Subscribe to a credit monitoring service (if it is available with a frozen report). These services supposedly provide insurance in the event you are a victim–not many people can afford to lay out $50000 in legal fees and that is where ID Theft Insurance will come in handy, assuming your homeowner’s policy doesn’t already offer this type of coverage. MYFICO, Equifax, Transunion and Experian all offer credit report monitoring (some of these services are made available to those who’ve already frozen their files). Also, as in the case of this victim, you may want to alter your banking habits. The thief in this case supposedly managed to withdraw funds and write bad checks using the victim’s driver’s license. Sign up for email alerts on all your accounts so you can catch unusual activity before it gets out of hand. Get a Motor …

Angel

Tina L Douglas asked:




On the average, an identity theft victim takes at least 600 hours cleaning off their identity. The 600 hours include going around town getting reports and affidavits to prove the theft, checking out the things that have been compromised, and trying really hard to get their identity back. Considering the average time, that should be a lot of time recovering from a crime of which you were the sole victim.

Here’s the bad news: no individual can protect his or herself from identity theft 100%, even if he or she is covered by an identity theft company. But don’t let that get you down, of course, the good news is that you can significantly reduce the risk of getting victimized if you act immediately as soon as you realize that your personal information has been compromised.

Here’s what you can do:

1. Fraud Alert – you should immediately contact one of the three credit bureaus to report a fraud alert. It typically lasts from 90 days up to 7 years. When a fraud alert is set on your account, different business establishments are notified to take extra steps to confirm your identity when various actions are taken on your credit

2. Credit Report Security Freeze – this is one step higher than a fraud alert because when this is placed, a PIN or password will be required by establishments before anyone can check your credit report. Also, unlike a fraud alert, a fee needs to put a security freeze on your credit report.
3. credit reports – all individuals are entitled to receive one credit report from each of the three credit bureaus. If you are going to request for your credit report every four months, then you can surely monitor your credit all year long at four months interval.

4. Accounts Online – whenever your bank offers online services, you have to take advantage of this feature especially if it would allow you to view your accounts. You need to login periodically or check your account regularly so you can be sure that there are no unauthorized charges that have been made using your account. Do not write down or tell anyone your login information. Keep them simple and easily recalled.

5. Credit Monitoring – while credit monitoring can get pretty expensive, it is one of the most effective ways of detecting identity theft. As compared to the cost of ordering your credit report a couple of times a year, credit monitoring is way cheaper. Of course, you need to shop around and check out the best prices.

6. Social Security number — if put in the wrong hands, this can prove to be very fatal as far as your credit report is concerned. Whenever possible, do not carry your social security card in your wallet. Do not even write it down.

7. Check Order – your checks are less likely to get stolen when they are personally picked up. Stolen checks are another way for identity theft to take place. Utilizing your routing and checking account numbers, an identity thief can reproduce your checks and use them to make his own purchases. So whenever you order checks, it is safer to pick them up in the bank than having them mailed to you.

Vanessa

ScamExpert asked:

From the US Treasury Dept. Explains how to obtain free credit reports from the credit bureaus. Also explains how Fraud Alerts work and how to activate them. credit report online, free online credit report, credit free report score, 3 in 1 credit report, transunion credit report, creditreport.com, credit report personal, national credit report, cic triple advantage credit report, free annual government credit report Identity theft is a serious crime. It occurs when your personal information is stolen and used without your knowledge to commit fraud or other crimes. Identity theft can cost you time and money. It can destroy your credit and ruin your good name. Deter identity thieves by safeguarding your information. ■ Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you discard them. ■ Protect your Social Security number. Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give it out only if absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier. ■ Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you know who you are dealing with. ■ Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails; instead, type in a web address you know. Use firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect your home computer; keep them up-to-date. Visit OnGuardOnline.gov for more information. ■ Don’t use an obvious password like your birth date, your mother’s maiden name …

Monica

ScamExpert asked:

What Can You Do to Protect Yourself? Explains the steps you can take to protect yourself from identity theft. Identity theft is a serious crime. It occurs when your personal information is stolen and used without your knowledge to commit fraud or other crimes. Identity theft can cost you time and money. It can destroy your credit and ruin your good name. Deter identity thieves by safeguarding your information. ■ Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you discard them. ■ Protect your Social Security number. Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give it out only if absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier. ■ Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you know who you are dealing with. ■ Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails; instead, type in a web address you know. Use firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect your home computer; keep them up-to-date. Visit OnGuardOnline.gov for more information. ■ Don’t use an obvious password like your birth date, your mother’s maiden name, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. ■ Keep your personal information in a secure place at home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your house. Defend against ID theft as soon as you suspect it. ■ Place a “Fraud Alert” on your credit reports …

Gene

Michael Benifez asked:




very year, more and more people fall victim to perpetrators of identity theft. Since 2002 millions have lost money, credit and credibility. With our economy in recession, it is more important than ever to protect your identity.

With technology developing at an ever-increasing rate, identity thieves are finding it easier to steal personal information over the Internet. Statistics show that friends and family members also steal identity in some instances, so it is important to protect your personal information at all times.

Victims of identity theft sometimes have a difficult time getting back on track. Thieves use stolen identities to rack up debt, file bankruptcy, commit additional crimes, cover crimes, etc. It can be an ongoing battle to clear your name once it has been used illegitimately.

Credit bureaus do not remove actions committed by thieves from your credit records. Rather, they might flag a bankruptcy record with the word ‘resolved’ or ‘cleared.’ When lenders see a Fraud Alert on your credit report, they don’t know who committed the crime and can make mistaken assumptions. It may become difficult to get credit, so prepare to save money for your future. If possible, keep the money in a safe place or in a newly opened bank account.

If you fall victim to identity theft, report the crime to your local authorities immediately. Next, visit the Federal Trade Commission Consumers site and file a complaint, alerting the government that your identity was stolen. Monitor your bank accounts and credit reports diligently, and report any new defilement. You will also need to contact the credit bureaus and alert them that your identity was stolen.

Read all the local information you can about identity theft. Some states place freezes on your credit accounts to prevent access by anyone but you. Other states only permit Fraud Alerts, which do little for the victim. These alerts stay on your credit reports for about three months unless the perpetrator continues to use your identity.

To protect your self from further identity theft on the way for prevention is to change all passwords and PIN numbers at random. If you use the Internet erase all traces of your activity once you have left a site. If you order online, make sure the site is secure and destroy traces of your personal information immediately by clicking Tools at the top of your Internet page, then Delete Cookies, Delete Files and Clear History. You can also perform this action by clicking Start at the bottom of your screen, Control Panel, then Internet Options. Protect your computer with Spyware and Antivirus programs.

It can be easy to catch identity thieves who are family members or acquaintances, but if your identity is stolen online there is no guarantee that the perpetrator will be caught. The Internet is one of the easiest places from which thieves steal or lure victims into a web of crime and hate. Unfortunately, most of these people never get caught.

Tara

Jon Arnold asked:


If you haven’t done so recently, you should invest a minor bit of time and effort into getting yourself a copy of your credit report. It is free once a year in most states, and you need to get a separate copy of it from each of the “big three” credit reporting bureaus, which are Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. Some creditors report to only one of them, some report to a couple of them, and some even report to all three of them. The key point is that the data maintained by each one is not necessarily the same, and in fact, is probably vastly different.

Why is the data different? With the hundreds of millions of credit reports that these companies need to maintain, errors are almost inevitable. Interestingly enough, studies have shown that the MAJORITY of consumers have at least one or more inaccurate or erroneous piece of information in their credit report. The scary part is that, contrary to popular belief, the errors will NOT be corrected automatically. In fact, if you don’t alert the credit bureau of the errors, then the errors will be carried forward with your record, year after year.

Please be aware that while identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes of this century so far, it is not limited to just online activities. Granted, with the advent of the ease of shopping online and being able to purchase something at a great price with just a couple of mouse clicks is attractive for many, there are steps you should take to ensure that you have done everything responsible that you can do to avoid your information from getting into the wrong hands. One of the first places to start is to get yourself a copy of your credit report, and look especially for accounts that you are not aware of, which is the first sign that you may be a victim of identity theft.

Online identity theft is a serious crime that can clean out your life savings and leave you with a damaged credit history that may take years to repair. Unless you’re familiar with the person with whom you’re dealing, or are filling out an official form for a legitimate personal or business purpose, information such as a social security number, bank account numbers, credit card numbers and other types of data that might have a bearing on your individuality should never be divulged. If you’ve ever used a credit card to order take-out food over the phone, you’re leaving yourself wide open to identity theft.

Congress passed the Fair Credit Reporting Act several years ago in an attempt to smooth out some problems in the credit reporting industry. The presence of this alert requires any creditor to verify the identity of the borrower prior to granting credit in his or her name.

When you travel, regardless of how you book your reservations, your personal information will still end up on the company’s computer and stored in their databases. Many companies, including some large major corporations, do not protect your personal data the way they should.

Many people ignore the importance of protecting their personal and financial information against identity theft until they become a victim of it. The amount of goods and services purchased with fraudulently obtained personal identity was more than $50 billion dollars last year.

If you purchase merchandise online frequently, you may want to use a separate credit card that you obtain just for that purpose. Always use ONLY that credit card. For the junk mail that you receive regularly saying you are approved for a new credit card or mortgage loan, don’t just simply throw it in the trash. Instead, invest in a shredder and take the time to shred those letters. Many cases of identity theft occur because the thief has gone “dumpster diving” to find those pre-approval letters, and opens an account in your name.



Reginald

kent moss asked:


Effective Methods to Protect Your Identity and Preventing Identity Theft

Identity theft is an example of the swiftest growing crimes in the globe. Yearly, many thousands of thousands of people are victimised by this crime. It’s the latest crime of the data age. It occurs when a criminal takes your personal data and uses it to impersonate you and scam banks, Credit card companies and other fiscal institutions.

And, to make matters worse, it can destroy the good credit you’ve taken years to build. What’s more, it can take you years to fix and eliminate the fake info which has been added to your credit reports. For that reason, it’s important for you to do everything possible in preventing identity theft.

The most common way that your identity is compromised is through the Internet. Some of the methods that perpetrators use to steal your identity is through the use of PC viruses and a technique called phishing. Phishing is when a person contacts you (usually by e-mail ) and impersonates a bank or other finance institution you deal with. They sometimes say that they are updating their files and need you to provide your personal financial information so that they can update their records. Once they have your social Security ID and other private info, they can use it to fraudulently get credit cards and make purchases in your name. And of course, this is when your troubles begin.

The smartest thing that you can do in preventing identity theft is this : Never answer to an email that requests your personal information and Never click on any of the links from these emails. If you get an email that asks for private info, look up the telephone number ( do not use the number that is provided in the e-mail ) and call the institution.

As an extra care, never provide personal data for a transaction that you did not specifically request or initiate.

Other ways that bad guys can get your personal information is by employing the documents found in mislaid wallets, by taking your mail, and by going through your trash.

Unfortunately, thieved identities are on the rise and can happen to anybody, including you. By knowing some vital facts, you can take measures in preventing identity theft. This kind of crime is here to stay and will only become more common in the future. Learning about preventing identity theft is your first line of defense. It’s a crime that could cause you endless headaches, time, difficulty, and money!

And it is growing at shocking rates. Sadly , accessing somebody’s private info isn’t as difficult a job as you may think.

The best way of protecting your identity is by employing a service. You can start at no cost by visiting Preventing Identity Theft !



Marvin

John Goldman asked:


Identity theft is becoming more sophisticated and hard to manage by ever passing day where id thieves are finding out new ways to steal your identity. This rapid growth in the number of cases in identity theft being reported has also been matched by the corresponding increase in the business that offer services to protect you from the impact of id theft.

However the arguments still remain when it comes to the effectiveness of services offered by these id theft protection companies. Therefore you need to find for yourself how services based on the organization would help protect your identity.

Services included

Max Thompson of Identity Theft Protection 101, identities five services which are generally offered by id theft protection companies. The services include daily monitoring of credit reports, providing you a list of the credit applications issued on your name, maintain fraud alerts on your credit reports, eliminate pre approved credit offers and also monitor other personal identifiers like your social security number.

The LifeLock Company for instance which is owned by Todd Davis offers an excellent example of the problems faced by these companies in offering your guaranteed identity theft protection. The owner of the company who is know for displaying his social security number in ads for his company’s effectiveness actually had his id stolen which caused their customers to file suit against them.

Report from Consumer Federation of America

There was a report by Consumer Federation of America or CFA in March 2009 entitled To Catch a Thief and it discussed whether id theft protection services are actually worth the cost which voiced concerns on the effectiveness of these companies. However after researching around 16 businesses which offered id theft protection service and the CFA had found several problems with their service.

Some of these include lack of proper information on costs and coverage, incomplete data about insurance coverage, misleading statements regarding the effectiveness of fraud alerts, vague guarantees and also the use of internal negotiation methods which could limit rights of a consumer.

The report from CFA also criticized the companies which publicize id theft ‘protection’ service. However according to the author of the report, although the services offered by these companies might offer protection from the effects of id theft, completely preventing it is very difficult.

According to the federal trade commission you are recommended to use free identity theft protection services that you are entitled for before buying services from different companies. The FTC also specifies that based on the Fair Credit Reporting Act you are permitted to place both a seven year extended alert and 90 day initial fraud alert on your credit report without any charges.

When these alerts are in place, the creditors will have to personally contact you before issuing any credit under your name. You can even use credit freeze option that can stop anyone from gaining access to your reports. Therefore when choosing identity theft protection organizations make sure know what services you are offered and how much it would cost you for their service.



Vera