Identity Theft | ID Theft
How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
Archive for February, 2011
How You Can Avoid Becoming A Victim Of Identity Theft
In: id-theft
14 Feb 2011Best ways not to become Identity Theft Victim
You can take several basic steps that will help you to avoid being the Identity Theft Victim.
Though it will not completely secure you, the risk will be decreased to minimum.
The first and perhaps the most useful step is checking your credit records regularly. This is the best way to uncover someone is using your identity, moreover it’s the quickest way – so the intruder will have less time to dig into your budget. In the credit report you will see all accounts under your name, and if some of them were disturbed by the other person, you will see it immediately. Even the slightest suspect is worth your attention.
Second step is to be careful with your private information. Never give away any personal data to anyone you do not trust enough. This will secure you from being the Identity Theft Victim Sometimes you have to use you private information to verify your identity. For example, in bank you most likely will be asked of your mother’s maiden name, as the manager will ask it in case you call them for your account data. Still if anyone is calling to you with this question, you’re not obliged to answer. Moreover, the less information you leave on your bank checks, the safer your
identity will be.
Do not trust to the unknown person calling you by phone and offering bank services, like the instant opening of the credit card, and asking for the private information of any kind. Telling anything to such person is the direct way to become the Identity Theft Victim. To avoid it, ask for the written application. If they refuse, just decline their service and hang up.
During your travel arrange your mail to be held in the post office until you return. You can also ask your friend to collect the mails during your absence. It is important not to leave them in the mail box for long time, as anyone can pick them up from there.
Do not speak out any private data while you’re in a public place or anywhere, where people can listen to your conversation.
Check the incoming credit reports on regular basis and check carefully if all the transactions were
approved by you.
Ask for report copies to save them for future.
The easiest way to avoid becoming the Identity Theft Victim and to have the perfect credit report is to get FREE online credit report. This will level up your Credit Score and enable you to correct your credit using Legalhelper service.
The credit score you have will affect the future credits you may ask for. May it be an auto loan, a mortgage or just new credit card opening, everything will be much easier with clear and clean credit record. Lenders will use this data to decide if you’re really worth the credit you need. The better score you have, the more credit you get.
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There are many people who have been victimized by Identity theft and do not even know it! They never check their credit report and if the Identity thieves have not caused major credit problems as yet; they may not realize that someone else is using their Identity and their credit.
At least once per year, you can obtain a free credit report from the major credit reporting bureaus, but this is not frequent enough to provide you with a warning if someone is using your credit.
Phishing
1 Feb 2011Beware of the Newest Activity Online… Phishing.
I’m not talking here about the outdoor activity enjoyed by many. And no again; I did not misspell it. Phishing is the name given to the latest online scam where millions of unwary Americans are getting their identities stolen.
This fraudulent activity is considered the fastest growing crime of modern times. The favorite target groups of phishers seem to be very young children and senior citizens, as they do not often ask for credit reports, fill out credit card applications or solicit loans. This allows the thieves to go undetected for longer periods of time; but still, be careful. We all are potential targets.
Remember when throwing away unshredded documents with personal information in the trash bin was considered a big risk for identity theft? While this still happens, identity thieves have become more sophisticated in recent times, and this is how they do it…
Phishers create bogus e-mails that look as if they came from large, well-known institutions and banks, such as eBay, Paypal, Citibank, EarthLink, and Wells Fargo among others. These e-mails claim that you are due for an account update, or that the account number, password, social security number or other confidential information needs to be verified. Then they warn you, stating that if you do not do it within a certain period of time, that your account will be closed, terminated, the service discontinued, or something to that effect.
They even provide you with links to websites that look legitimate, because they hijack the real logos of these well known banks, and trusted institutions and companies. And that is the scary part… these e-mails look 100% legitimate, but they are not.
In some cases it goes even further… some of these phishers are installing spyware on your computer to monitor your online activities. So… should you leave the online world for good? Not necessarily.
These are a few things you can do to protect yourself from these scammers:
1. Do not respond to any e-mail that asks for personal information from you, such as account number, credit card number, user names, passwords, etc. If you suspect that the e-mail, indeed, be legitimate, contact your bank or institution to verify this.
2. When in doubt, visit the Anti-Phishing Working Group for an update of the latest scams, and tips to avoid becoming a victim. The website’s URL is www.antiphishing.org
3. Websites like www.Paypal.com, www.citibank.com, and www.ebay.com, offer security tips and tell you what information they’d never ask for in an e-mail.
4. Get anti-virus software and keep it up-to-date.
5. If you suspect you have received a fraudulent e-mail, do not click on any links within it, and forward it to the FTC at uce@FTC.gov
Finally, if you suspect you’ve been a victim of this fraud, get a copy of your credit report immediately to check for unusual activity. If you discover that you’ve been a victim of identity theft, close your account at once and…
* Call the Credit… Read the rest
Fraud Alerts and Identity Theft Reports
In: id-theft
1 Feb 2011If you have become the victim of Identity theft, there are certain reports you need to provide that will help you resolve credit problems. First of all, you want to be sure a Fraud Alert is issued and that an Identity Theft Report is provided to the credit reporting agencies.
There are two types of fraud alert: initial alerts which last 90 days and extended alerts which last for seven years. You should immediately have a fraud alert placed on your credit report if you think you have been or are about to be the victim of Identity theft. If you have actually been the victim of Identity theft and can prove it, you can have an extended alert placed in your record. This provides you with an additional free credit report each year so that you can watch your credit report more closely.
To place an alert or remove a Fraud Alert from your credit record, you’ll need to be able to provide proof of your Identity which many include your social security number and other personal information that the consumer reporting agency may request. After the alert is placed, each time you apply for credit, you will be required to provide verification of your identity before the credit is extended. This will keep others from obtaining credit in your name.
An Identity Theft Report has two parts. Part one is filed with a local, state or federal law enforcement agency which may include the local police, State Attorney, FBI, FTC or U.S. Postal Inspection Service. There is no law stating that any of these agencies must make a report.
The second part, Part Two of the Identity Theft Report requires that you contact the credit reporting agencies and provide information or documentation requested which will include a law enforcement report so that they can verify your identity theft. They have five days to review any information you submit and may request additional information within 15 days of your report. If any requested information is not provided to the consumer credit bureau within the time they state, you will probably have your Identity Theft Report rejected as incomplete. Be sure to follow up and get all requested information to the proper authorities as quickly as possible.
These reports do not change the fact that you will need to close any accounts that you suspect have been or may be in the future fraudulently accessed. You will have to go through the process of opening new accounts with creditors, bankers and other services that you feel are in jeopardy. However, these reports will help protect your credit rating and ensure you do not experience the heartbreak of learning that you can not be granted credit easily, even though you – the REAL you – has an excellent payment history because of the actions of an identity thief.
Identity Theft News
1 Feb 2011Fraud and Identity Theft in the News
Because of the significance of Identity Theft in many people’s lives and its rapid increase over the past several years, it is often a hot topic in the news. Below are some of the most recent news articles appearing on identity theft, fraud, scams, phishing, and related topics.
Identity Theft – Economic Fraud
In: id-theft
1 Feb 2011Identity Theft – Economic Fraud
There is a problem plaguing corporate America today. And it is a serious enough problem that could have repercussions on the very nature of our economy. This is a problem that can strike any one of us who ever held a credit card or a bank debit card or ever shopped online. The problem is one that has come to be known as identity theft. And the repercussions are more than mere identity. Estimates of the financial fall out of identity theft range from a few billion dollars a year to as much as 480 billion dollars! And experts in the field of identity theft only claim that it is growing by the day.
Identity theft first made an appearance in the news headlines when the odd shopper or credit card holder reported the loss of a small amount of money. Frequently, this was discovered to be related to fraud more than identity theft. One particular case the made the headlines pertained to a man who had been buying pornography on the Internet and had used his wife’s credit card. When he was found out, as he ultimately would have been found, he cried Identity theft and lodged a complaint. Turns out the man had not even bothered to cover his tracks. The IP address of his computer was tracked to the websites he had visited and the hoax of identity theft was quickly discovered and plugged.
But there are several genuine cases of identity theft that occur on an alarmingly frequent basis. A recent news report mentioned the theft of a laptop computer from the home of a retired banker that had the credit card details of over one thousand of the bank’s clients. Why the retired banker had the information was irrelevant. What was relevant was that the theft was discovered in time to prevent any large scale Identity theft.
But the thieves have been getting smarter and better. One of the more common methods of identity theft nowadays involves fraudulent retailers who set up dummy retail outlets on the banking network and try out stolen credit cards for nominal charges. Once they are approved, they typically make a large withdrawal from a nearby automated teller machine.
But as the perpetrators of identity theft get smarter, the banks too have begun installing security features that make it more and more difficult for the fraudsters. Today’s network security systems are smart enough to enable bankers to spot the first instances of identity theft almost as soon as the theft occurs. But a lot more needs to be done to restore the faith of the general public in the infallibility of their credit cards.
You can do you part in reducing the incidence of identity theft by becoming knowledgable about identity theft and how you can protect yourself from becoming the next identity theft victim.
Tips to Avoid Identity Theft
Identity theft can be a stressful and aggravating experience should it happen to you. While you can’t control certain situations that can lead to Identity theft such as unscrupulous business people, you can take some steps that will minimize your potential to falling victim to this crime that is becoming so common today.
Each year, obtain a copy of your free credit report. The changes to the Fair credit reporting Act now requires each major national consumer reporting bureau to provide this.
The realization that identity theft was a real problem was brought to my attention when the son of a close friend went to purchase a car. When he applied for the car loan he was told that he had a credit problem and his loan request was denied. This was a complete surprise to him. As far as he knew his credit record was outstanding. He discovered he was a victim of identity theft!
Social Security Identity Fraud
dentity thieves are constantly on the lookout for any documentation they can use to smoothly acquire another person’s identity. The number one document that will open almost any door for these unscrupulous characters is your Social Security card. Once a thief has obtained your Social Security number, the path to assuming your Social Security identity is now wide open and ready to be trampled upon. Therefore, your Social Security number should always be protected at all costs. Don’t become a victim of Social Security identity fraud.
You will be required to present a valid Social Security card to the personnel office when you embark on a new job. Once your employer has recorded the number, the safest thing for you to do, in order to protect your Social Security identity, is to store your card in a secure location. Never carry your Social Security card on your person, in your wallet or in the glove box of your car.
But what do you do if, despite your best efforts, you discover someone is using your Social Security number for fraudulent purposes? You must act immediately. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission either by phone (1-877-438-4338) or via the Internet at www.consumer.gov/idtheft . Do not procrastinate on this as identity thieves are extremely adept at rapidly assuming your persona and they can cause unlimited damage to your credit rating in very short order.
If you suspect that someone else is using your Social Security number for work purposes, you should immediately contact the Social Security Office. Identity thieves can wreck havoc with your income tax and if left to their own devices can cause you untold grief with Uncle Sam and the IRS. It could take months or even years and probably a ton of money to prove you have been a victim of identity theft, so quick action on your part is essential.
Should you suspect that someone else is using your Social Security number fraudulently to retain employment, you can also go Online at www.ssa.gov/mystatement and check your Social Security Statement, which records all earnings posted to your Social Security record. Should your suspicions be confirmed and you discover errors on your Social Security statement, you should immediately contact your Social Security Department. Again, procrastination can be devastating as unravelling these records is time consuming and fraught with red tape.
Should the unthinkable happen and you can confirm that someone else has access to your Social Security number and is creating havoc… Read the rest
Internet Identity Theft
1 Feb 2011The realization that identity theft was a real problem was brought to my attention when the son of a close friend went to purchase a car. When he applied for the car loan he was told that he had a credit problem and his loan request was denied. This was a complete surprise to him. As far as he knew his credit record was outstanding. He discovered he was a victim of identity theft!
Identity Theft and the Internet
dentity theft is a growing problem that has reached worldwide, astronomical proportions. Internet identity theft is on the rise and can have a huge, detrimental affect on your life by destroying your credit score and even leaving you open to criminal charges for crimes that are committed in your name.
When someone else assumes your identity for illegal or otherwise unsavoury purposes, this is known as identity fraud and is growing at a frighteningly rapid rate throughout the United States and the rest of the world.
These unscrupulous characters make a living by stealing your identity and impersonating you to commit crimes such as bank fraud, credit card fraud, mail fraud and more. Criminals abound in this lucrative field and they are quite skilled at rapidly conducting a myriad of illegal operations once they assume another person’s identity. Not just a local crime, instances of Internet identity theft have been linked to organized crime and drug trafficking as well as pornography, money laundering and alien smuggling.
The Internet, while providing an efficient and easy to use marketplace for users, is also a domain that is fraught with identity theft opportunity. However, recognizing and protecting yourself from identity fraud is possible. If you use due diligence when conducting business over the Internet, you will be able to give your identity a blanket of protection, thus saving a great deal of heartache and headaches later.
In order to ensure safety in your Internet transactions, you should adhere to the following:
- Always use the same “stored-value” card for all Internet transactions. Stored value cards are ones that are issued by your financial Institution with specified dollar limits.
- Establish an account with an Online Payment Service whose primary service is geared to protecting their clients’ financial transactions over the Internet.
- Use a browser that has built in encryption capabilities, which will scramble any sensitive information transmitted via the Web. If the URL address begins with “https” and you see a small “lock” icon in the status window, chances are your browser is equipped with the latest technology to protect your personal or financial information.
- Strive to conduct business with sites that have been authenticated with digital certificates. Click on the authentication logo to ensure you are on a legitimate, protected site before you provide any sensitive information.
- Read the “privacy policy” of the web page you have accessed to ensure that your personal and financially sensitive information will not ever be released to third parties. Sites that have been
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- Fundamentals of Software Testing
- How You Can Avoid Becoming A Victim Of Identity Theft
- Your Credit Report May Show Identity Theft
- Phishing
- Fraud Alerts and Identity Theft Reports
- Identity Theft News
- Identity Theft – Economic Fraud
- Tips to Avoid Identity Theft
- Social Security Identity Fraud
- Social Security Number Identity Theft