id theft fraud prevention

April 25, 2009

The Predicament of Phone ID Theft

Marcus Mcarthy asked:


Fraud is a problematical fact that we deal with in countries across the globe and despite the fact that it has been there in one shape or another throughout the years, its face is changing with technological improvements and has become a menace for phone customers. Agreed, technology gives various helpful advantages in our daily lives, but it poses several risks as well, threats we must all be aware of and know how to deal with. One such fraud is identity theft utilizing cellular phones, something that has become a bit of a phenomenon for customers in many countries worldwide.

Different aspects of your identity, like your name, address, phone and credit card numbers and even your national identity or social security number are utilized in corroborating consumers for Internet products and phone banking. To develop security quite a few organizations delegate inimitable pin codes for their users. Despite the fact that carrying out deals on the phone and Internet have become entirely indispensable, time conserving conveniences in our lives, think about what may perhaps occur if an individual got these details through some manipulative process or your carelessness. You may perhaps be deprived of a good amount of cash in the short run, with drawn out repercussions for something as significant as your financial rating. So how does cellular phone identity theft commonly take place?

One of the multitude of, but more conventional, practices is by getting in touch with a cellular phone customer acting like a supplier whose services you subscribe to. This could be a bank, cell phone operator or an Internet service supplier. Deploying a business like tone, fraudsters ask you for your private information declaring that you have attained a considerable amount of money or part of your account requires rectification. They communicate your private data attained from the Internet, because of your carelessness or even papers you have tossed out. The private data you so effortlessly offered is at once used against you and phone accounts you by no means registered for are now being utilized and charged in your name.

Another phone fraud that has also become somewhat widespread is counterfeiting mobile phone accounts by employing technology and transferring credit through a phone SMS message or business card. With the utilization of precise scanners, scam artists acquire your cell’s exclusive serial number and other information and encode one more phone to simulate the primary cell. The calls are subsequently invoiced to your account. In the instance of balance relocation, quite easily attainable as pre-paid services in many Asian countries, the cell user gets a business card with an eye catching name (usually sex related, so be careful guys) and what appears to be a series of numbers instead of the authentic phone number. When the business card is saved your pre-paid balance gets instantly passed on to the account of the individual mailing the business card.

So what can you do to prevent cell identity theft? Technology has come up with a solution part of the dilemma but straightforward details require to be taken care of to make sure you are not effortlessly victimized. By no means leave your cell laying around in work or public places. At all times keep your bills and any other detail showing fundamental private information stored in a safe area, and if you need to throw away fairly old papers make certain you shred or burn them. In no way confer private information in open areas or to unknown callers even if they claim to be a service provider. Carefully scrutinize the number or always convey the individual you will call back through established numbers if you feel the offer is a beneficial one. Make sure you obtain itemized bills and repeatedly examine for a abrupt increase in calls or billing.

Although these preventive practices are trouble-free they can be time consuming and agonizing. Remind yourself of the expenditure you may well get exposed to if you do not show concern for these helpful guidelines and the bearing it may well have on your financial rating in case of failure to pay massive fees. Perceive not being able to procure a cottage or a automobile because an individual stole your identity. I am rather sure no person wishes for that and don’t forget, it could easily happen to you.



Charlie

My landlord opened an account with the electric company for my apt under his name with my SSN. Can he do that?

Filed under: Credit — Tags: , , — admin @ 12:08 pm
Shr3dh3d asked:


I know this has to be illegal like ID theft and fraud. Now to put the acoount in my name, I have to prove who I am and that it’s my SSN on the account. Is there anything I can legally do to him for this? Would this affect my credit if the account is in a bad standing?

Kathryn

Child Identity Theft

Randy Vezina asked:


 

When a child is born, a parent may apply for a Social Security number for that child.  A child’s Social Security number is very much sought after by identity thieves.  The child identity thief could be a family member (uncle, aunt cousin), another adult who has access and is allowed in your home, someone who has stolen your mail or hacked into your computer.  We think we know who the child identity thief could be, but we don’t.

Most parents apply for the baby’s SSN so that they can claim the child on their taxes and you must submit the SSN on the official tax forms, so now, anybody who has the means to see that tax form can copy the child’s information.  The child’s identity could be stolen at the hospital or at a health professionals’ office.  What about the dishonest legal professional who sells the child’s identity to an unscrupulous client.  It does not matter what profession a person is in, they have the potential to be dishonest.

The thief could be anybody.  Typically, your not going to check your child’s credit rating (why would you), so your not going to know their identity has been stolen.  Now the identity thief has more than a decade to create a new identity for him and gain credit cards, loans, cell phones, utilities, bank accounts, drivers license etc. etc.  The crime is not discovered until your child has grown and applies for her first education loan, apartment, credit card or job!  By now, the trail has become ice cold and your child’s credit record has been cut to ribbons.  In all likelihood all of the accounts opened in her name have been purchased by a collection agency.

It would be very difficult for your child to repair what has happened because of the difficulty in tracking down the original loan applications and transaction records if the original account has been through several hands because of companies merging and being bought-up.  Our children need to be taught about the dangers of providing their personal information and your personal information when they are logged onto the net.  Today’s kids have a burning desire to log into the many chat rooms and social networking sites and they may be asked for personal information on a registration screen or by an identity thief.

The preventative identity theft company, LifeLock, has already launched the first-of-its-kind Children’s ID Theft Prevention Program.  Now, LifeLock’s subscribers can add the children’s ID theft program to their existing full suite of ID theft preventative services.  The children’s theft prevention program is for minors 16 years and younger.  A recent study in the state of Utah revealed that 1,800 Social Security numbers assigned to children 12 years of age and younger had been forged, according to the state’s Identity Theft Task Force.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has advised that between 5% and 7% of identity theft victims are under the age of 18 and if you include college-aged individuals, it is almost 20%.

“Due to the extreme increase in ID theft among minors, we have taken the initiative to develop a first-of-its-kind program to protect children,” said Todd Davis, CEO of LifeLock.  Tracking credit bureau activity and monitoring depository accounts are considered standard when dealing with identity theft.  But Davis insists that working with the Social Security Administration and identifying work activity from unusually young minors is a red flag that warrants further investigation. “LifeLock is in the process of working with local and federal agencies, as well as leaders in Washington D.C. to lead the efforts in protecting our children from identity theft. This is a critical aspect of our overall service,” continued Davis. “As the Utah investigation demonstrated, sadly, there are numerous victims yet to be discovered.”  LifeLock subscribers can pay $10 per year for the Children’s ID Theft Prevention Program through which LifeLock will regularly audit the credit bureau, monitor depository banking accounts, and track any unusual “work activity” with the Social Security Administration on behalf of LifeLock’s youth customers. All minors enrolled in the program will also benefit by LifeLock’s standard $1 million guarantee.

 

Do you want to learn about Identity Theft Prevention &

Loretta

Powered by WordPress
id theft protection | id theft fraud prevention