Bank Accounts | id theft fraud prevention

January 10, 2011

Simple Steps to Prevent ID Theft

Filed under: Legal — Tags: Bank Accounts, Credit Cards, Credit Histories, Jobs, Lot, Magazines, Merchants, Place Individuals, Service Providers, Shopping Spree, Simple Steps, Social Security, Social Security Numbers, Thief, Victims Of Identity Theft — admin @ 2:43 pm

Tina L Douglas asked:

Identity theft is a fast growing crime that is pretty hard to detect. It is something that attacks silently and before you knew it, all your bank accounts have been drained and your credit cards owe thousands of debt from various merchants and service providers. Everything simply blows in your face and you will be left aghast, confused and frustrated that such a crime happened and all else transpired without your knowledge or without any hint. Identity theft does not only affect the individual but it also affects individual corporations and businesses.

Nobody wants to be a victim of identity theft. I believe everyone will agree to that. We cannot afford another person using our name, much less, our entire identity. For one reason, we all work too hard to protect it and whenever possible, we want it all for ourselves (who wants his identity shared, anyway?). You should be adamant when another person tries to steal your identity and decides to be you.

You see identity theft on television and in the movies. You hear them on the news and read them on magazines. However, identity theft is a reality than it actually seems. I have talked to a lot of victims of identity theft and everyone is in agreement that they never realized how grave id theft actually was until they were the ones who experienced it personally. You will never see the identity thief face to face but just the mere fact that another person was able to gain access to your personal information should be enough to make you feel paranoid and frustrated.

When identity theft is in place, individuals lose their identity because another one feigns it. Credit balances skyrocket because another individual decides to go on a shopping spree without being financially liable for the purchases. Bank accounts are drained, and social security numbers are used to apply for new driver’s licenses. Credit histories are ruined and people are refused of good jobs, promotions and a good future.

You do not have to be a victim of identity fraud. Everyone has a choice. Of course, when you decide that you will not be a victim of id theft, you really have to commit yourself against it. Your entire identity is composed of various information, each stored, kept and monitored by various agencies and organizations in your behalf and otherwise. If you seriously want to protect yourself against it, then you should be vigilant in safeguarding all the components of your identity. You do not just protect your social security number, but you should also protect your bank account number, passwords and even birthdays from being accessed by other persons. All these are important data that should always be kept out of public eye.

Remember, identity theft is not an accident. It is something that you decide would happen to you. If you become a victim, then probably you have missed out on something. Simple steps are significant steps. Take the first step now before everything else is too late.

Kevin

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October 13, 2010

Identity Theft Prevention

Filed under: Legal — Tags: Atm, Bank Accounts, Birth Certificate, Credit Card Accounts, Credit Card Debit, Credit Cards, Credit Score, Major Credit Bureaus, Personal Documents, Purse, Safe Place, Social Security Number, Surprise Charges, Theft Prevention, Wallet — admin @ 7:05 am

Beth Pardue asked:

The most important step that you can take for identity theft prevention is to order a new copy of your credit reports at least once a year to prevent being caught by surprise charges and accounts.

You can request a free credit report [http://www.credit-report-credit-score.com] from one of the many reputable credit companies available online or you can pay for a copy by requesting it directly through one of the major credit bureaus. The sooner identity theft is caught, the sooner the damage that has been done to your credit can be repaired.

Other things you can do for identity theft prevention include the following tips: Don’t carry unneeded credit cards, your Social Security card, your birth certificate or other personal documents in your purse or wallet. Keep track of all your ATM, credit card, debit card and other receipts. Either store these documents in a safe place or destroy them before putting them in the trash.

Additionally, if you have credit card accounts that you do not use, cancel them. Also, it is a good idea to keep a list of all of your credit card account numbers and the companies’ telephone numbers so you can cancel them quickly and easily in case they are stolen or lost. Just be sure you choose a safe place to leave the hard copy.

Lastly, protect your Social Security number as much as possible. This number is one piece of information that is always needed to open bank accounts and apply for credit cards. Do not give it out to any person or company unless you are familiar with them and you have initiated the communication.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the authors bio paragraph at the bottom of this article is included, the article is published “as is” (unedited) and all URL’s are made active hyperlinks with no syntax changes.

Angel

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September 28, 2010

The How to of ID Theft Prevention

Filed under: Legal — Tags: Amount Of Money, Bank Accounts, Correspondence, Credit Card Accounts, Falling Victim, Financial Services, Host Computer, Mail, New Ways, Paper Statements, Passwords, Phishing Scam, Pin Numbers, Scams, Thieves — admin @ 9:58 pm

Jesse Whitehead asked:

Do you realize that as you read this article that criminals are searching for new ways in which to steal your identity? This does not mean they want to actually wear your shoes and sleep in your bed! What it means is that through your personal details, an individual can open numerous bank accounts and credit card accounts, and acquire various financial services. It is essential to understand how to prevent identity theft as otherwise you may lose an untold amount of money to these thieves.

There are two main areas through which a criminal will attempt to get hold of your confidential personal information. First, there is the old-fashioned method of going through household trash to find any documents that may contain such information. If you want to minimize the chance of falling victim to this crime then you should ask your bank or credit card company to cut down on the number of paper statements they send to you. Also, any documents you receive through the mail should be thoroughly disposed of by shredding.

Secondly, the internet has allowed criminals to have many different methods of stealing an identity. Sadly there are new scams being perpetuated all the time on the unsuspecting. For instance, it is possible for your system to be infected with spyware that steals important data from your computer and sends it back to a host computer.

We all receive emails from unknown people promising us money if we give them some of our personal information. Never reply to such messages. If you receive an email that claims to be from you bank, then you should be more than a little suspicious.

It has happened that people have received mails purporting to be from their bank asking for pin numbers and passwords. Only after giving out this information did they discover they had been the victim of a phishing scam.

If you are ever unsure about any correspondence – be it by email, regular mail, or phone – don’t hesitate to double check. It would not take you long to ring up your bank to find out if they have really sent that email asking for your password details.

It is generally a good idea not to store important personal information on your computer’s hard drive. The exception is if you the information encrypted and password protected. A good password and login management software is RoboForm, which allow users to use a master password to protect all of their user names, passwords, PINs and so forth in an encrypted database on the computer.

There are also other software applications that can help you manage your personal information. Just be sure it has a method for encrypting and/or protecting with a master password.

As long as you understand the ways in which identity theft operates you should be able to take steps to protect yourself. Be proactive, and don’t wait until you become a victim to take action.

Luis

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New and Old Identity Theft

Filed under: Legal — Tags: Account Id, Bank Accounts, Bank Statements, Con Artists, Credit Card Accounts, Email Account, Financial Documents, Home Internet, Irregularities, Lawful Manner, No Doubt, Scams, Social Security, Social Security Numbers, Ways To Prevent Identity Theft — admin @ 4:37 am

Fred Jones asked:

The development of internet is no doubt the greatest development of the century. People can now share and find information they need right in front of their computer at home. Internet, or the sea of information as some people would call it, holds massive amount of information and data from all over the world, written and shared by many different people. The internet provides a lot of information to make people’s lives easier and more productive, including those who use the information in an un-lawful manner. With the surplus of information, it is now as easy as ever to get your identity stolen by the common con-artists.

Too much of anything can lead to a bad result, and in this case, too much information is now helping con-artists to steal your identity. Their old method of digging through trash for credit card numbers, bank accounts, and even social security numbers thrown away is now being used in a more technological way. Back then, the con-artists used these numbers to make a new credit card or even opening up a loan. Now, they search through the data called cookies in a computer to find account ID and passwords to access someone’s information. With the information, they can not only ruin your credit to get money, but there were even some cases where it has ruined people’s reputation by sending spam e-mails through someone’s email account.

Do not be afraid, there are certain measures to be taken to prevent these scams. Like the cross-shredding of important documents, such as bank statements and other financial documents, there are ways to prevent identity theft online. People should still request free credit reports annually to see if there are some irregularities, even new credit card accounts or loans opened under your identity.

The first and the most important step to prevent identity is through secure passwords. Use a strong password, with both letters and numbers mixed in together and it should be more than 8 characters to be safe. Some people go to the extreme to change their passwords every five to ten days, but it is safe to do so every three months. Try making them the not so obvious ones such as birthdays or even worse, your social security number. There are hackers working together with the con-artists today so, try to make it more difficult for them to figure out your password. And lastly, make different passwords for different accounts so if someone figures one out, you are safe on the other ones.

The usual “read all the text” applies in online businesses as well. Since it costs less than $50 to make a website, it becomes easier to set up a very convincing website to obtain your information. So make sure to do some research on a search engine about opinions about that website since some people might post their experience with the site. Well, you can never be too safe, so make sure to research, and even some websites that help you protect yourself, such as identitytheft.com, so make use of your resources and safe surfing.

Tim

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June 25, 2010

ID Theft and How to Prevent It

Filed under: Legal — Tags: Anti Malware, Antivirus Software, Bank Accounts, Credit Card Details, Criminal Acts, Criminal Prosecution, Crooks, Evil Intent, Facet, Fraudulent Activities, Internet Firewalls, Jail Time, New Accounts, Theft Losses, Thieves — admin @ 1:16 pm

Jesse Whitehead asked:

Most people even now don’t have knowledge about what ID theft is, much less how to prevent it. Well, people, it is time you knew exactly what you, as a citizen of the United States of America, or any other country in the world is facing. ID (Identity) theft is a very real and threatening threat that continues to grow as a vexing problem all across the world.

According to a trade federation report three years ago, ID theft was the top complained about problems lodged by consumers for five consecutive years. Sitting passively in your home will not keep you safe; identity theft usually aims at people like you and me.

There are many facets of the identity theft problem. One of the most common is the theft of credit card details. Credit card fraud takes up a major slice in overall ID theft losses, cutting off a major 26% share of the overall criminal theft activities as far back as 2007.

Another facet of ID theft is the retrieval of your personal information by crooks to register new accounts in your name, such as bank accounts and credit card accounts. Such fraudulent activities can prove very devastating to your finances and your good name. It might even lead to criminal prosecution against you, and in some cases jail time. This might result if the identity thieves committed criminal acts to defraud and swindle others using your name and identity.

By now, you should have a fair notion of what identity theft is. Nearly one in every five Americans are vulnerable to attack by these thieves. It is incumbent upon us to take steps to guard our identity against misappropriation by criminals with evil intent. One step that will go far in protecting you is buying and installing a good antivirus software on your computer. In addition, anti-spyware, anti-malware and internet firewalls will provide even more protection for your computer and all of your personal information stored on it.

Rosa

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November 25, 2009

What Do You Understand By The Concept Of Identity Theft?

Filed under: Personal Injury — Tags: Accessible Place, Account Takeover, Application Fraud, Avail, Bad Checks, Bank Accounts, Cash Advance, Contact Numbers, Debit And Credit, Everyday Data, Financial Help, New Accounts, Personal Identity, Social Security Number, Thieves — admin @ 9:15 am

John Goldman asked:

Identity theft is something that no one would ever want to experience as it is a case where the victim looses almost everything their financial status and even personal identity. Using everyday data such as your social security number and drivers license the id theft thieves can easily assume your identity to open new bank account, write bad checks, establish new credit card account, avail loans and even take cash advance on your name.

Additionally they might also set up cell phones or run up bills and utility services apart from just making charges on your previous account. The thieves can even gain access to your employment identity and rent an apartment over your identity. Just a single instance of this crime can negatively affect your credit score which can create a lot of problems when you need to avail financial help in the future.

Types of id theft

You can say it identity theft when someone else has sufficient information about you to stand up as you. The id theft criminals can use your information in different ways. There are way main types of id theft or the reasons for the theft. Firstly it can be for account takeover in which the criminals would use all your existing bank accounts including credit cards and run huge bills for you to pay.

The other common type is application fraud. With this type the criminal would take your information to open new accounts, which can take several days to detect as the address provided to the company would probably not be your real one.

How to prevent identity theft

Firstly you should know what you have which means getting ready of all the debit and credit cads you have with their contact numbers. Make sure you don’t carry more than 2 debit or credit cards with you. In case you would be around people such as the city center, keep your wallet safe and in less accessible place. When using the ATM, using your hand as a shield when typing the PIN would be wise. There are several other things to consider to prevent identity theft

Order a copy of your credit report every year and carefully review it. In case you find any suspicious activity make sure you immediately report it. You must also check your credit card and bank statements every month. When using your card in shopping malls or petrol pumps watch when it is swiped so that you ensure the clerk does not try to run it through skimmer which stores your information. Make sure you carry the receipt with you rather than just throwing it away. Buying a paper shredder can be an excellent and secure method to dispose all those financial junk mails and credit card receipts. This will help you ensure your personal and financial information is completely destroyed. When shopping online make sure you are providing your information to a secure shopping site by checking if they are SSL certified

Gerald

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November 3, 2009

Identity Theft – What Should I Do if I’ve Become a Victim?

Filed under: Credit — Tags: Bank Accounts, Certified Mail, Credit Bureau, Credit Information, Creditors, Everyday Opportunities, Federal Trade Commission, Fraud Alert, Fraud Department, Id Theft Affidavit, Internet Service Providers, New Accounts, Social Security Number, Three Major Credit Bureaus, Victim Of Identity Theft — admin @ 4:54 pm

Cathy Taylor asked:

Identity thieves take advantage of everyday opportunities to discover your personal information and use it to commit fraud or other crimes. The good news is a victim of identity theft has more options today than ever before. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), there are four important actions you can take to minimize the credit damage caused by circumstances beyond your control.

1. Contact any of the three major credit bureaus. Speak to someone in the fraud department and request that a fraud alert be placed on your credit report. As soon as one credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two will automatically place one on your report as well. With a fraud alert in place, creditors must contact you before opening any new accounts in your name or changing any details of your existing accounts.

Then request a free copy of your credit report from each one. Review all of your credit information looking for unauthorized accounts, charges, or changes. Check the accuracy of your name, address, phone number, Social Security number (SSN), past employers, and any other personal information. Request any inaccuracies be corrected by notifying the bureaus by phone and follow up in writing by using certified mail, return receipt requested, so you will have documentation of all requests and responses by the bureaus. The addresses for each bureau are listed at the end of this article.

Continue to check your reports every few months, especially in the first year after you have lost your personal information.

2. Contact the creditors for the accounts that have been altered or opened without your permission. This includes bank accounts, credit card companies, lenders, utilities, phone companies, Internet service providers, and any other services that may be opened fraudulently. Contact the company’s fraud department b phone and follow up with a letter.

The FTC offers the “ID Theft Affidavit” to dispute new accounts, available at www.ftc.gov . To dispute charges on existing accounts, request the company’s fraud dispute forms.

If you suspect that a thief has been passing bad checks in your name, close the account immediately and notify your bank. Contact the major check verification services and ask that the retailers who use their databases stop accepting your checks for purchases. To find out if an identity thief has been writing checks in your name, call SCAN at 1-800-262-7771. The three major check verification services are:

• TeleCheck – Call 1-800-710-9898 or 927-0188.

• Certegy, Inc. – Call 1-800-437-5120.

• International Check Services – Call 1-800-631-9656.

3. The third step to take if you believe you are a victim of identity theft is to file a police report. Request a copy of the report for your records and to send to creditors for verification of the crime. Unfortunately, 61% of victims in 2004 did not notify the police of identity theft crimes.

4. Finally, file a complaint with the FTC to help law enforcement across the country track identity thieves and catch them. You will also be referred to other useful government agencies and consumer organizations to help you recover from identity theft. Contact the FTC in any of the following ways:

• Call the FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338);

• Write Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580;

• Or visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft .

5. If you have been turned down for a loan, lost a job, or possibly had to pay significantly more interest fees because damage to your credit score due to circumstances beyond your control, you may have a credit damage claim. Now with a newly developed process called Credit Damage Measurement, you can measure the financial loss you have sustained and as a result, receive fair compensation.

These five steps should resolve most of your credit problems after becoming a victim of identity theft. However, stay alert for new occurrences. Review your credit report every year and report any problems to creditors immediately both by phone and in writing. With diligence and a little patience, you can recover your good name.

As promised, here is the location and contact information for he three credit bureaus to report fraud:

• Equifax – Call 1-800-525-6285; write P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241; or visit www.equifax.com for more information.

• Experian – Call 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); write P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013; or visit www.experian.com for more information.

• TransUnion – Call 1-800-680-7289; write Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790; or visit www.tuc.com for more information.

Lonnie

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October 23, 2009

What One Top Ten Identity Theft State is Doing About It

Filed under: Law — Tags: Bank Accounts, Credit Application, Credit Card Applications, Credit Card Numbers, Credit Information, Debit And Credit, Junk Mail, Personal Documents, Proactive, Public Trash Cans, Radio Shack, Savvy Consumers, Social Security Number, Social Security Numbers, Taking Steps — admin @ 5:16 am

Lisa Carey asked:

Consumers are not the only ones concerned about and taking steps to protect against identity theft. Many states are taking important steps to protect their residents. A few of these steps include stiffer penalties, imposing sanctions and fines on careless companies and providing their residents with many tools necessary to correct the errors that identity theft has caused.

Many identity theft savvy consumers are: installing anti-spy ware, using shredders, reducing the use of their social security number, using services to stop junk mail and risky credit card applications. But what about the actions of others? After all the care you take to protect yourself, what happens when others, such as companies or service providers do not?

Businesses that have access to your information aren’t always looking for you. It is far too easy to simply throw important personal information away, than to take the sometimes expensive steps needed to have it professionally disposed of. But many states are looking out for your best interest, especially when it comes to identity theft. Texas has a growing reputation for being proactive in preventing identity theft and tough on punishing businesses who don’t protect the consumer. Texas law requires vendors to take specific precautions before disposing of personal documents that may include customers’ bank accounts, driver’s license and Social Security numbers. In the state of Texas, you can bet companies will be thinking twice before dumping your credit application in a public trash can.

Examples of Poor Business Practices:

Public trash cans outside a local Radio Shack were filled with thousands of customer’s sensitive personal and credit information after the dumping of these documents. Credit applications containing names, social security numbers, debit and credit card numbers as well as addresses and telephone numbers and receipts were located, exposing many Radio Shack Consumers to identity theft or credit card fraud.

After investigations by the State of Texas Attorney General’s office, a settlement was reached. Under the settlement with Radio-Shack, the retailer is required to enhance security procedures and implement employee training. Radio Shack also agreed to unannounced compliance audits in all Texas stores bi-annually.

Select Medical was investigated after a report that over 4,000 documents were found in the garbage behind their Select Physical Therapy Location. These un-shredded records included bank account numbers, drug testing results, insurance verification sheets as well as sensitive social and vocational therapy questionnaires.

Select Medical will also be required to amend security procedures and implement training for Texas employees about the newly established state laws governing customer record disposal.

The insurance forms are of particular concern in light of the growing trend of medical identity theft, in which an individuals’ insurance information is used to obtain medical services or to commit insurance fraud.

Under the settlement agreement, the state of Texas will receive nearly $1.5 million in fines, including attorney’s fees. As outlined in the Identity Theft and Protection Act, the remainder will be used for the investigation and prosecution of future cases of identity theft.

Stiff penalties are just one of the steps taken to protect and prevent identity theft. The Texas Attorney General’s Office has created a checklist for victims of identity theft to take steps and track their progress during recovery. The identity theft check list includes information and forms on: closing all fraudulent accounts made in your name, contacting the 3 major credit reporting agencies and requesting a fraud alert or security freeze for new accounts, reporting identity theft crimes for local law enforcement and obtaining a copy of the police report, and reporting identity theft crimes to Federal Trade Commission and completing and ID Theft Affidavit. Victims are also advised to file a consumer complaint with the Office of the Attorney General in the event that they are harassed by credit collectors as a result of identity theft. Additionally The Texas Attorney General’s Office also offers an Identity Theft Victim’s Kit.

According to 2006 state statistics on identity theft, Texas ranks fourth in the area of identity theft. States are ranked according to victims per 100,000 people, and it should be noted that Texas also has a higher population than many other states. The top ten states with the Most Victims of Identity Theft Per Capita are: Arizona, Nevada, California, Texas, Florida, Colorado, Georgia, New York, Washington, and New Mexico.

Just because your state did not make the top ten list, doesn’t mean you are safe. No matter where you live, this crime is a real problem. Information, advocacy, laws and prosecutions in any state will ultimately help everyone but in the mean time consumers must educate themselves and arm themselves with protection against identity theft as well as the remedies available to them. With the continued efforts of law enforcement, state and federal agencies, stiffer fines and penalties as well as requiring a higher standard of care from businesses, progress is being made on many levels in protecting consumers.

Jennifer

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June 25, 2009

Identity Theft – what is it and how can it be avoided?

Filed under: Personal Finance — Tags: Applying For Credit Cards, Bank Account Details, Bank Accounts, Banking Products, Common Sense, Credit Card Provider, Credit Card Statements, Criminals, Insurance Documents, Insurance Policies, Internet Banking, Monthly Statements, Paper Shredder, Passports, Safe Place — admin @ 8:10 pm

Sam Gooch asked:

Identity theft is a definite threat to us all, effecting hundreds of people everyday across the globe. There are insurance policies that can be taken out in order to cover yourself against ID theft, but this may not be necessary, as there are a number of measures you can take to help you to avoid becoming a victim, most of which rely on simple common sense.

ID theft is a technique used by criminals allowing them to benefit financially through claiming they are you, for example taking out loans, applying for credit cards etc. all in your name.

One of the issues in tackling this type of fraud is that the police have limited resources, especially as a large number of these criminals are not even in this country.

Doing all you can to avoid becoming a victim of ID theft is easier than you may think and being aware of the following points could save you a lot of grief.

1.      Ensure that all of your important documents and financial related documents are stored in a safe place out of sight. These include official documents such as passports and driving licence documents, as well as financial documents such as bank and credit card statements, bank account details, insurance documents etc.

2.      Frequently monitor your bank accounts and credit card statements to ensure there are no suspicious transactions. If possible, set up internet banking for all banking products as this will allow you to regularly check statements without having to wait for your monthly statements. Online banking is also very secure, with many banks now providing customers with card readers which generate pass codes that must be used when logging in to your account, or making a payment. If you do notice anything that looks suspicious, contact your bank or credit card provider immediately.

3.      Buy a paper shredder. You can pick one up from £5 to £30 and you can use it to shred any official documents that you don’t need to keep. This includes the obvious such as bank statements, but also any loan or credit card application forms, and even junk mail that has any of your details i.e. name, address, telephone number etc. Simply throwing these documents away could result in them falling into the wrong hands.

4.      Make sure you are aware of when your regular financial documents arrive, ensuring you are aware of anything out of the ordinary, for example you haven’t received your credit card bill for 7 weeks.

5.      At least once a year, apply for a copy of your credit file to check all current finance arrangements in your name, allowing you to spot anything unusual.

6.      Never give out sensitive information over the phone unless it was you that made the call or are 100% sure that the call is legitimate. For example, you receive a call from somebody claiming to be your bank asking for details such as your full name, DOB and Mother’s maiden name. These are types of information that fraudsters will want to get hold of, so be vigilant.

7.      Never trust emails claiming to be your bank or Credit Card company. Some of these emails can look extremely convincing and the irony is that many of them claim to require your details to help tackle fraud. You can usually spot these emails as the URL that you are required to click may appear to be the official site, but on closer inspection you will see it is in fact close, by hovering your cursor over this link. You will then be re-directed to a spoof page that looks genuine but is actually used to steal your login details.

8.      When moving house, subscribe The Royal Mail’s redirection service. This will ensure all mail addressed to you ends up with you.

9.      Check your bills as soon as they arrive in the post. If there’s anything suspicious contact your bank or Credit Card company immediately.

There are a few main techniques employed by criminals to carry out ID theft. These include:

Bin Diving

Going through your bins searching for bills or other documents containing your personal information.

Skimming

Used to steal credit/debit card numbers using a special storage device. This can be avoided by keeping your card on you or in view when making payments.

Phishing

Claiming to be a legitimate financial institution to gain your trust then push you to reveal your personal information.

Changing Your Address

Diverting your bills, statements and other sensitive documents to another address by filling out a change of address form.

Old-Fashioned Stealing

Stealing wallets; mail etc. to get enough information about you.

Pretexting

Used to obtain personal information from a number of sources such as financial institutions, telephone companies, and other sources by impersonating you

Once an identity thief has successfully acquired your personal information, they can use it for a number of different things.

Credit card fraud:

* A new credit card can be applied for in your name. The card can then be used to get credit and all unpaid bills will appear on your credit report, damaging your credit history.

* By changing your address, they could run up charges on your account but you will be unaware as you are not getting the bills. It could be some time before you notice anything unusual.

Phone or utilities fraud:

* A new phone or wireless account could be opened in your name, or even utility services like electricity, water, or satellite television.

Bank fraud:

* Counterfeit checks made with your details.

* Bank accounts opened in your name.

* Credit or debit card cloned allowing them to use your cards.

* A loan taken out in your name.

Government documents fraud:

* Used to get official ID cards such as a driving licence under your name but with their picture.

* Use of your details to get government benefits.

* Fraudulent tax return made using your information.

Other fraud:

* Qualify for a job using your personal information

* Rent a property in your name.

These days, most banks have intelligent anti-fraud systems that recognise any unusual activity on your card, for example you withdraw money from a cash point in the UK and later that day money is withdrawn from an ATM in Canada.

When taking out a credit card, you will probably find that you are offered some kind of anti-theft insurance to protect you against fraud. But the fact is that ID theft is heavily promoted and sometimes over exaggerated to help sell the product.

According to a spokesman from the UK’s fraud Prevention Service – the CIFAS, ID theft is still a relatively rare crime, but it is on the increase.

So as long as you’re cautious with who you give your personal information to, keeping it in a safe place, shred all unwanted documents containing your information, you should remain safe from fraud.

Lynn

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How To Report Identity Theft?

Filed under: Criminal — Tags: Bank Accounts, College Students, Credit Card Info, Credit Report, Credit Reporting Agencies, Damages, Federal Trade Commission, Fraud Alert, Ftc, How To Report Identity Theft, Number Address, Small Business Owners, Stock, Telephone Number, Thieves — admin @ 8:05 am

John Goldman asked:

Identity theft is simple is robbing of ones identity including their name, telephone number, address, credit card info and almost all the personal information. In most of the cases these thieves would not just steal your identity but can also steal properties which are secured on the account of the victim. It can be a serious case and is known as fraud by the FTC.

Anyone can be a victim of this dangerous crime as there are no specific requirements for the theft to take place. Even the small business owners along with college students can be victims of id theft. However in case you have become a victim of id theft it is important that you instantly report identity theft.

Access the damage done

Firstly it is important you don’t panic as it can lead to disconnected actions and thoughts. Before you can do anything, firstly access all the damage being done. Find out why your identity might be stolen, the extend of damage and even the damage is not instantly apparent take a stock of the consequence.

Get ready a list of all the accounts you think are affected and their damages. Check your bank accounts and credits which is generally the first thing id thieves might do. You should also find out if there are any unauthorized transactions done to any of your accounts.

Place a fraud alert

The fraud alert would be a warning placed on all your credit reports so that it warns merchants that criminals might be using these funds fraudulently. The fraud alert must be activated with all the credit reporting agencies. You should also review your credit report by requesting a copy of your credit report when placing the fraud alert. In case you find any discrepancies then make sure you instantly report it to the agencies. Additionally make sure you also close all the accounts which you suspect are already compromised.

File complaint with the FTC

The Federal Trade Commission actually monitors and tracks all the ongoing id theft cases. It is through these cases which patterns are being recognized and the id theft is found. Therefore when you suspect of being an identity theft victim immediately report to the FTC by either calling them or by visiting their online help line website.

Report id theft to your local police department

Make sure you are prepared as it could be a frustrating experience. This is because all the police departments are not good at handling identity theft cases but they can help you with any further problem. You can just file your report at the police station who might further take action by working with the FTC and the credit reporting agencies. You can even provide them the same copy of id theft which you submitted at the FTC. However make sure you retain a copy of the police report with you as it can be one of the most helpful tools when you need to clean up your credit, financial and personal identification.

Florence

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April 25, 2009

Child Identity Theft

Filed under: Insurance — Tags: Bank Accounts, Credit Rating, Drivers License, Education Loan, Health Professionals, Legal Professional, Likelihood, Loan Applications, Mail, New Identity, Ribbons, Tax Forms, Thief, Thieves, Transaction Records — admin @ 5:23 am

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

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March 13, 2009

Identity Theft Stats.Best Anti-Theft Software

Filed under: Security — Tags: 10 Million, Bank Accounts, Credit Cards, Financial Institutions, Fraud Protection, Garbage, Hard Drives, Hassle, History Button, Information Internet, Internet Banking, Mail Accounts, Privacy Protection Software, Sophisticated Hackers, Store History — admin @ 2:05 am

Avery Mann asked:

Identity Theft is On the Rise

Privacy Protection for Your Computer

The definition of Identity Theft is simple. It is when someone uses another persons personal information for their own gain. The results are not so simple however. Lives have been totally destroyed. Experts say that it has steadily risen each year, and tragically affecting almost 10 million victims in 2008. As of now, online ID theft accounts for less than 20%, but that too is on the rise. Most PCs store history about different activities that are usually private. This information is stored on your hard-drives and virtually everyone who has the knowledge of it can take a look at it. It is possible to purchase zero-liability fraud protection programs offered by financial institutions and other privacy protection companies. If you are the type of person who doesn’t want that kind of hassle to begin with, than there are a few things you should know about your PC.

For those of you who think that using the “Clear History” button or common protection tools like firewalls and anti viruses will completely eliminate Identity Theft, here is what you don’t realize. These methods will not totally remove your personal information, and the hackers know it. Sophisticated hackers are using advanced methods and tools like Phishing, Spamming, Indentity Theft to pluck out vital and valuable information your software missed. Think about the places your PC hides personal information? This includes e-mail accounts, credit cards, bank accounts, Paypal accounts, web sites you browse on the Internet and you don’t want other people to find. All of these are within some hacker’s grasp.

Your PC is a Garbage Can of Sorts

Reasons to Get Privacy Protection Software

Email…Windows stores in its cookies your user name and password and on occasion your email addresses will contain private information.

Internet Banking…As this practice grows, so do the threats. You need to completely clear your browser history.

Credit Cards…More common than banking, making payments with your credit cards, can be very enticing to the hacker. With the use of certain trojans and malware, they can get your credit cards information from your computer

Stored Documents…Windows may save temporary files that are left unprotected, and thus exposing all private personal and work related information left on your computer’s hard-drive.

Sharing Your PC…You want to be confident that any activity is cleared every time someone uses it.

Software Designed to Make Your PC Safe

Use Your PC Stress Free

Just as there is software that will eliminate adware and spyware, so too is there software specifically for Privacy Protection. Besides adware and spyware, Malware comes in many other forms, such as Trojans, Dialers, worms and viruses. Any software that you engage should protect all your programs as well as your identity with real-time security updates, powerful first layer defense, and fastest possible responder to online threats, and must be compatible to your PC.

I have created a site, where you can go and peruse the top rated software for Privacy Protection, as well as all the top rated registry programs available on the internet.

PC Rescue Reviews is a one stop shopping Registry Products site. Not only will you find the top rated software programs available, but also information on how you can do-it-yourself with no software, if that’s your preference. This is a very convenient way to check out all your options in one place. So go to:

PC Rescue Reviews for all Privacy Protection and Anti-Identity Theft help.

Wendy

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