id theft fraud prevention

June 25, 2010

ID Theft and How to Prevent It

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

June 1, 2009

Id Theft and You

Pj Germain asked:


Identity Theft

Identity theft is the wrongful use of YOUR personal information – such as your name, social security number, or credit card number – without your permission by another person to commit fraudulent or criminal acts. ID thieves take out phony loans or ring up bogus charges in your name.Identity theft is often a question of too little privacy or too much identification. How can so much information get out if you personally keep it private? Identity Theft is when someone uses someone else’s personal identifying information for illegal purposes. The illegal purpose often involves acquiring goods and services and/or obtaining credit in the victim/s name.

Identity Theft is less risky, incredibly easy, and highly profitable as compared to most other crimes. A thief who robs you at gunpoint and is caught is likely to be sentenced to 5 to 10 years in prison.

Consumers

Consumers are also wary of where their information – address and credit card numbers – goes after they have filled out the online purchase forms. Even more surprising, 34% said they are not confident in credit card companies or online retailers ability to keep personal information private. Consumers are still shopping at TJ Maxx and Marshalls because they aren’t personally feeling the pain of that mammoth data breach. Consumers battling a weight problem often fail to get proper medical treatment, instead falling for infomercial-driven scams and no-sweat schemes. New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, taking a short break from putting insurance executives in prison, suggests beefy consumers expend some energy checking whether their health plan will cover medical treatment and professional nutrition counseling for their obesity.

ID Theft Prevention

Review all medical records, claims and reports for unusual entries Look for services never rendered to you or your dependents, inaccurate diagnoses, address changes, collections, and disclosures made to other agencies or health providers. Dispute any misinformation with your insurance provider, health provider or credit bureaus for investigation and/or removal Make all disputes in writing and provide copies of any claims that include misinformation. Review your monthly statement for unfamiliar charges, and shred all papers that contain personal information. Order a free copy of your credit report from each of the three bureaus at www.annualcreditreport.com , and stagger your requests so you can review a report every four months.



Julie

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