Identity Theft « id theft fraud prevention

July 29, 2010

KFMB-TV RESCUECOM Gives ID Theft Prevention Tips

Filed under: News — Tags: Computer Advice, Computer Users, Franchise Operator, Id Theft Prevention, Identity Theft, Internet Connection, Rescuecom Franchise, Theft Prevention Tips — admin @ 2:43 am

atrescuecom asked:

A RESCUECOM franchise operator offers computer advice to protect computer users from identity theft through their internet connection. Learn more about RESCUECOM at www.rescuecom.com

Clarence

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July 21, 2010

John Sileo Author and Speaker

Filed under: Photo Id — Tags: Consumers, Corporations, Data Privacy, Data Security, Expert, Id Theft Prevention, Identity Theft, John Brooks, Mitigation Strategies, Presents, Prevention And Mitigation, Reputation, Sileo — admin @ 3:39 pm

BrooksInternational asked:

Brooks International presents John Sileo. www.brooksinternational.com . John Sileo, author and speaker, became an expert at ID theft prevention and mitigation strategies during a two-year fight to recover his reputation and credit. Furthermore, John Sileo was a victim of two separate forms of identity theft. He speaks professionally to associations, corporations and consumers on issues of identity theft, data security and privacy.

Pedro

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June 24, 2010

How Do I Protect My Privacy?

Filed under: Education — Tags: Financial Fraud, Identity Theft, Protect Privacy, Protect Your Privacy — admin @ 1:38 pm

LegalAidServicesofOK asked:

Protect your privacy and information from identity theft and financial fraud. For more information and links to the “how to” suggestions at this link: www.oklaw.org

Dale

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June 23, 2010

Protection Against Identity Thefts

Filed under: Legal — Tags: Breaches, Consumers, Death Certificate, Guardianship Issues, Home Invasion, Identity Theft, Illegal Benefits, Impersonation, Impersonator, Intervention Strategies, Occurrence, Online Retailers, Personal Identification, Private Data, Social Security — admin @ 3:27 pm

Clara Ghomes asked:

Identity theft is a term given to an occurrence where an individual obtains the personal information of another person to obtain some illegal benefits. The obtaining of personal information is done through privacy breaches. In case of consumers, this can also happen if they provide their own information to anyone else. Many times the thief obtains (or tries to) personal identification information or documents by physical crime such as home invasion or vehicle break in.

Many sites and agencies (such as Canadian Phone busters and US Federal Trade Commission) address identity theft and recommend intervention strategies. One of the most common of those strategies is the guardianship of the documents or information of personal identifiers. The guardianship issues involve suggestions as to what should consumers do to avoid their private data getting into a criminal’s hands.

Not identifying at all is the best protection against any mishappening of identity theft. This ensures that the personal information can’t be used again to allow impersonation. Identity theft is caused due to too much identification or too little privacy. Many institutions/organizations and activities require consumers to provide their personal information like credit card number, drivers licence number, Social Security number etc. This information is treated as a proof of the individual’s identity but it makes it difficult for people to protect themselves from identity theft. Many online retailers and companies suggest their consumers to ensure regular updates of their operating system and computer’s security to protect them against identity theft online.

Many times impersonator also tries to steal identity of a dead person. The crime can be stopped the personal information is cross referenced with the death certificate of the individual. Recently, many companies have started providing protection services to people against identity theft for a monthly or an annual fee. These services basically work either by monitoring the credit report of the individual and setting fraud alerts on person’s credit files. The credit reporting agencies disclose the credit and personal information to a wide client base and the restrictions on the disclosure can vary from customer to customer.

Also, many times people have been exposed to risks of identity theft through poor supervision of the data which results in data breaches. The corporate mistakes which can lead to data breach include not providing adequate network security to the data, not shredding the data (confidential and private information) before throwing in dumps, giving personal information of consumers to other businesses which do not provide enough security to the data.

Having strong encryption on computers, laptops and any other portable media which contain large amount of personal information of consumers ensure that the data won’t get into wrong hands. Having finger identification or any other biometric information can prevent data breaches but there are limitations to it also.

Alvin

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May 31, 2010

Identity Theft Workers Arrested

Filed under: Legal — Tags: Aliens, Authorities, Criminals, Document Fraud, Entry Document, Identity Theft, Illegal Employment, Illegal Immigrants, Joint Effort, Lawful Employment, Social Security, Social Security Fraud, Social Security Numbers, Undercover Operation, Wagon Train — admin @ 10:19 pm

Dr. Mark Clayson asked:

Over 1300 workers have been detained and arrested by police in the US over identity crime. Charges have been brought against 150 illegal immigrants who have been accused of stealing the identities of US citizens. The purpose of this crime was to gain legal employment. Other defendants will face the charge of illegal re-entry document fraud, social security fraud and identity theft. Additional charges are being brought against almost 100 other defendants.

The identification of these illegal criminals was the result of an organised attack. Operation Wagon Train was a joint effort by related departments in the US. The arrests and undercover operation shows that the United States takes identity theft very seriously. These illegal immigrants were trying to get legal jobs by illegal means. The message being sent out by the authorities is that nobody can gain lawful employment with a stolen identity. The stealing of these identities include the improper use of stolen Social Security numbers and other documents in order to get a job.

Many of the victims of this identity theft had already alerted the authorities to the nature of their stolen personal data. Some of the victims first knew about their stolen identity when the Internal Revenue Service began demanding taxes for unreported income. This income had, of course, come about by the illegal employment of the aliens who had stolen the original identity.

Government officials are increasing their efforts in order to support the crime of identity theft. Last year (2006) almost twice the number of prosecutions took place compared to the year before.

Frank

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May 30, 2010

KFMB-TV RESCUECOM Gives ID Theft Prevention Tips

rescuepc asked:

A RESCUECOM franchise operator offers computer advice to protect computer users from identity theft through their internet connection. Learn more about RESCUECOM at www.rescuecom.com

Sally

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April 16, 2010

How To Restore Your Credit Card Score After Identity Theft

Filed under: Finance — Tags: Card Issuer, Credit Bureaus, Credit Card Bureaus, Credit Cards, Credit Information, Credit Report, Credit Score, Discover Card, Discover Credit, How To Restore Your Credit, Identity Card, Identity Theft, Restore Credit, Safe Place, Score Card — admin @ 3:33 pm

Wade Robins asked:

Credit card identity theft where your credit card is stolen, your PIN is stolen or someone opens another credit card in your name, can all be particularly damaging to your credit score. Unfortunately a credit score isn’t so easily restored but there are a couple of things you can do to make the best of the situation and restore it as much as possible. In this article we will look at what you should do before and after credit card identity theft in order to best protect and restore your credit score.

The first thing you should do whenever you receive a new credit card is to make photocopies of both sides of the card and file these away in a safe place. This way if your credit card goes missing or you believe it may have been compromised you can immediately put a stop to it.

Regularly request credit reports on your name. These credit reports will show you whether any other credit cards have been opened in your name that you do not know about. The sooner you find out that a card has been opened in your name that is incorrect the sooner you will be able to put a stop to it and prevent any damage from occurring.

Only carry around with you those credit cards that you are going to be using and try to keep a minimum of credit cards.

If you discover that your credit card has gone missing or if there is any chance that your credit card information may have been compromised and used in credit card identity theft then the first thing you should do is to stop the relevant card or cards. Phone the card issuer and let them know that you believe you may have been a victim of credit card identity theft and if they could immediately put a stop to all purchases on the card.

You should also contact one of the credit card bureaus if you believe you have been a victim of credit card identity theft and report the matter to them. They can then put a fraud alert on your credit report which will make it more difficult for anyone to open another account in your name.

File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and with the local police station where the ID theft took place and give them a copy of your form from the FTC. For more info see http://www.preventidentitythefthelp.com/Identity_Theft_Protection on identity theft protection.

By following these preventative measures and taking action if you believe you have been a victim of credit card identity theft you will be in a much better place to restore your credit score if anything does happen and will hopefully be able to prevent too much damage taking place from the start.

Curtis

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December 26, 2009

What is the possible federal sentencing for 2 counts access device fraud and 1 count aggravated ID theft?

Filed under: Law & Ethics — Tags: Device Fraud, Federal Sentencing, Id Theft, Identity Theft — admin @ 6:58 am

Jenn asked:

I want to find out what the possible sentencing is on a person I know. She has been incarcerated a year in November and has a 2 year old. We are just wondering what sentencing she could possibly get and what we should do for the child. She has 2 counts access device fraud and 1 count identity theft.

Angel

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September 26, 2009

What Are The Effective Ways To Stop Identity Theft?

Filed under: Criminal — Tags: Billions, Credit Card Thefts, Crimes, Criminals, Financial Distress, Handbags, Identity Theft, Important Information, Instances, Malware, Passwords, People, Personal Status, Shoulder Surfers, Wallets — admin @ 9:02 am

John Goldman asked:

Identity theft crimes continue to grow as a huge problem throughout the world taking millions of victims under its influence. There were billions of losses incurred by identity theft victims just in the United States during the 2006 financial year and the instances for this crime from across the world are increasing every year.

Most of the people even don’t realize that their identity has been stolen until they witness a major incident in either their financial records or their personal status. The majority of identity thefts are for financial reasons but there are also criminal and medical identity thefts.

About identity theft

The criminals who engage in these identity theft activities today make use of highly advanced equipments in order to easily steal people’s identities. Some of the most common methods include hacking into database, phishing and also by the use of malware and spyware.

However this is also combined by some traditional methods such as shoulder surfing, credit card thefts, rummaging through trash bins and by snatching wallets and handbags to be successful in stealing your personal and financial data. Despite this, there are some easy ways to stop identity theft and most of them are simple to undertake on your daily chore. These steps have been effective in stopping id theft criminals from accessing your data and causing you both emotional and financial distress.

1. Be careful of shoulder surfers

When you are providing crucial credit card information or typing passwords online make sure you are cautious of those spying over your shoulder. You should also be careful when sharing information through the phone by keeping your voice level lower.

2. Shred disposable data

Whether they are papers or digital data you should be very careful when disposing them. It should be done in such a way that all your important information about your identity and your financial data is not available to anyone searching through your trash. There are several cases where criminals scan through the recycle bin and computer hard disk for information which you might have left when selling your computer. Therefore be careful to shred all the documents and completely remove all your personal records from the system.

3. Keep computer hacker proof

This means you can use intricate passwords, firewalls, anti hacking software applications and several other programs to prevent hackers gaining access to your sensitive data stored in the computer. Your computer operating system must also be updated frequently to prevent any technical loopholes for the hackers to benefit from. Make sure to check any authenticity of websites.

4. Protect your ID and social security number

Your photo ID and social security number are the most important pieces of data any individual can have. Therefore you should keep a track of who you are providing the number to and also keep a record of the purpose it is provided. Even if you get a hint of the information being compromised, you should instantly report it to the local police and the concerned authorities.

5. Analyze bill statements and credit card information

Make sure you check all your transaction records every year in your credit accounts. Your bill statements must be guarded against all the frauds which are used on a regular basis and carefully check your credit card information and credit reports.

Peggy

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August 29, 2009

Even the Founder of Lifelock Isn’t Immune to Id Theft

Filed under: Credit — Tags: Busin, Confidential Information, Credit Bureau Reports, Credit Reports, Identity Theft, Lifelock, Occasions, Occurrences, Opportune Time, Point In Time, Social Security, Social Security Number, Stress, Usa Today, Watchdogs — admin @ 11:05 am

Eric J. Nisall asked:

Back in March, I wrote a post in my blog regarding the increase in identity theft occurrences, questioning the need to pay firms to act as watchdogs when it can be done on your own at little out-of-pocket cost. Well, it appears that you may be better off taking matters into your own hands after the founder of LifeLock has seen his own personal information compromised on numerous occasions.

You know the guy, Todd Davis, who in those television commercials gives out his own personal social security number in an attempt to convince you that his company can protect your information for a fee. Well, as it turns out, he was wrong. In an article posted by USA Today, lawsuits are mounting as details emerge regarding Mr. Davis’ own problems with identity theft.

Without reiterating the entire article and the facts surrounding the issue, I will simply point out that Mr. Davis claims that there are no indications on any of his credit bureau reports of identity theft. However, that point is misleading simply because as anyone knows, new information is not reported to the bureaus, or even posted immediately. It may also be a case of a criminal simply not choosing to attempt to steal Mr. Davis identity at this particular point in time. They may very well be laying in wait for a more opportune time to do so. In either event, simply having his information compromised is the point that I stress. Regardless of whether or not fraud is actually committed, the fact still remains that a paying customer can have their personal, confidential information hijacked.

Now, can the same thing happen without paying a fee to a monitoring service? Absolutely! But, why would you spend even the $10 monthly fee if the result is the same as if you had been monitoring your own credit? Simply put, if you take the information from the guide I wrote about back in March, and visit some of the links to consumer groups I have posted on my main business site for GreenBridge Advisors you can put yourself at a decided advantage over potential identity theives.

Randall

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August 11, 2009

Federal Laws Against Identity Thefts – How Awareness Can Protect You

Filed under: Personal Injury — Tags: Crimes, Federal Trade Commission, Fraud Complaints, Ftc, Identity Theft, Magnitude, Money, Precaution, Prey, Sake, Sign Up For A Credit Card, Tactic, Thieves, United States, White Collar Crime — admin @ 12:10 am

Abhishek Agarwal asked:

In the United States alone, this is the fastest growing crime. In 2002, the Federal Trade Commission or simply put the FTC reported 43 percent of the fraud complaints they received where for identity theft. With the 2003 report, the incidents reached close to 10 million.

For every five families, there is always one who will fall prey to these thieves. It is hard not to be a victim even when every precaution in the book has been taken. Even though it seems you have safe guarded your data, the thieves always manage to stay a step ahead.

Understand that everything you do leaves a trail. Whether you use your pin number, write a check, sign up for a credit card or even order something online, thieves, if they want, will get your information.

No matter how hard you try, there lurks the possibility that existing information can still find their way to the identity thieves. Be aware of this fact and cautious with whom you give your vital data out to. Knowing this tactic, can put you above those who just give out their information.

It has been estimated that people spend approximately $500 and more than 30 hours to resolve. Some cases begin from a credit getting stolen to a person’s identity being completely “kidnapped”. These crimes are hard to prevent. Because of this, identity theft is hard to correct.

Identity theft is considered a white collar crime. It is because the thieves get in touch with the person directly to steal the information by deception and lies. They will also try and get any money from them that they can.

This crime does not need face to face contact for the thief to steal your identity or your cash. The ID theft is not committed just for the sake of having it but rather using it for other criminal means including to commit fraud.

Until 1998, the federal law had not caught up with this type of crime. In fact, it wasn’t until that year, that cases of a bigger magnitude started to show up. It was then that people began to see they needed a heavier sentence imposed on those who committed the fraud in the first place.

Thanks to these numerous cases, the laws were changed so some of these could be used as prosecuting the thieves. Some were changed or enhanced to repair their credit reports or recoup their losses and reputations.

The primary identity theft statute is 18 U.S.C.

Sally

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July 19, 2009

Identity Theft Of Social Security Number Is One Of The Most Common Id Thefts

Filed under: Advice — Tags: Absolute, Authorities, Id Theft, Identity Theft, Lost, Social Security, Social Security Card, Social Security Number — admin @ 8:29 am

Ann Marier asked:

The identity theft of social security number is an issue that is incredibly important, and so you really want to take this matter into as serious consideration as you can. After all, in regards to identity theft in general, identity theft of social security number is one of the most common issues, and this is why you are going to want to learn as much as you can about the matter of identity theft of social security number.

More About Identity Theft of Social Security Number

In regards to the issue of identity theft of social security number, there is much that needs to be known. For instance, there is the fact of how you should never carry your social security card around with you unless you really have to, and this way you have less chance of losing it while you are out.

As well, when you do have it at home, you should make sure that it is somewhere safe, where no one else knows where it is and where it will not get lost. This is one of if not the absolute most important piece of identification that you have, and your social security card is the key thing that a person would need in order to steal your identity, which is why you should always make sure that you know where it is and that you make sure that it is safe.

If you do happen to lose it, you are going to want to make sure that you call the authorities right away, and that you notify everyone that you have to that the card has been lost or stolen, and make sure that everyone is aware of this. Then you want to make sure that you get yourself a new card, and if the old card never turns up, you want to make sure that you keep a status on it.

This means asking to see if the number has been used or reported anywhere, because if it has then you know that someone has found it and that they are using it, which obviously is illegal. Just make sure that you make yourself as informed as possible and that you take all of the right steps in order to protect yourself and take care of yourself if you do end up losing your card or having it stolen.

Mildred

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June 24, 2009

Setting up Tax ID # — to or not to?

Filed under: Small Business — Tags: Identity Theft, Medical Transcriptionist, Reason, Tax Id Number — admin @ 5:55 pm

M asked:

I am a medical transcriptionist that is self-employed. Is there any reason that I would NOT want to setup a tax id number? Everything I have read makes it look like it would be the best thing to do for record keeping purposes and to prevent identity theft. Is there any reason I should NOT?

Renee

Comments (2)

June 20, 2009

Reporting Identity Theft – 7 Tips To Stop Others From Misusing Your Identity

Filed under: Personal Injury — Tags: Credit Cards, Double Identity, Fraud Alert, Future Service, Government Of United States, Governments, Hackers, Identity Theft, Measures, Objective, Personal Information, Police Station, Preventive Methods, Seven Steps, Talking To The Police — admin @ 10:57 pm

Abhishek Agarwal asked:

Identity theft as we know is on the rise. It is through measures like reporting it that we can battle this growing menace. here’s how you can help. It has prevailed (id theft) through efforts by governments and individuals alike. The internet has only made it easier for the hackers to get access to all your personal information under one roof – your email id. The government of United States has called for seven preventive methods to curb this growing menace. If not prevent it altogether, it will at least prevent further misuse of your identity, if you follow these seven steps.

1. Get in touch with the department of fraud in the government, when you have a fraud alert. The fraud alert is of course a personalized data that you use when you work with an office that deals with it. If and when the department comes across a double identity – it reports you of it immediately. This is a great way to curb the menace of identity theft, and if you are lucky you may even nab the culprit.

2. if you have reason to believe that your identity has been stolen, get into immediate contact with the nearest police station or sheriff’s office. If you wait to long to do this you are ruining chances of catching the culprit, and it could lead to further loss if it involves something like your credit card.

3. When you are talking to the police personnel, or narrating the incident for reasons of their report making, be as objective as possible. Do not leave out any details but do not go off the track as well. This will be the report that the office will use to begin an investigation, so it better be good!

4. Get in touch with your bank to cancel all credit cards and to issue new ones, and they may need the police report for this. So make sure you carry a copy of the report when you meet with the bank officials. The bank will decide on what measures need to be taken to provide you with future service. In most cases they will immediately suspend the account. Following this, they may issue you a whole new account number and new cards as well. You will probably be charged a fee for this, but that is the least of your problems!

5. If money has been withdrawn from your account before you realized there was a theft, let your bank know about it immediately. This information could give them the chance to trace the location where it was withdrawn, and take everyone closer to getting the bad guy.

6. Let the check verification agency know about this theft. They could stop payments on checks.

7. In any case, it is better to notify the social security office and get a whole new security number.

Following these seven steps will get you out of the mess.

Rosemary

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