Social Security Numbers | id theft fraud prevention

March 11, 2011

Simple Guidelines For Your Small Business Concerning ID Theft

Filed under: Legal — Tags: Business Loss, Business Partners, Cio Magazine, Class Action Lawsuits, Credit Card Numbers, Flash Drives, Ftc, Home Computers, Paper Documents, Risk Management, Small Business Owner, Small Business Owners, Small Businesses, Social Security Numbers, Wrong Hands — admin @ 12:10 am

J. M. Smith asked:

Generally the problem with small business owners and risk management, specifically in the area of ID Theft is that the small business owner thinks small. They feel because they have a small business certain laws only apply to the larger business. As a small business owner you should be concerned about some of these facts. Over 150 million data files have been breached from organizations with many of those being small businesses.

CIO Magazine, The Coming Pandemic, by Michael Freidenberg, May 15 2006 says “If you experience a security breach, 20 percent of your affected customer base will no longer do business with you, 40 percent will consider ending the relationship and 5 percent will be hiring lawyers”. That’s a potential 65 percent business loss with possible class action lawsuits. Are you getting concerned yet? Shouldn’t it be your responsibility to protect your clients personal information. They’ve entrusted you with it and now it should be your obligation to protect it. Even if you don’t feel like it is, the Federal Government is making sure you do.

It doesn’t matter the type of business you own, the information you collect, names, addresses, social security numbers, credit card numbers or other account numbers about students, employees, business partners, contractors, or patients. Their information lost by you and into the wrong hands can put everyone at ID theft fraud. Certainly the type of compromised information will affect the type of potential damage. A great start to learning more about what you can do in beginning a protection plan is to start with the FTC’s guide for your business.

Here are three simple things to start with.

1. Take Stock. Know what personal information you have in your files and on your computers. Inventory all computers, laptops, flash drives, disks, home computers and all other equipment to find out where your company stores sensitive data.

2. Lock it. Store paper documents or files as well as CD’s, floppy disks, zip drives, tapes and backups containing personally identifiable information in a locked room or in a locked file cabinet. Limit access to employees with a legitimate business need.

3. Pitch it. Properly dispose of what you no longer need. Implement information disposal practices that are reasonable and appropriate to prevent unauthorized access to – or use of- personally identifying information. Reasonable measures for your operation are based on the sensitivity of the information, the costs and benefits of different disposal methods and changes in technology.

These three simple steps can get you on a great start. There’s definitely a whole lot more you need to do but understanding some simple steps can get you on the right path to your businesses awareness of this international crime. Stop thinking like a small business owner, take responsibility and when your clients and employees see you care about their personal information your business will take on the dynamics of big business.

Jeff

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February 7, 2011

A Complete Wall of Protection With Your ID Theft Coverage

Filed under: Legal — Tags: Bank Of America, Bank Of America Corp, Breaches, Credit Card Processor, Cyber World, Diego State University, Drivers License, Dsw Shoes, Government Records, Lexisnexis, License Numbers, Medical Id, San Diego State University, Social Security Numbers, Timewarner — admin @ 9:53 am

J. M. Smith asked:

Everyone seems to have the answer to this epidemic; Million dollar coverage’s, insurance for reimbursement, resolution to walk you through the process and promises of 100% guarantees that you’ll never become a victim.

Where do you begin to weed out all of the junk from the good?

Let’s start here in answering some of these questions and you decide. I think it’ll become pretty obvious to see how to get protection that will work to save you time and money.

You’ll need to start first by knowing that you cannot and will not prevent yourself from becoming a victim. It is extremely dangerous for anyone to display their social number in public. I could take that number right now and go to just about any medical clinic and get medical treatment using that social. Most of these clinics don’t ask for ID, neither do they run the social and verify that the social matches the ID. That’s medical ID theft.

Be aware of the 100% guarantee that you will never become a victim. Your information is already irretrievably out there in cyber world. Just about every where you shop has information about you and if you have a credit report your data has already been sold.

Consider these breaches:

1. CardSystems Solutions Inc. a major credit card processor. At risk: 40 million people.
2. Seisint, a unit of LexisNexis that compiles information from government records and holds personal data about most American citizens was repeatedly attacked. Hackers gained access to U.S. account holders’ social security numbers, names, addresses and drivers license numbers in 59 break-in attempts over two years. At risk 310,000
3. DSW Shoes, data lost from more than 100 stores stolen. At risk 1.4 million.
4. San Diego State University. At risk 178,000
5. ChoicePoint. At risk 145,000
6. CitiFinancial. At risk 3.9 million
7. TimeWarner. At risk 600,000
8. Bank of America Corp. At risk 1.2 million

The list goes on and on. I could write for a couple of days on these breaches. The idea here is to show you how your information is irretrievably out there. It doesn’t matter what you do with your information, it’s what these companies are doing with it. Think you can still be covered 100%?
Here are ten things anyone can find out about you:

1. Your current and previous address (from the US postal service and credit bureaus)
2. Any criminal convictions (from court records)
3. Whether you have a professional license (from licensing agencies)
4. Whether you have filed lawsuits or been a defendant in a lawsuit (from court records)
5. If you’ve had speeding tickets, drunken driving convictions, or other marks on your record (DMV)
6. What cars, trucks, boats and planes you own (from state motor vehicle records)
7. Whether you have filed for bankruptcy or had liens placed against your property
(from court records)
8. What you have pledged as collateral for bank loans
(from Universal Commercial Code usually in county recorders’ offices)
9. What pieces of real estate you own and how much you paid (from county tax records)
10. Whether there is a warrant out for your arrest (from court records and police agencies)
Some of this information is published in your local newspaper and much of this information is at no cost, it just takes a little time. To a thief it doesn’t matter the time he takes because he’ll get paid.

Ok, so if your information is out there and you can’t protect yourself then what do you do?
You slow the thief down. I’m not going to cover that right now I just want the facts out to show you that you are not guaranteed 100% that your ID is protected. Once you understand that, you can then start to ask these other questions.

If you do become a victim what should you do?

I believe there are three things that are essential to your being 100% covered.

The first of these is that you have a complete restoration service available. Not a service that will walk you through the process. I say this because the average victim will spend over 600 hours to repair the mess. That’s 15, 40 hour work weeks. I don’t have that much time and most probably your boss isn’t going to let you sit there at the office making calls to fix your problem. Many victims never do clean up the mess and just when they think they are safe and have the problem taken care of they find out from some other source the information is still there.

There are some people who will have to carry with them the rest of their lives a piece of paper stating their victimization as proof to law enforcement if arrested or detained. A good restoration service will assign an agent to your case and begin the process on your behalf to clean up and clear your good name.

Know this, reimbursement services may reimburse you for the money lost but do not reimburse for time spent. You’ve heard, time is money and just because you get reimbursed you could spend your life or well over 600 hours clearing your good name.

Also know that reimbursement or insurances generally want you to file a claim and if you have ever had to deal with filing claims with insurance companies you know that could be a nightmare. They also know that you as a victim have to report the ID theft within 60 days or you could be held 100% liable. Read the FTC’s report “ID Theft Take Charge”.

So while restoration services are good they still don’t completely cover you or you could even say while reimbursement or insurance services are good they still don’t completely cover you.

Second you need a monitoring service. Once again time is money. Unless you want to monitor your credit everyday and spend your time doing this I suggest pay the monthly fee usually $10.00 a month will do this for you. Actually a good restoration company will also monitor your credit for you as well. I suggest the restoration company that monitors Experian. Why? Because Experian does a daily download of address changes.

Now here’s the kicker. This is by far the third part of the coverage no one ever talks about and is in my opinion the most important.

Ask yourself this question. If you are arrested or detained because of criminal ID theft, do you think you might need access to an attorney? Let’s say it’s a holiday or after normal working hours and you’re pulled over and told there are warrants for your arrest. Wouldn’t you like to talk to an attorney either on the spot to keep you from being arrested or at the county jail?

Why doesn’t anyone talk about the third part? Because they don’t know.

So here is what most folks do. They see a lot of advertising on ID theft; they get scared because of some ad on T.V or some program on a celebrity show. They think it’s the best decision with little or no research and call the company advertised. Again, generally a reimbursement or insurance service is good but then the victim finds out they need an attorney and most attorneys are over $200.00 an hour. Try this one on for size. If you’re arrested try calling your insurance company you have ID protection with and see what advice you get. And that’s if they’re open after hours and even if it is within normal working hours what type of legal advice are they going to offer you? That’s right, none.

An attorney will almost over 90% of the time be needed if you fall victim to this crime. Think about this. The first thing everyone says to start the process of notification is filing a police report. If I have to file a police report I want an attorney’s guidance. If I’m arrested I want access to an attorney and I don’t want to pay $200.00 or more an hour and I want it 24/7 because ID thieves are at work 24/7, right?

Don’t let this ID theft stuff get complicated. Just ask the right questions and do your research. Here is the complete wall of protection, Restoration, Monitoring and Legal. Any of these left out and you could be in trouble.

Barry

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February 4, 2011

Id Theft and Credit Card Fraud

Filed under: Legal — Tags: Courage, Credit Card Fraud, Credit Card Payments, Credit Fraud, How To Prevent Identity Theft, Internet Browsers, Internet Explorer, Issuance, Legal Documents, Passing Moment, Recession, Safe Web, Social Security Numbers, Thieves, Thinkers — admin @ 8:18 am

Tina L Douglas asked:

We are in this period that due to recession, there are increasingly high demands for credit card protection due to fraud. Identity thieves now are becoming more ambiguous and cunning each passing moment. This is especially true to the online thieves. Not being seen by those who they are attacking gives them more courage to commit this crime.

Luckily for us, there are more ways than one to prevent ourselves from becoming a victim of these thieves. A little intelligence and sound judgment with increased awareness of this treacherous tactics can make us excellent thinkers on how to prevent identity theft.

Before going to the battle we must know who our enemies are and how are we going defeat them. You may think that a credit card fraud and identity theft is the same. Credit card fraud means stealing the credit card info of another person to purchase products and services. Identity theft means stealing a person’s data like social security numbers and pose as the owner of this data. Identity theft has been used to illegally aid them in issuance of legal documents such as passports, driver’s license and this is widely used by terrorists as well.

There are a lot ways in which we can check if we are secured online, while we are doing our online shopping or signing up to a certain website. There are internet browsers that provide information on whether the website is safe and secured. Firefox, like Internet Explorer, displays an icon that serves as an indicator if you are on a safe web page.

There are a lot of prominent websites that accepts credit card payments using encryption technology. This means that the data that you enter like your credit card number will be unreadable to anyone except for those who are processing the data. This means that your credit card info will not be hacked once you entered it and it will remain unreadable to them.

It is advisable not to open any suspicious emails or an email that comes from people you don’t know and more so answer them. Most of them will lure you to give them your credit card info for whatever purpose that it may serve them.

Identity thieves also use “phishing scam” and they send emails to unsuspecting targets and asking them to go to a website to input credit card info. These criminals then get the CC and personal information and use it for themselves.

In receiving phone calls, it is advisable not to entertain any calls that ask for your personal or credit card info. This is clearly a scam. The rule of thumb is, if you didn’t make the call, and then you shouldn’t be giving out any information. Callers can disguise as someone you know and there are people who have talent in convincing other people to give out whatever information they will need. So be very careful.

It’s not that hard to protect ourselves from these fraudulent acts, we just need to be organized, like keeping personal data, credit cards and tams in safe place. Don’t just leave it anywhere, don’t keep it out of your sight. If there are changes in your account, notify the right company immediately. And for your billing statements, receipts that have your credit card number shred it if you don’t need to keep it.

If for some reason your card was misplaced, lost or even worst stolen, call their 24 hour hotline. By always being on your toes and being proactive, we can all address the issue of credit fraud and identity theft, and not become a victim.

Stephen

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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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September 28, 2010

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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August 25, 2010

An Overview of the 5 Types of Identity Theft

Filed under: Legal — Tags: Credit Cards, Email Scams, Financial Accounts, Financial Documents, Financial Identity, Illegal Aliens, Irs, Mail, Medical Treatment, Nightmare, Security Identity, Social Security, Social Security Number, Social Security Numbers, Thief — admin @ 3:54 pm

Bernard Pragides asked:

Identity theft can take many forms. Many people do not realize that there are actually five different types of identity theft. You can take steps to protect yourself from this nightmare, but first you need to know what you are up against. Here is an overview of the five types of identity theft.

1. Financial identity theft is the kind most of us are readily familiar with. This is when a thief steals your information and sets up financial accounts in your name without your permission or knowledge. Basically, they pretend to be you and set up an entire financial portfolio in your name. This includes bank accounts, loans, credit cards, and even mortgages. In order to protect yourself from this type of identity theft, make sure you properly dispose of all personal and financial documents.

2. Social security identity theft is a huge problem and is growing in popularity among identity thieves. In order to effectively pull off financial identity theft, a thief will need your social security number since all banks require it to open an account of any kind. Many thieves get this by dumpster diving, stealing mail, or email scams called phishing. Do not give out your social security number to anyone, no matter who they claim to be, over the phone or the Internet. Illegal aliens will also sometimes steal social security numbers since they are asked to provide one by their employers. Then, the IRS comes to you for any taxes owed on income you did not get.

3. Medical identity theft occurs when a person who does not have insurance uses yours to obtain treatment. This is not good because the data from the other person is now in your file. Imagine if you needed a heart transplant or other major medical treatment at some point and your insurance refused to pay for it because they show you have already had that procedure done and will not pay again. This can also affect your ability to get health and life insurance.

4. Driver’s license theft is now easier than ever thanks to a book put out by the DMV detailing all of the states’ drivers license specs. You can download information on any driver’s license and make one that looks just like the real thing. Obviously, this can be a real issue when you receive a ticket in your name that someone else deserves!

5. Criminal or character identity theft often ties in with driver’s license identity theft. Nefarious characters who commit crimes will have a driver’s license made with your info and their photo. They can then conduct their criminal activity under your name and then slip away when the authorities get too close. Guess whose door the cops are knocking on for the culprit?

Identity theft is a major problem today. You need to be vigilant and guard your information closely. Don’t give out personal information unless it is absolutely necessary, and destroy all correspondence before you throw it in the trash. Identity thieves are looking for an easy target, don’t be one.

So stay alert! Beware!

Beatrice

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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 17, 2010

ID Theft and Identity Theft Prevention

Filed under: Legal — Tags: Billing Statement, Billing Statements, Buy Home Theater, Checking Out Books, Credit Score, Discrepancies, Mail, Name Social Security, Public Library, Purses, Scams, Social Security Numbers, Telephone Bill, Thief, Wallets — admin @ 3:56 pm

S. Michael Windsor asked:

Identity theft affects over 9 million Americans alone each year. As the degree of damage varies from individual to individual, the lasting effects are nearly the same. ID theft ultimately affects your credit score. And in many cases ID theft can cause major damage without the victim even realizing it at first. Identity theft can occur simply by a ID thief obtaining a person’s identifying information such as their name, Social Security numbers, credit care and other account numbers and more.

There are many ways thief can use a person’s identity and not just so they can steal money and buy home theater systems or take lavish vacations, like the recent college-aged thieves caught after years of stealing credit to finance expensive vacations, but many will even steal such information for paying their own rent, telephone bill or even checking out books at the public library.

There are many ways in which an identity thief can obtain your information. Many of the methods used more frequently include going through your trash, going through your mail and stealing a credit card statement in order to obtain your credit card number, email scams, stealing purses and wallets, and even an employee at a restaurant or store jotting down your credit card number as they are running your card.

These events and more can really damage a person’s credit report and overall score which could take a while just to get back in order.

So how can a person protect themselves from identity theft? The most effective way to combat identity theft is to check your billing statements regularly as well as monitor your credit report regularly. Monitoring ones credit does not have to occur daily. But, if done on a monthly basis, one can see any discrepancies on their credit report soon after a potential identity theft occurrence appears on their credit report or billing statement.

Despite the fact that the ID theft occurrence may not be entirely the credit holder’s fault, the lasting effects become that victim’s responsibility to discover and fix. However, there are now services that provide identity theft protection which can be found in more detail at our site. These services can help you keep a close eye on your credit and all identifying information and help prevent identity theft overall.

Erica

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January 7, 2010

Identity Theft Is A Real Threat To Your Credit

Filed under: Credit — Tags: Consumers, Credit Card Numbers, Credit Freeze, Credit Rating Agencies, Credit Worthiness, Economic Crimes, Financial Gain, Fraudulent Activity, General Assembly, Institutions, Law Enforcement, License Numbers, Prospective Creditors, Social Security, Social Security Numbers — admin @ 5:50 am

Gregory Wadel asked:

Identity theft is a real threat. It occurs when someone obtains credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, bank account information or other pieces of private information and uses them to commit some sort of fraud or deception, usually for financial gain. Identity theft can happen anywhere to anyone. In line at the store, online at home or when you’re buying your morning coffee.

Identity theft, also known as ID theft is a crime in which a criminal obtains key pieces of personal information, such as Social Security or driver’s license numbers, in order to pose as someone else. The information can be used to obtain credit, merchandise, and services using the victims name.

Victims might spend months or even years regaining their credit worthiness. In the meantime, the victims find it difficult to obtain loans, get a job, an apartment, or even write checks. Victims of economic crimes are encouraged to contact the following companies when their identity has been compromised by criminal activity.

Consumers were asked to name institutions where fraudulent accounts were created or where their accounts were affected by fraudulent activity. While the size of banks could be estimated by the amount of money they held in deposits, no such measure is available for telecommunications firms.

Consumers can protect themselves from identity theft in a variety of ways. Perhaps the most effective shield is a “credit freeze.”.Under a law proposed by my office and passed by the General Assembly, consumers can have one of the major credit rating agencies “freeze” their credit.

Luckily, I have a good agent that told me about it over a year ago. Look for any unauthorized accounts as well as numerous requests for your information from prospective creditors, which may indicate that someone is attempting to open accounts using your information. If you discover any unauthorized use of your personal information, you should contact your local law enforcement.

Last year, the government lost two computer discs containing government records on 25 million people. And in January the Ministry of Defense admitted it had lost control of a laptop containing unencrypted records on 600,000 prospective military recruits.

Identity theft is a felony crime; however, police cannot help with your credit record or undo the damage that has been done. Delayed discovery of identity theft and the various ways criminals can now gain access to your personal information, can complicate a criminal investigation. Identity theft often goes undectected.

Within a month of being committed, half of the crimes still remain unnoticed. Identity theft has grown at an astounding rate since the widespread adoption of the Internet. Every day new news appears about incidents of identity theft, new methods of theft, and cutting edge technologies designed to protect your identity.

Contact your local police department and ask to file a criminal complaint. Some police departments aren’t too thrilled to do this, since it is a very difficult case to pursue. Contact your banks and have them help you obtain new account numbers for all your accounts. Pick a new PIN number for ATM and debit cards.

Arthur

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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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September 26, 2009

The Young Victims of Identity Theft

Filed under: Relationships — Tags: Credit Accounts, Detective, Dumpster Diving, Epidemic, Federal Trade Commission, Identity Theft Cases, Local Police Department, Resource Center, Social Security, Social Security Numbers, Spotless Record, Student Loan, Theft Investigations, Unfortunate Distinction, Victims Of Identity Theft — admin @ 5:03 pm

Ronald Hudkins asked:

According to the Federal trade Commission there was an estimated half million children who joined the ranks last year with the unfortunate distinction of becoming victims of identity theft. An advocacy group called the Identity Theft Resource Center identifies relatives as being involved in more than half of the child identity theft cases reported in the United States in year 2006.

It should be noted however, the thief is not always someone who knows the child. It is suspected by this resource center that identity theft of children is increasing so rapidly precisely because kids are such good targets. They further believe children are victimized because they usually have a spotless record and because they aren’t using their credit and as such; the crime can go undetected for years.

Now that most infants by law have social security numbers, thieves have discovered they may be the easiest targets of all. Thieves have years to manipulate these identities and create a considerable amount of damage. Infants and children remain lucrative targets because they typically don’t use their social security numbers until their late teens and discover the theft problem upon applying for a first job, a student loan or a credit card. When families and their children finally find out, the burden of proof falls on them.

Some of the most common tactics of identity theft (but not limited to) include parents using their children’s’ Social Security numbers to open up new credit accounts, and “dumpster diving” thieves stealing credit offers mistakenly sent to children too young to make use of the application themselves.

Helen Simmonds, a detective in a local police department, has been handling identity theft investigations. It was noted that almost all involved Social Security numbers issued in the early 1990s to children who are now turning 16, 17 and 18, and trying to obtain credit for the first time. It is believed by the investigator that there is going to be an epidemic [of such cases] not just locally but; across the nation.

It then should come of no surprise that credit-monitoring services are beginning to target concerned parents, offering to monitor children’s identities. At LifeLock, credit monitoring for your child costs only $25 annually in addition to a $10 monthly charge for adults. LifeLock also takes actions to basically audit the Social Security Administration annually on the child’s behalf to find out if there’s been any work history related to the child’s identity number.

A spokesperson for the SSA advises that parents can simply call their local Social Security office and get that information free of charge. However as a concerned consumer and parent you need to know; if thief is using your child’s Social Security number, but with a different name then your child’s, the SSA will not find a matching record for your offspring.

One of the major credit reporting agencies: Experian – recently launched FamilySecure monitoring service which alerts parents as soon as anyone applies for credit using their child’s name. However, at $19.95 a month, the cost might be a bit cumbersome to many family budgets.

Parents that remember or have the time whom want to contact the three Credit Bureaus to determine if there is any activity on their children’s credit can use the following contact Information and procedures;

Experian Call 1-888-379-3792, select the Fraud option. Parents have to mail in documentation, including proof that they are the parent or legal guardian for the child, such as a birth certificate for the child and driver’s license for the parent. If the child does not have a credit file, Experian will notify the parents in writing. If a credit file exists, Experian will provide a copy to the parent so they can dispute any fraudulent information. The bureau will attach a notice on the file that it belongs to a minor, to prevent lenders from issuing credit in the future.

For Equifax Mail a request to: Equifax Information Services, P.O. Box 105139, Atlanta, GA 30348. Attach documentation identifying you as the child’s parent (see above). If a credit record exists, Equifax will delete any fraudulent accounts, take the report offline and flag the Social Security number as one belonging to a minor. Parents cannot receive a copy of the fraudulent report.

Actions for TransUnion require a parent to Email childidtheft@transunion.com TransUnion will email back instructions on requesting a file. If one exists, the bureau will lock the file until the child turns 18, so his or her information cannot be used to obtain credit.

TIPS for ID Theft Prevention:

Don’t give out personal information: never reveal anything about yourself unless you initiate the contact or if you request a phone number that you may call back to authenticate the representation being made (do not give out your Social Security number, phone number, date of birth, or credit card numbers or carry your Social Security Card).

Watch your mail: make sure you collect it right after it is delivered if it is out in the open and accessible to others.

Shred important documents: SSN, credit card numbers, driver’s license numbers, date of birth and pre-approved credit offers (you can stop these by going to.

Pay attention to your billing cycle: missing bills could indicate theft.

Use reputable and secured websites: always use a secure browser, when paying online check to make sure it’s secure (https: instead of http: identifies a secured server that encrypts the information you submit).

Protect your PC: protect against viruses and spyware, use a firewall, and don’t download attachments from people you do not know.

Do not carry your Social Security card or that of you children’s in your wallet, purse or automobile. Secure the cards in a safe place when not specifically needed.

There are services that charge for protective and proactive identity measures to safeguard the good name and credit of adults and minor children. If you do not have the time or expertise to put needed safeguards in place make room in the budget for the available experts.

Thief’s have the time and ability to steal and ruin your identity. Don’t think for a minute it can’t happen to you or your family members because millions of others were just as confident and lost.

Lydia

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September 5, 2009

Identity Theft – Fastest Growing Crime In USA

Filed under: Criminal — Tags: Account Numbers, Bank Statements, Carelessness, Credit Card Bills, Crime Wave, Federal Trade Commission, Five Billion, Four Digits, Law Enforcement Organizations, Mail Theft, Paper Shredder, Quality Paper, Social Security Numbers, Trash Box, Trashed — admin @ 2:25 pm

John Goldman asked:

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States of America and the basic reason for this is that it is easy and does not require someone break through the doors to walk off with goods. They can actually get them even out of your trash box.

However according to the American postal service, one major reason is carelessness of people on how they handle their sensitive documents. In this case one of the best investments you can make for your office and home is a quality paper shredder.

What you should know about identity theft

There are some people who entire live by looking out for a copy of someone’s un-trashed tax return of any documents, credit card bills and bank statements that have sensitive account numbers. Therefore it is time you educate yourself about the dangers of identity theft and provide yourself with some great facts and solutions. If you have ever found someone who has their identity stolen then you know what they are probably going through.

The statistics

During the last year there were nearly 9 million Americans who were victims of identity theft and around five billion dollar in the crime wave being reported. Furthermore, the number of identity theft victims ad the losses they have faced are probably much higher then you can imagine. It is quite hard to point out, as the law enforcement organizations might categorize id theft differently.

This can also include internet fraud, credit cad fraud or mail theft including other crimes. This can also include your credit report because when it is ordered, unless you personally request there would only be four digits listed while the remaining number can easily be stolen without proper care. You should know that the credit report includes a number of social security numbers on all the pages.

The federal trade commission reports that just four percent of victims cited had stolen mails with an attempt to steal personal information. Additionally the postal inspector of US was charged with protecting the mail system of the nation from criminal misuse which are actually leaders in the nation’s fight against id theft.

What to do if you are victim

If you happen to be a victim of identity theft there are 4 steps that you should take immediately to keep a record with clear details of your copies and conversations of all the correspondence. You should immediately place a fraud alert over your credit reports and review credit reports. These fraud alerts help prevent the identity theft from gaining access to most of your accounts. The other best way is to let identity theft protection services protect your personal and professional data from being stolen.

These services can prove to be beneficial as almost every individual in the United States has locked down their sensitive data with the help of these services. Beware that, identity theft in USA is still growing with several reported cases appearing almost everyday and so take steps immediately to secure your date and prevent huge financial losses.

Virginia

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September 3, 2009

Benefits of Identity Theft Shield

Filed under: Finance — Tags: Attorney General John Ashcroft, Catastrophic Consequences, Credit Monitoring Services, Decade Advances, Epidemic Proportions, Federal Trade Commission, Financial Institutions, Fraud Experts, Identity Theft Shield, Kroll Inc, Pre Paid Legal Services Inc, Risk Consulting Company, Social Security Numbers, States Federal Trade Commission, Victims Of Identity Theft — admin @ 10:23 am

Keith Londrie asked:

Attorney General John Ashcroft called identity theft as “one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States”. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the leading governmental agency which keeps records on identity theft, estimates that over 9 million Americans (or 4.25% of all adults) are victims of ID theft on an annual basis, resulting in $52.6 billion losses to businesses and financial institutions. Even the 9/11 or September 11th hijackers were believed to have been identity thieves, using stolen passports and Social Security numbers to obscure their trail. Beyond doubt, identity theft crimes have reached epidemic proportions with subsequent catastrophic consequences.

Identity theft crimes are not new, but they have become more persuasive in the past decade. Advances in computer hardware and software along with the growth of the Internet have significantly increased the role that identity theft plays in crime. Individuals can hire credit-monitoring services that alert them when there are changes in their credit report. One such company, Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. in conjunction with Kroll, Inc. has developed a unique solution for victims of identity theft. This service referred to as the “Identity Theft Shield” is available to Pre-Paid Legal Services members. With the Identity Theft Shield, you have the added security of knowing that experienced professionals from the world’s leading risk consulting company are there to fight for you.

To prevent identity fraud, experts recommend that you review your credit report regularly. The ID Theft Shield makes this task easier. You receive prompt notices if any new accounts are opened in your name or if derogatory notations are added to your credit report. On an average, ID theft victims spend more than 250 hours and $2000 to clear their names. With Identity Theft Shield available at just $9.95/month, the cost of combating ID fraud crimes is much less. This monthly fee provides benefits to you, the member, and your spouse. At this cost, it is well worth the time and money to keep your affairs private.

Truly, Identity Theft Shield is the most factual and comprehensive solution to ID theft restoration. However, at times, even the best backup plans Fail. Therefore, you must learn to depend on yourself to set up your own identity theft shield and minimize your risk. Some things to do would be to shred all paperwork with important account information on it, don’t just throw it away in the trash because one of the simplest methods of Identity theft is for the theif to go through trash cans and dumpsters. Memorize pin numbers, do not carry them with your credit cards; Just to mention a couple thoughts.

Gloria

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August 15, 2009

Coping With Identity Theft

Filed under: Finance — Tags: Atm Cards, Calling Cards, Credit Card Numbers, Lucky Dip, Mail Bills, Mail Preference Service, Maximum Money, Personal Numbers, Preventive Steps, Prized Possessions, Residential Address, Security Guards, Social Security Numbers, Telephone Preference Service, Wrong Hands — admin @ 8:58 am

Joseph Kenny asked:

Lock your doors, hide your money in the safe, hire security guards to protect your prized possessions, but what can you do if someone stole your identity? If something valuable is stolen, you can call the police and hope to get your stolen property back. Rightly termed as the crime of the 21st century, victimizing millions of Americans, you can do very little if you find your identity stolen. Identity theft is on the rise, and nearly everyone is vulnerable to this new-age form of fraud.

How is it done?

Using all possible methods, criminals steal credit card numbers, social security numbers, telephone calling cards, ATM cards and other key pieces of an individual’s identities. The information on these is used to impersonate the victim, by spending maximum money in the shortest time they can.

Preventive steps or Precautions

1. Avoid carrying valuable documents and cards with you whenever you go out, unless it’s absolutely necessary.

2. Opt for the Direct Marketing Associations Mail Preference Service and the Telephone Preference Service. By doing this, your name is added to the computerized name deletion lists used by marketers all over the nation.

3. Pick the newly ordered checks from the bank and do not allow them to be sent to your residential address.

4. To keep the mailing system secure, install a locked mailbox at your residence.

5. Post mail bills and other sensitive items at the post office instead of the neighborhood drop boxes. Sometimes the envelopes containing the address could land in the wrong hands and be altered.

6. Do not give out information over the phone unless it is an individual belonging to a trusted company. Lottery and ‘lucky dip’ calls should not be entertained, as they are usually hoax.

7. Release Social Security Numbers (SSN) only if it is necessary.

8. While creating passwords and PIN numbers, avoid using numbers from social security, birth date, middle name or any kind of important personal numbers; these are said to be easy for criminals to figure out.

9. Cross check that financial institutions are safeguarding your important data. Insist on the removal of account numbers from ATM slips; also ask them to shred the paper reports before throwing them away.

After the Theft

1. The moment you feel that there has been an identity theft, it is important to report the crime to the police. Provide all the requisite documented evidence. Even if the police refuse to give the report, be persistent and demand it. Keep the police report for the bank and credit card company’s reference.

2. Inform the banks, cancel all the savings and checking accounts and get new account numbers.

3. Call the 3 credit reporting companies and ask them to flag the accounts. Ask for a fraud alert to be attached to the report and extend it later if you want to. This fraud alert lets creditors contact you whenever there is an attempt to open an account in your name.

4. File an ID theft affidavit with the Federal Trade Commission after reporting the theft. This affidavit can be sent to credit bureaus and institutions to close fraudulent debts and accounts opened in your name.

5. Lastly, do not blame yourself for the theft, you being the victim should not feel guilty for the theft, and instead handle the situation calmly.

Do not let all the reputation and respect you have earned be trifled with by a petty thief. It is sometimes observed that people you know are the ones who sabotage your identity by using it against you. Be on the safe side and avoid disclosing any personal information to anyone. The identity you have been given is yours to have; no other person has the right to take it from you.

Tommy

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