id theft fraud prevention

February 18, 2010

Have You Become The Victim Of Identity Theft And Fraud?

John Goldman asked:


Identity theft can be simply identified as a crime throughout the world. Identity theft and fraud are basically the terms used to refer these crimes wherein a person wrongfully gains access and uses personal data of someone else in some way which involves deception or fraud, usually for financial gain. Therefore with the increasing risks of identity theft it is important you take certain precautions to stay away from identity theft and fraud.

How risky is identity theft and fraud

It is much different form your fingerprints which are unique to every individual and cannot be robbed by anyone for their use, but in case of your personal data specially your credit card and bank account number, social security number, your telephone calling card numbers or any other valuable identification data can be easily robbed and used when they fall in the hands of thieves to personally make profits on your expense.

In the United States and several other places, people have filed reports that an unauthorized person has taken funds form tier bank or financial accounts but in some worst cases it has been taken from their own identity. When done in your own identity it can go much further to creating vast debts and also commit crimes in the name of the victim. In most cases the losses faced by a victim might not just include out of pocket funds but some substantial additional financial costs linked to the effort in restoring their personal reputation in the local community and also correcting all the information that was used for criminal activities.

Common ways to commit identity theft and fraud

Most people don’t realize how easy it is for criminals to gain access to their personal data without even breaking into their homes. The criminals for instance might engage in shoulder surfing by just watching you from nearby when you type your credit card number or telephone calling card number. Additionally the areas around your office or home might also not be safe, as most criminals usually engage in dumpster diving which means going through your communal dumpster, garbage cans or trans bin.

This is just to check if there are any checks, bank or credit card statements or any other record bearing your name, number and address. These bits of information make it easier for them to get control over your accounts and in your name through your identity.

What should you do?

Identity theft and fraud has become a growing crime and there are certain steps you should take to prevent being an id theft victim. Firstly you should be careful about your personal sensitive data by making sure you don’t carry your social security number in your wallet.

Make sure you also clear your trash bin frequently by either burning or shredding the thrown away documents including your used credit cards. You should also request your credit report to find out if there are any changes done to your account. In case you find any changes make sure you instantly inform the FTC or the credit reporting agencies about the case.  



Chad

January 7, 2010

Identity Theft Is A Real Threat To Your Credit

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

December 3, 2009

How To Monitor Your Credit Inorder To Prevent Theft?

John Goldman asked:


Identity theft monitoring is a program which help in effectively preventing an incident of identity theft. This monitoring services plays a major role in preventing internet fraud and safeguarding your credit so that you don’t become the next id theft victim. You might know that identity theft has become a huge criminal issue in the world and especially in United States and the need for identity theft protection has become a huge concerning factor.

Therefore there are id theft monitoring services that would keep a watch over your credit. Identity theft mostly occurs when your personal information has been compromised with someone else. In fact this crime generally involves using personal information of the victim to commit frauds and criminal activities.

Protect yourself from id theft

The growing number of identity theft reported every year might no reduce anytime sooner. However there are some useful guidelines which can help you minimize the possible damage through the monitoring services which might occur due to id theft.

Blocking all your disclosed credit cards is the first part of identity theft monitoring services The services monitor your credit report which is necessary to prevent id theft The monitoring services would contact the government agencies which can place a fraud alert on your credit so that no further damage is done.

The id theft monitoring process

Identity theft monitoring services include a particular mechanism which ensures your identity is well protected and away from id theft frauds. There are several measures which can help prevent id theft such as securing your credit card numbers, social security number, bank account information and other personal information. These prevention measures can easily handle fraud and other id theft crimes.

Additionally identity theft monitoring services also includes a careful verification of all your personal accounts which includes all your credit card accounts. However in case id theft occurs it is important all your credit accounts are closed immediately.

Consulting banks and financial institutions is one of the best ways to prevent being an id theft victim. Additionally changing passwords of ATM cards and credit cards would also be another best way to stay away from identity thieves. You should avoid date of birth, parents name and last digit of social security number in your passwords and this can help the monitoring services to safeguard your identity.

Identity theft might also happen for varied reasons and to detect the types of id theft crimes during the initial states and lessen the damages you must be a part of identity theft monitoring services which offers services from all 3 credit bureaus. It might just take a small monthly fee for their services but the id theft monitoring agency would notify you through mail in case of any unusual activity in your credit report. The good thing is that most of these services also come with insurance as the report while some other agencies might offer three in one identity monitoring services which alerts you to any changes in your identity.  

 



Edwin

September 26, 2009

The Young Victims of Identity Theft

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

August 29, 2009

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

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

August 19, 2009

There are 5 Kinds of Identity Theft. Can you Name Them?

Belinda Rachman, Esq. asked:


There are 5 kinds of Identity Theft but most people are just aware of credit card identity theft. That is just 20% of the problem. Here are all 5.

1) Driver’s License Identity Theft

2) Social Security Number Identity Theft

3) Character/Criminal Identity Theft

4) Medical Identity Theft

5) Financial Identity Theft

You are vulnerable to having your identity stolen. You have a significant investment in protecting your good reputation so the last thing you want is for someone to use your driver’s license to commit a crime, not show up for “your” trial which will result in a bench warrant being issued against you. That is exactly what more and more people are experiencing as victims of Driver’s License Identity Theft. If that were to happen to you, you would need a lawyer, probably in the middle of the night.

Given that only one in seven hundred identity thieves are caught, there will be no slowdown in this crime wave any time soon but you can protect yourself from being the next victim. You need a monitoring system that lets you know if a thief opens a post office box, files a change of address card, tries to buy a house or opens a new bank account in your name. If you are falsely accused of a crime due to someone stealing your identity you WILL need the help of the best lawyers.

Social Security – Did you know that on July 1, 2006, 32 states passed laws that require business owners to see a passport or Social Security card from each employee? The government admits that we have 10 million illegal aliens in the country, but business experts put that number between 25 – 30 million. But just for argument’s sake, let’s assume 10 million: if each one of those folks paid just in FICA withholding each week, ,000,000 would be going to the Social Security Administration on a weekly basis. Given they are FOUR TRILLION in debt, they have NO incentive to let the actual owner of the Social Security number know that another 10, 20, 80 people are using that same Social Security number since they only have to pay out to the real owner. But the IRS is going to take a real interest when they see how much “you” earned at your 10, 20 or 80 different jobs but none of “you” did the proper withholding. Your problem begins when the IRS notices that “you” did not pay the federal and state withholding taxes – the real “you” will have to hire an attorney to fight the IRS or you will just pay them because it is less expensive or you may spend years trying to convince the IRS that you didn’t earn that money

Medical – I met a woman the other day who recently went into the hospital for some test and they asked her how her arm was doing. She didn’t know what they were talking about. Apparently someone else had used her medical insurance to treat a broken arm. What if it would have been something more serious, like someone got a heart transplant using her insurance. That would effect her lifetime cap and it would definitely pollute her Medical Data Base if there was nothing wrong with HER heart. Medical identity theft effects your ability to get insurance, proper health care if unconscious and they are relying on wrong info/blood type/heart condition of someone else. HIPPA won’t let you into your own file if you admit that positive HIV test isn’t YOU. That broken arm is now in her medical database. Thank God it wasn’t something more serious. You are going to need a good lawyer to fight this battle to get the other people’s info out of YOUR file.

Driver’s License ID Theft – The government recently decided that the employees at all Department of Motor Vehicles needed to be able to recognize what the driver’s licenses of all the other states looked like so that when a resident of Florida moves to California, the CA DMV can recognize a “real” Florida license. In order to assist these employees, the federal government made up a little book with the EXACT specs on each state’s driver’s license. About a week after that book was mailed out to each state’s DMV it was already being sold on the internet, spawning a new and very lucrative business. All a criminal needs is a laptop computer, a printer, a laminator and that little book, and they have themselves a very prosperous little criminal enterprise. The police cannot tell the difference between the “real” license and the fake one. In fact, they can’t tell the difference between the “database you” and the “Real You” that looks back at you from your mirror!

Driver’s License ID Theft often affects your character/criminal Identity. A prostitute stole a teacher’s purse. She told her principal and friends about it so everyone knew it was possible that something bad might come of this theft. When a newspaper ran the story of the teacher being arrested for prostitution it wasn’t hard to explain to her friends and neighbors what had happened. It was a small town so everyone knew the teacher was a victim of id theft but is that teacher going to be able to change jobs and go to another town where they don’t know her? Her character has been stolen now.

Financial ID theft, this is the one everyone focuses on because we are losing billions each year to id theft. But here is the thing, you know those cute little commercials on TV with the man’s voice coming from the woman’s body and the woman’s voice coming from the man’s body. They talk about ZERO liability. That is a lie! If you don’t contest a bill within 60 days YOU are stuck with it and with our new bankruptcy laws you can’t discharge it. How are you going to contest a bill you never got. These ID thieves are doing change of address cards and having your mail forwarded to another place, a PO box or another residence. And by the way, the Postal Inspector I met the other night mentioned that the post office doesn’t ask for proof that the change of address card you are filing is actually YOU. Anyone can go into the post office and file a change of address card. So how can you contest a bill you don’t get? Sounds like you are going to need another lawyer. All of this ID Fraud stuff sounds like the lawyers full employment bill to me.

The Federal Trade Commission, which is the lead agency handling ID Theft, says that on average, it takes a person 600 hours to restore themselves after being a victim. That is FIFTEEN 40 hour work weeks. NO ONE has that kind of free time. People need the protection of having their credit monitored so they know if someone is opening new accounts, forwarding their mail or opening a PO Box in their name. There are lots of new companies that do credit monitoring but there is only one company that does restoration and that is Kroll Background America, Inc.

Kroll is the only company that was allowed to go below ground zero to remove the gold from the vaults after 9/11. When the FBI, CIA and Saudi government could not find where Sadam hid the Saudi money that he stole, the Saudis hired Kroll. Kroll found it, recovered it and returned the money to the Saudis. The Security and Exchange Commission hired Kroll to discover where all the Enron money went and the City of San Diego hired Kroll to investigate and do the forensic accounting on the recent pension scandal. If our government and big corporations hire Kroll to protect them, why wouldn’t you?



Marvin

July 24, 2009

The guys that jumped me 3 weeks ago tried to make withdrawals on my card.possibly being caught on camera so?

bobrekrabold asked:


Does this mean theyre going to get caught? How good are my chances that these guys will get caught and be brought to justice? Chances are theyve been arrested before and when I supply the precinct with the two different locations where they tried to use my card this week, theyll get the tapes and look at who tried.

This all leads back to when I was jumped on August 6. They got $18, my social security card, and my addresses. I never thought they’d be dumb enough to use the card, or smart enough to hold onto vital information for this long. I’m fearing ID theft is possible, but with the information I told you, what are the chances of them being caught? I mean, they ARE ON TAPE!
This happened to me in nyc but the area where it occurred is of small proximity and the criminals tried to conduct some of this acitivity less than a quarter mile from where I was robbed. In addition to this, the local police jurisdiction has some significant crime but doesn’t cover a wide area. I’m hoping this will help me.
I thought the cops didnt care and THATS why I never reported it but now that I have Hard evidence against these assho!es tehyre expressing an interest in me so fu*k off to the guy that asked “do you think they really care?”

Adrian

July 19, 2009

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

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

June 24, 2009

Use Credit Monitoring Services to Detect Identity Thefts

Marc Gaines asked:


Modern technological innovations have given us the convenience to purchase everything from the comfort of our homes. With the help of the Internet and credit cards we can buy our desired products and services from anywhere in the world without physically visiting the showroom or even making the cash payment. However, along with adding comforts to our shopping and many other benefits online transactions though credit cards might also bring troubles that are enough to take away your peaceful sleep! One of the most prevalent problems that credit cards users often face is identity theft, which is a new mode to duping without the knowledge of the victim.

Identity theft means stealing personal information of a person and impersonating him or her for making frauds. Phishing and hacking are some of the common means used for identity thefts involving credit cards. Your credit card number or social security number can be misappropriated by unauthorized persons and misused to cheat banks by fraudulently getting loans, making online purchases, or taking money from the ATM and it is obvious that you will be held responsible for all the transactions being made from your account. IDTheftDefense provides you with A to Z information on identity thefts, the ways of detecting and preventing identity theft, credit reports and a lot more.

Credit monitoring or credit “file” monitoring is an easy, efficient and affordable way to identify theft detection. You can even prevent identity theft by detecting mistakes in your credit report and correct them using credit monitoring services. Credit report, also known as credit history in many countries, provides detailed records of how much a person or company has borrowed and repaid in the past including information on late payments and bankruptcy. A credit score represents your creditworthiness based on the information collected from your credit report.

You can successfully monitor your credit report by using efficient credit monitoring services:

1. First of all, you can check credit report and make relevant inquiries into your credit line.

2. By reviewing your credit report you can easily identify if any new account has been activated using your identity.

3. Address changes on credit information and collection activities in your name can be easily detected from credit reports or credit histories.

4. Your credit report will reflect delinquencies or any negative change made to your account as well as information on closed accounts.

Though credit monitoring is an important step towards ID theft defense, it cannot be used to prevent them. Awareness is the key to check identity thefts. As an informed individual you can easily detect identity thefts or take appropriate steps regarding any mistake in your credit report. Thus, you can lessen the amount of financial or credit rating damage which results from the false or negative activity on the report. Credit monitoring will keep you informed and definitely lower your risks in case of frauds resulting from identity thefts.

You should go for the credit monitoring scheme that suits your needs. Opting for monthly status reports through email is a viable option. IDTheftDefense recommends the 3-in-1 credit report which includes the three credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, as you may not come to know about all the credit problems if your monitoring plan covers only one credit bureau. If you want to protect yourself and your family members from identity theft, then it is essential for you to educate yourself about it by getting all information from the IDTheftDefense site.



Billy

June 16, 2009

so i lost. how can i avoid identety thefT?

Filed under: Community Service — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 7:02 pm
gurly_b0x3r asked:


well i “misplaced” my id cards [school id's] social security, and birthcertificate.. i had themm all in my wallet n i just so happen to be unable to find it :[[ i dont want it to land in the wrong hands.. hw can i avoid identety theft? do i reported?? and how can i get new ones? a new S.S and B.C? is there a website were i can reported before some one meses with it?
please help :[[ im so confused… :[[[[

Alfred

June 15, 2009

Should US have a national ID card?

mikis1967 asked:


With the illegal immigration issue and stolen identities should the US have a National ID card?
I think we should and here is why.
1. Social security numbers were meant ONLY for social security. With a national ID card identity theft would be harder. (As long as they don’t use your SSN for the ID)
2. With biometric information (fingerprint, retina scan, etc.) you can verify the user’s identity.
3. Verification of persons receiving public help.

I would like to know what other people think. Please let me know your thoughts.

Catherine

June 4, 2009

Avoiding Id Theft Getting an Online Loan

Richard Reynolds asked:


Ameriloan—it sounds kind of patriotic, doesn’t it? Well, if you look around, you might think that the most patriotic thing to do these days is be in lots and lots of debt. Face it—during the good financial times, most of you racked up a bunch of debt that you are having trouble paying back in these lean times. Sometimes, no matter how carefully you budget, the money just can’t stretch to cover every thing. When an emergency comes along, you need to get a loan online. One of the companies a lot of people turn to its Ameriloan Payday Loans.

There is some good advice included on their website that can be very handy. The first is to never email anyone your social security number. A bad guy with that little piece of information can cause you a lot of trouble. You have all heard about identity theft—that piece of information is one of the keys to it. While on the subject, never tell anyone who doesn’t have a really good reason to know it. The people at Ameriloan, or any online payday site, have no need to know it, but if a site insists on it—beware. They are not the kind of site to be dealing with.

Another very good piece of advice also goes with any payday loan site. Always know before you borrow any money, what the fee is to borrow that money. That fee is the amount you are being charged to borrow the money. That fee is most likely what you will be charged if you have to rollover your loan for another time period. So, knowing that number is very, very important.

Keeping all of your loan information in one place where it is easily accessible to you is also good advice. That way, any questions you may have about time frames or fees regarding the loan will most likely be right there for you.

There are other handy links on the Ameriloan home page that might be of interest. There are links to other financial services such as mobile home financing with information available for resources online; RV loans, homeowner loans, unsecured loans, home equity and refinancing with current quotes and a rate table and calculator, a free credit report and links to debt settlement. That’s a lot of valuable information just for the reading.

Reading, by the way, is something you should do with every aspect of your loan agreement. Really read it to understand it, not just a cursory scan and a few “uh-huh, uh-huhs”. No matter how pressing the emergency may be that requires the payday loan, read it, know it. Be smart.

The very last piece of advice is to pay back your loan as quickly as possible. If you can pay it back earlier than its due date, some lenders will give you a break on the fees. Even if they don’t, it demonstrates to them that you are a good risk, and who knows when that might come in handy again.



Leslie

May 13, 2009

Sole Proprietor.Tax ID Number.how do I get one?

stonerosedesigndotcom asked:


I am a sole proprietor who creates websites. My clients pay me with a check made out to my name. Many of them are requesting my “tax ID” number but I don’t have one as I don’t sell anything but my services. I don’t want to give out my social security number for fear of privacy theft.

What should I do?

Judy

April 19, 2009

The bank asked for my social security number is that racism?

J-Papi asked:


I’m not the whitest guy on the block, in fact, my skin can look like an oil spill on a driveway. Anyway, i want sum money for purposes related to ice hockey and I was wundering something in my little head when they asked me for my social. I was kinda tripping, ya know, cause i heard about id theft from some bald dude on CBS and i said no, and they were like “well we need that sir, to help you” anyway, i’m rumbling or hoewever it is you say it, are they just angry at me for being as black as night??????

Carmen
« Newer PostsOlder Posts »

Powered by WordPress
finance debt loans | debt consolidation