Posted by Scott on February 29th, 2008 — Posted in Identity Theft
I never liked the idea of credit bureaus. They make money by keeping tabs on people without the permission of those people.
The company lifelock works on behalf of consumers. They charge $10 per month to help you protect your identity.
Obviously, the credit bureaus only care about making money. To make money, they will do anything they can to make money. They choose to not put certain security measures to protect your identity because it would cost them money. The credit bureaus probably do not care much that it might cost you money to have your identity stolen, as long as it does not cost them money.
LifeLock uses the credit laws to force credit bureaus to take more secure precautions to protect your identity. LifeLock does this by putting your file on a fraud alert. Fraud alerts usually expire after 90 days, so LifeLock automatically re-alerts them.
LifeLock also stands up for consumers by getting your name removed from junk mail lists, so you will stop getting so many of those annoying “pre-approved” credit card offers and junk mail. Not only can that help you avoid the annoyance of junk mail, but it protects your identity because identity thieves use those junk mails to help them steal identities.
Additionally, LifeLock orders free credit reports for you, and has the reports sent to you. Plus, they will help you if you have your wallet stolen or have someone try to steal your identity.
It makes me happy to see companies like LifeLock standing up for us. But it does not come without trouble for them. LifeLock has been sued by Experian, a mammoth credit bureau. Apparently, Experian is very mad that LifeLock is forcing them to protect consumers’ identity. Luckily, LifeLock plans to vigorously defend itself in court. I hope it becomes a case of David vs. Goliath.
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Posted by Scott on May 8th, 2007 — Posted in Identity Theft
TransWorldNews reports on identity theft:
In late April, the Federal Identity Theft Task Force, formed last year to investigate this crime, released findings and recommendations. According to Robert Siciliano, a widely televised and quotedpersonal security and identity theft expert, the announcement was one more example of government bureaucracy seemingly unable to counter identity theft in a timely manner.
“Identity theft happens fast,” said Siciliano. “Ask anyone who’s been a victim. A year’s time at the mercy of an identity thief could mean a life’s savings gone. While we need government intervention to stop identity theft, we also need it to happen on identity theft’s timetable, not a bureaucracy’s.”
Read entire article on TransWorldNews.
Governments can’t do much about much to prevent any type of victimization, because governments apprehend criminals after-the-fact, not beforehand. We need to stop identity thieves before they attack, because we can rarely trace them down since they use alternative identities to commit their crime. Fake names, numbers and such leaves little to track a person down.
The entire crime takes place in the private sphere. The victim, the banks, the credit agencies, the merchants and everyone involved has nothing to do with government. All these entities need to work together to find ways to stop identity theft, not wait on government to do something.
The real question is: Do banks and credit agencies really care about identity theft? Only if it costs them money, do they care. And, usually it’s individuals and small merchants who get charged for identity theft.
What do you think?
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Posted by Scott on March 13th, 2007 — Posted in Identity Theft
Identity theft could happen to anyone. It is a criminal offense in which a person intends to acquire an identification of another person and uses it without proper authorization as he adopts it as it was his own. Most often, the purpose is for financial gain. A criminal may gather information by tapping a phone call, listening to conversations, hacking passwords and banking information over the internet, etc.
Shredding sensitive documents and refusing to give away sensitive information (e.g. your social security number) can make you less vulnerable to identity theft. Additionally, federal law dictates that you can get your credit report for free; do not pay for this service! Use your free credit report to verify that no fraudulent activity has taken place under your name.
What do you think?
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Posted by Scott on July 30th, 2006 — Posted in Identity Theft
by Kurt Howard
Identity theft can be one of the most stressful experiences you can ever have and falling victim to ID theft is becoming more and more common today. Although there are certain situations that are out of your control which can lead to identity theft, there are numerous steps you can take that will lower your risk of becoming an identity theft victim.
One of the easiest steps you can take to prevent identity theft is to obtain a copy of your free credit report every year. Due to the changes to the Fair Credit Reporting Act each major national consumer reporting bureau is required to provide you a free credit report once a year.
When you request your free credit report choose to have your credit report printout contain only the last four digits of your social security number. This will help prevent anyone from obtaining your whole social security number should they get a hold of your report.
Another step to preventing identity theft is to keep all of your personal documents safely stored in your home. All personal documents should be stored within a locked container such as a safe or file cabinet. This is especially important if you employ anyone at your home such as a babysitter or maid.
Password protecting your credit card and bank accounts with a password that is not easily linked to you is also important for preventing identity theft. One password that you should refrain from using is your mother’s maiden name. Other poor choices are your telephone number, anniversary or birthday. Many credit card and bank account will use your mother’s maiden name as a default password, however you should ask to choose a different password that is more secure.
One of the most common causes of identity theft is from your trash. Make sure to use a shredder when you are disposing of old paperwork, confidential documents or mail. Paper shredders have become very inexpensive and are one of the best devices for preventing identity theft. They are the easiest way that you can help prevent someone from digging through your trash and finding personal information.
Finally, when mailing anything that contains personal information take the mail directly to the post office or a postal mail box or to the post office. This is extremely important if your outgoing mail box is not in a locked or secure.
Following these simple steps can greatly decrease your odds of becoming an identity theft victim. Identity theft become a very large problem and should not be taken lightly. Start protecting yourself today.
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Posted by Scott on July 25th, 2006 — Posted in Identity Theft
by Dave Galahad
It’s hard to get through a week without reading about someone’s identity being stolen and their financial life literally ruined in a short period of time. Identity theft is relatively easy and sometimes the crime isn’t discovered until victims are several thousand dollars in the hole. We make it very easy for identities to be stolen; and sometimes freely give our personal information to would-be identity thieves.
Recently I was in line at the post office and there was a girl on her cell phone just a few spaces in front of me. She was talking rather loud, as most people on cell phones think they have to do. If I wanted to steal her identity, I could have because she made it very easy for me or anyone else within earshot of her conversation. In less than 5 minutes she blurted out her first and last name, home address, cell phone number, talked in detail about a few relatives, school friends, church, and I eventually got her place of employment from a casual glance at her id badge she was proudly displaying. With any two pieces of information, an enterprising identity thief (or debt collector, private investigator) can get the rest of what they need to know to become you and spend your hard earned money.
Keep your voice down
Not only is it beyond rude to impose your cell phone conversation on people nearby, you can go a long way towards protecting your identity by keeping the conversation to yourself. The only people around you who want to listen are those who are out to get some juicy piece of information. Always assume someone else is listening and will use your information to their advantage. Keep your voice down or excuse yourself to a more private location if you must give out some personal information on the phone.
Avoid displaying picture id’s, security badges, name tags
I guess that some people are proud of where they work or maybe feel important if they wear their picture id’s and security badges outside of work. Make it as hard as possible for someone to find out who you are. If someone takes a look at you, with the intent of obtaining information you wouldn’t normally give out to strangers, and sees nothing, they’ll move on to a more vulnerable target.
Shred it all
Shred old receipts, bank statements, and any other personal information to keep from dumpster divers and your friendly neighborhood trash collector. Dumpsters are a gold mine for identity thieves. Old receipts, financial statements, and similar documents contain a lot of personal information which can be used. Shred these documents before you throw them away. I’ve watched my own trash collectors take a few seconds to see what they’ve put in their truck and rummage through it. I’ve never seen them take anything out of the trash and put if up in the cab for safe keeping but you are better off not giving them a reason to be nosy.
Use technology to your advantage
Spyware, adware, computer viruses, and a host of other things are out to get any piece of information about you. Just a simple software program (Norton AntiVirus or McAfee Security Center) can make you a difficult enough target that the majority of identity thieves will leave you alone and search for an easier target.
It really just comes down to common sense. Do what you can to protect yourself and be aware of your surroundings. A little prevention goes a long way to making our busy lives less complicated. Two days ago I was standing in line at the same post office and there was another girl on her cell phone directly in front of me. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t hear what she was saying. She protected herself very well by just keeping her voice down and not drawing anyone’s attention.
Dave Galahad is a freelance writer for ABCMoneySource.com on topics of banking, finance, investing, credit, savings, and debt. At ABCMoneySource.com our mission is to empower YOU with understanding on money matters and quickly find MoneySources to finance your dreams….. All from the comfort and privacy of your computer.
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Posted by Scott on July 21st, 2006 — Posted in Identity Theft
By Marige OBrien, ©copyright 2006
Unfortunately, identity theft has become the crime of the new millenium. Though credit card companies and various agencies work to prevent it, it is, ultimately, the responsibility of each individual to take their own precautionary measures against this crime.
Fortunately, there are some simple steps that can be taken, even today, to protect ourselves and, better still, prevent a theft from taking place at all. Below are 11 recommended steps that anyone can take, today, to prevent this from happening or to lessen the effects if it has already happened.
At the end of this article is a list of telephone numbers EVERYONE should keep on file.
PREVENTION
1. When ordering checks never put your full name on them, only your first initial and last name. If your checkbook is stolen the thief will not know how you sign your checks. But, because your bank keeps a copy of your signature on file, it will and can stop the payment of checks with forged signatures.
2. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the whole account number on the “For” line. Your check passes through many hands, both at the credit card company and at the bank, anyone of which has access to all the information on your check, as well as your credit card number. Instead, put only the last four digits of the account number, which is sufficient for the credit card company to identify your account.
3. Put your WORK phone number on your checks instead of your home phone number. And, if you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. In this way, a thief cannot gain access to other accounts you have, some of which use the the name-address-telephone number combination for verification.
4. NEVER pre-print your social security or driver’s license numbers on your checks. You can add it, if necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.
5. Do NOT sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put “PHOTO ID REQUIRED” in the signature area or just leave it blank. To be really dilligent, while paying, if the clerk does not ask for a photo ID, make mention of this and insist on showing it. It will teach them to be more dilligent as well.
6. Be dilligent. In rural areas, one way a thief can steal your identity is through your mail delivery. Though it is a Federal crime to go into someone else’s mailbox, even to put something IN it, many mailboxes are left unattended for hours a day after the mail arrives. If you are missing any bills, especially a combination of utility and credit card bills, contact the companies immediately. With this combination thieves have been known to put in a “change of address” as they pay the minimum on a bill, then call and have a new card issued with the new address, even a new name on a secondary card. Within a week, the thief may be using your credit card without ANYTHING APPEARING TO HAVE BEEN STOLEN.
7. While traveling abroad, keep a photocopy of your passport with you. If the original is stolen, you can take the copy to the local consul and prevent it from being used again.
8. Photocopy both sides of the entire contents of your wallet, including driver’s license, social security card, etc. Keep these copies in a safe place so that, if your wallet is lost or stolen, you have a quick inventory of what was in it. Write the contact information for each company/agency with this copy– the sooner you can report the theft, the better. Having the combination of your SSN and Driv Lic, as well as your credit card information and address, thieves can do more than simply make purchases. They can also get MORE credit cards, made out in their own name, make major purchases, such as vehicles, even apply for bank loans– all in your name. Remember, time is of the essence.
9. Even online identities must be protected, especially email addresses related to individual websites. Spammers use robots to comb the internet for email addresses like these, then insert your email address in the “from” section of their Spam, thus avoiding detection or causing the complaints to be reverted to you. Scammers use this information as the contact email for disreputable sales, such as in auction sites like eBay. There are simple, free programs available (such as the scrambler at acme-web-design.info) that will scramble the email addresses on websites.
PROTECTION, POST THREAT
If or when your credit cards or checkbook are lost or stolen there are still several steps you can take to lessen the severity of the theft. Most of all, the faster you act, the less you will suffer. Identity thieves know they are working against the clock and will dump your information as soon as they sense that the theft has been detected. If you’re very dilligent, you may escape with little or no damage.
1. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations (these telephone numbers are listed below) immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit or charges.
2. File a police report immediately within the jurisdiction where your wallet stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
3. Alert the credit card companies and your bank personally.
4. Sign Up with a reputable identity theft prevention service. Don’t assume you are part of one just because your credit card company has some protection available. This only protects your account with THEM. These companies will collect all the necessary information from you and, with one call, most or all of the steps, above, will be handled by them.
Below are the contact numbers you need When your wallet has been stolen. The first three are the major credit agencies, and the fourth is the fraud line at the Social Security Administration. A driver’s license or passport will be reported when the police are notified.
1. Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2. Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3. Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
Though Identity theft is one of the worst crimes of our time, these simple steps and pre-cautions can save the average consumer months, if not years, of grief and very real damage to their financial status. No one is safe.–mo
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About The Author
Marige O’Brien works as a writer, web designer and Internet Marketer. Visit her Website, Tracker Mo’s Den (http://www.trackermo.com). For other solutions to identity theft, visit (http://www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/marige), which offers Identity Theft Shield.
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