Protecting Our Identity

LifeLock is the consort to use. But they don’t stop there; LifeLock also protects you from the headache of a lost or stolen wallet. And, to help you rest at night, they back up their promises with a $1 million guarantee. LifeLock is now open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and they’re American based in Tempe, Arizona. If you would like to order their service over the phone you can call 1(877)- Lifeloc and use promotion code BestOffer or idlabs . LifeLock is said to be different because it is a system designed to prevent your identity from being stolen rather than reporting it after the fact. The company claims that it is so confident with their service that their CEO commonly publishes his own social security number because he knows his identity is safe.

LifeLock is the first identity theft protection service in the U.S. The company maintains active fraud alerts with the three major credit bureaus as well as ChexSystems, thwarting fraudulent use of personal information by requiring subscriber approval of any new credit account openings and bank account and address change requests. LifeLock is an identity theft prevention service available online. You may have heard radio advertisements in which its CEO, Todd Davis, confidently reveals his social security number. LifeLock is safe and secure. This is the most stringent security certification within the industry and LifeLock is currently the only company in the identity theft prevention field who has achieved this status.

LifeLock is a personal identity and fraud protection company founded in 2005. It is now serving tens of thousands of customers in different states of the union, the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. LifeLock is a scam! They are charging a ton for everything an individual can do themselves for FREE if they had the info. LifeLock is the new breed of protection. Be sure to check out the testimonials in their LifeLock Stories section.

Lifelock is eating into Experian’s core business of selling our data. Lifelock is now becoming an integral part of the human life because of its importance and necessity in the present world due to the need to avoid identity thefts. The need for it is increasing day by day. Lifelock is of the opinion that the citizens of America can do the above mentioned activity on their own. However, Lifelock ascertains that the thing is done and is done correctly.

LifeLock is the leading provider of Identity Theft Protection Services and now it gets even better. If you are considering enrolling with LifeLock, there are promotion codes available for you as well as LifeLock Special Offers. But, LifeLock is so dramatically more than that. They want to be the most comprehensive solution out there to actually prevent this crime to mitigate the risk on the front end. LifeLock is, at this time, the only company to offer credit checks and monitoring services for a member’s child who is under the age of 15. LifeLock recognizes the growing number of child identity thefts and is leading the market in providing this needed service.

LifeLock is the premier identity theft prevention company in the world today. LifeLock is adding two new identity theft protection services to their already strong lineup. The first is called eRecon and it is a high tech program that regularly scours the internet looking for compromised private records of LifeLock customers. LifeLock is one of the major and most renowned identity theft protection services throughout the world. The inexpensive and excellent service by the LifeLock community has proved to be the best identity theft protection service.

LifeLock is not the only company that offers its services to consumers (see also Debix , LoudSiren and TrustedID ). But as of this month, LifeLock had become the target of several class-action lawsuits from competitors, credit bureaus and lawyers in several states. LifeLock is currently the only identity theft protection service that has risen to the occasion and is protecting children from this crime. They now offer the world’s first identity theft protection program for children, and we have to say that really impressed us. Lifelock is now providing promotional codes. Check out our site for further details regarding this.



By: Pj Germain

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There is so much that you need to know about computer identity theft, and in fact out of all the types of identity theft in general, computer identity theft is by far the most common. This is not hard to believe, considering the amount of time that the average person spends on a computer each day in the world we now live in.

We buy so much and so often put our personal information out over the computer that it is no wonder why computer identity theft statistics are rising so dramatically. Especially in regards to credit cards in particular, computer identity theft is the easiest type of identity theft for criminals, and this is why if you use a computer - and you most likely do - then you are going to have to take steps in order to make sure that you are not a victim of computer identity theft.

Steps That you Should Take

There are many different steps and precautions that you can take in order to make yourself as protected as possible against this type of theft, however you are also going to want to keep in mind the fact that regardless of what you do, there is no real way that you can make yourself completely safe, however prevention is the best method, and so you should remember this.

The more steps and precautions that you take, the better off that you are going to be, and one of the best things that you can do, is make sure to go into your bank on a frequent basis in order to get someone to do a check to see if any of your personal information is being used by anyone but you.

Although it is obviously more critical to do something like this if you have had your wallet stolen or lost for instance, it is still a good idea to do it regardless, because there are many other ways that you can have your identity stolen besides from your identification in your wallet. For instance, someone could have gone through your trash and found a piece of mail that had your personal information on it and used that.

It is really not hard for a person to steal another person’s identity, however unfortunate that may be, and so you are going to want to make sure that you make smart decisions, such as ripping or cutting up your mail before you throw it out.



By: Ann Marier

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So, you’ve just realized that someone has stolen your identity and is racking up debt left and right, and you want to put a stop to it, but you don’t know what to do. Well, keep reading, because in this article you will learn exactly what to do when you are a victim of identity theft. Once you have absorbed this information, act quickly, because the sooner you start fighting for your identity, the sooner you will win.

You will probably receive a phone call from a creditor stating “you” just either made a large purchase and they suspect fraud or you open your credit card bill as you do every month and be amazed at some extra charges that are on there. Call your credit card company immediately. Rarely, will you be liable for charges over $50, and many credit card companies wave the first $50 in the case of fraud. Check with your bank, you will usually be given a choice to close your account and reopen a new one or some banks will put a “watch” on your account and you will have to log into your account and manually approve every charge and check before it is cleared. This usually goes on for a period of 30-60 days. The latter isn’t the best choice as it is labor intensive to do and your account isn’t protected from fraud as it would be if you simply closed it out and reopened a new account.

After you have done all the initial damage control. The next thing to do when you realize that you are a victim of identity theft is to notify the credit bureaus. Report the situation to the three major credit reporting companies- Equifax, Experien, and TransUnion. You can do it online or in writing, and you must tell these companies that your identifying information has been stolen and is being used by another person fraudulently in your name. Ask them to flag your file with a fraud alert, and ask that all creditors call you before extending credit in your name. A consumer statement will be put on your file and it will alleviate your fears of bogus accounts being opened for about 3 months.

Due to provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you can only place an initial fraud alert for 90 days. The credit bureaus will then send you a notice displaying your rights as an identity theft victim. As soon you receive this, write to each of the three credit bureaus to request two things; An extension of the fraud alert to seven years, and a free copy of your credit report Remember to include an identity theft report when you send your letter in order to authorize the seven year alert. Whenever you communicate with the credit companies, you should refer to the number given to your credit report and always use verified return receipt mail. Also, make sure you save all credit reports and related information for your records.

As soon as you get your three credit reports, carefully examine each one. Report all fraudulent and inaccurate information in writing to the credit bureaus, as well as to the credit issuers, following the instructions that are provided with the credit reports. As soon as you notify the credit bureaus about the fraudulent information, the bureau is required to strike that information from future reports. The bureau will also notify the credit grantor of the fraudulent account(s). If it isn’t included in the report, ask the credit bureaus for the contact information of the credit grantors.

Also, tell the credit bureaus in writing that you want them to remove all inquiries that have been created due to fraudulent access. You should also ask the bureaus to contact anyone who has received your credit report in the last six months so they can be informed about the fraudulent and inaccurate information. Numerous inquiries can lower your credit score, so work diligently on getting those inquiries removed from your personal credit report.

Though these measures should set you back on track and protect your credit from the fraudulent information, they may not completely stop it from happening again. Because of this, be sure to monitor your credit reports, there are many online services that will help you monitor your credit report. We recommend Experian Triple Advantage. Along with getting your credit report online with credit score, you also get 30 days free credit monitoring service. With this service you can start the dispute process online! Often times, once you have started the process you will be able to obtain a second free report from the credit bureaus, and in many states you will be able to access your credit report more frequently. If you notice that the fraudulent information is still happening, notify the proper bureaus instantly. If the problem persists for very long, you may want to consider freezing your accounts for awhile if possible to prevent any more damage.

Identity theft is an unfortunate event when it occurs, but you can fight back and get your life back quickly!



By: Liz Roberts

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Identity theft is becoming more of a reality than ever before. Credit card companies and banks that issue debit cards are now providing Identity Theft Protection as one of their services. Should you become a victim and someone steals your name or social security number here are some steps you can take to keep the situation under control.

The first thing you should do is contact the fraud department of the three major credit bureaus. Equifax has a toll free number (1-800-525-6285). Experian is another credit bureau and they can be reached at 1-888-397-3742. TransUnion is also one of the big three reporting bureaus and they can be reached at 1-800-680-7289. You want them to flag your file with a fraud alert. Also have the credit bureaus contact you in the future whenever a new account is opened and ask them them for copies of your credit reports.

Next, start calling your creditors, a creditor is the company you have credit card with, not the (credit bureau) and speak with the security or fraud department. Then file a report with the police. You can file it with your local police. Finally, report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC can be reached at their toll free number: 1-877-438-4338. You can also ask them for a free publication that talks about identity theft.

Since we are on the topic of credit reports here is a side note you may wish to keep in mind. You can order an annual credit report at http://www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228. Congress created the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act in 2003. Consumers are now entitled to a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureau companies every 12 months, the year runs from September 1st to the end of August. To get the best advantage from this Act, request a credit report from just one of the bureaus at a time every four months. There are many other websites that claim to give free credit reports but usually require a fee. Unless you really need to know your credit score keep to the free reports directly from the reporting bureaus. The annual credit report website is the only website that is authorized to give you a free credit report. If you receive an email that claims to be from http://www.annualcreditreport.com you should report it to spam@uce.gov.

Most of us receive a lot of credit card advertisements in the mail. They usually say that you are “pre-screened” or “pre-approved”. For the most part these mailings are safe. There is no need to be concerned with identity theft from these companies. If you are responding to one of those mailings, take the letter to the post office personally and have it sent off officially. There is also no need to worry about your credit report being affected by these mailings. There will be no “inquiry” or negative effect on your record. If you are still suspicious of credit or identity theft, contact the opt out organization through the Internet, visit http://www.optout.presreen.com or call 1-888-5-OPTOUT. You can chose to stop receiving mailings anywhere between months and years. But make a mental note that the “pre-screened” offers are not usually open to the public and they are sometimes only offered through the mail.



By: Carl Hampton

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In an age where the internet is becoming more and more ubiquitous in everyday life, it’s probably fair to say that with this comes an increased danger that personal information could potentially fall into the wrong hands.

Whilst once upon a time any criminal intent on committing credit fraud, would perhaps have to go to more extreme lengths to obtain confidential data on any given individual and commit credit fraud, however the internet has made this job a whole lot easier. But if the correct precautions are taken, then the virtual world needn’t be any more hazardous than the real world.

A lot of recent attention has centred on social networking web sites, in that people voluntarily sign up to these web sites and include all sorts of personal information that could be collated and used by anyone with bad intentions. So, the key here would be to limit the amount of information available on these sites, or simply don’t sign up to them at all. People got by perfectly well before these forums came along, and for the sake of enhanced protection against identity theft and other fraudulent activity, it’s certainly worth considering this.

Of course, there always has been and there always will be fraudsters in all walks of life, looking to make a quick buck at someone else’s expense. The key, though, is to not make life too easy for them. When selecting a password for online banking, an email account or any other website for that matter, don’t choose something that’s obvious or guessable.

Even to this day, two of the most commonly used passwords are ‘password’ and ‘123456’. Although they are clearly easier to remember, by choosing such an obvious password this is increasing the likelihood that someone will gain access to personal online accounts. So choose something unique, with a mixture of letters, numbers and capital letters. And no matter what, NEVER reply to emails from the bank or any other institutions that request confidential information such as this; they would never ask a customer to confirm this information by email.

Of course, it’s all very well taking precautions now to help prevent identity theft. But what if personal data is already in the wrong hands and is being used? Well, the best way to discover if any fraudulent activity has already taken place is to request a credit report. This can be requested for free and should expose any credit discrepancies or irregularities. Part of this service also includes the provision of help for consumers to monitor risks by helping to obtain and understand their credit report on an annual basis.

As beneficial and liberating as the internet may be, it also comes with inherent dangers. But this needn’t deter consumers from using online facilities. If the necessary precautions are taken to prevent confidential information such as passwords getting into the wrong hands, then coupled with regular credit checks, this will vastly improve the protection of sensitive data.



By: Elisha Burberry

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Identity Theft on the Rise

Identity theft is a growing problem, not just in the USA, but worldwide. Every week it seems there is a new story about some corporation that has lost a laptop containing important client information including Social Security Numbers. If it happens to you, it’s a disaster than can take years to put right, and cost thousands of dollars. This article is designed to save you from identity theft in the first place, and then give you some brief advice on what to do if you are a victim. Here are my tips to help prevent such a catastrophe:

1. Know what’s in your wallet.

Do you really know all the cards in your wallet? Do you know the numbers to call to cancel these cards if your wallet is lost? The easiest way to remember all this is to simply put all your cards on a photocopier at once, and copy them. Then copy the back side. Keep these two sheets of paper in a secure location, and if the worst happens and you do lose your wallet and need to cancel your cards, the info is right there.

2. Cancel inactive credit card accounts.

Don’t take the risk of someone using your card on an account that you never check.

3. Monitor your credit.

You are allowed by law to get one free credit report per year, but that is not often enough. The best thing is to sign up for a service that monitors your credit constantly and alerts you if someone applies for credit in your name, or if unusual spending patterns appear. Details on such a service appear at the end of this article.

4. Safeguard your personal information.

If you are comfortable with it, get electronic statements rather than paper ones which can be stolen from your physical mailbox. Keep your Social Security Card, bank information, credit card statements and so on, in a safe place, preferably one that can be locked.

5. Buy a decent shredder

Shred all documents that contain personal information. Buy one that can also shred credit cards, as sometimes these come unsolicited in the mail, as do “fake” cards that are an offer for credit. Shred them all with a quality, cross-cut shredder.

6. Beware of spoof emails.

Never ever click a link in an email that requests you to confirm personal information like your PIN number, your PayPal log in etc. These are spoofs, and the criminals create a website that looks very much like the genuine article, and as you submit your information, boom, they can then log into your genuine account and make withdrawals or payments to themselves. Only ever go to the website from your own browser favorites link, or by typing in the address yourself (not the one in the email). Never click the link in an email, but instead, forward the email to spoof@[name of organization].com e.g.: spoof@paypal.com

7. Mailbox safety.

Retrieve your mail from your mailbox as promptly as possible. If you are going on vacation, get the post office to put a Vacation Mail Hold, so that it doesn’t pile up and overflow your box. Not only is that an invitation to steal your mail, it also advises burglars that no one is at home.

8. Use strong passwords

Avoid passwords that are easily guessed. Use a combination of letters and numbers and make it as random as you can. Never ever use the name of your spouse, pet, mother’s maiden name or anything like that, which a dedicated thief could probably find out in some way. Memorize your passwords or keep them in a (strong) password protected file on your computer. Don’t write them down.

9. Computer

If you ever sell or donate your computer, make sure the hard drive is wiped absolutely clean. Just trashing your files does not do it. Ideally, re-format the hard drive.

10. Check all statements.

It’s a pain, but check all bank and credit card statements to see if all the purchases were authorized. Often times all a website will ask of you is name, credit card #, expiry date, and sometimes the three digit authorization code on the back of the card. This is information that the waiter or waitress at the last restaurant you visited can easily have captured. Check, and dispute any unknown charges immediately.

The best protection is a credit and identity theft monitoring service, such as provided by Pre-Paid Legal and Kroll, companies listed in the NYSE with over 30 years experience in the field. For a low monthly fee of $12.95 (or $9.95 if combined with a prepaid legal plan) you can have 24-hour protection and alerts if anything suspicious happens with your credit. The plans cover the whole family and monitor the use of your social security number, your driver’s license, your credit, your medical records and your IRS data. In the event that you do suffer from identity theft, they will spend however long it takes to put it right. With the average identity theft case taking 600 hours, and thousands of dollars to resolve, protection at $12.95 per month is a bargain.



By: Glyn Norman

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8 Million Hotel Guests Face Risk of Identity Theft

This is the first in a series of articles which will increase your awareness about  Identity Theft.

In August 2008, up to 8 million people were thought to be at risk for some sort of Identity Theft, after the Best Western hotel chain, the world’s largest hotel chain,  disclosed that their on line reservation system had been subjected to a successful breach of security.

It is estimated that information pertaining to any guest of the Best Western Chain who stayed at a Best Western Hotel in Europe during the past year, may have been compromised, and it is thought that the data was being sold by a web site operated by an organised crime gang based in Russia.

Data reported as stolen includes:

Home addresses,

Credit Card details,

Employment information.

The company is investigating how the breach of security happened, but at this time does not have any answers.

This is a further, real life instance, one of many over the past few years, involving loss of data from corporate or government owned data facilities that were thought to be protected and secure.

I will update this article if and when I obtain further information regarding investigations, fall out and or arrests.

John Ritchie,

Copyright to this article belongs to John Ritchie.     

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For more detailed information on Identity Theft, and to sign up for our 5 part e-course, go to  

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By: John Ritchie

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Identity theft is on the increase. It is one of the more serious threats to internet users today. Keeping your internet security software updated, and following these common sense identity theft solutions will help you reduce the threat and keep you safe online.

1. Beware of any email attachments that you receive. If you don’t know the sender, don’t open the email. If it is from a friend or colleague, contact them to be sure they intended to send it to you. Before opening any attachment or program on your computer, be sure to run a complete virus scan first.

2. If you are downloading programs, music or videos online, be sure the website is genuine and safe. Spy ware could be lurking in the download, waiting for you to open it, so it can send your personal information into cyberspace.

3. Don’t enter contests, giveaways, or websites that ask for your personal information or credit card information for access. A simple search on the internet will tell you if the contest or offer is legitimate. Usually they aren’t.

4. Don’t reply to emails that ask for your social security number or your credit card information. Most reputable companies will not request this type of information by email. If you are in doubt, contact the company by phone to verify that they want this information.

5. Change the passwords on your computer programs at least every three months, and try to use a combination of letters and numbers that is at least eight characters long. Don’t use birthdays, addresses, or your dog’s name.

6. Be careful on social networking sites. It is becoming common for scammers to befriend people online to obtain their personal information for fraudulent use.

7. Get the best antivirus protection, and spy ware removal programs. Use the Microsoft automatic updates to keep your operating system safe. Be sure to scan your computer before doing any financial transactions to get rid of any spy ware that could be lurking there.

Knowing how your identity can be stolen is part of the solution. Using common sense and taking action to protect yourself and your family from identity theft makes the identity thieves’ job much harder. Share these solutions with your family and friends to help put a stop to this increasingly common crime.



By: Gerri Stone

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When speaking of identity theft training, one of the most important things to think about is the fact of how anyone can get identity theft training, and how important something such as identity theft training actually is, to everyone. If you are interested in getting identity theft training for yourself, then one of the first things that you are going to want to do is

More About Identity Theft Training

This type of training is great because identity theft is one of the most common incidents out there today, and so thus you really want to make sure that you are protected against this as much as possible. Remember to take all of the steps that you can, as well as make yourself as informed as possible, so that you can get the best possible results out of this.

There are actually many different places that you can go to for the actual training itself, and so the first thing that you should do is a bit of research, so that you learn more about it and once you do a bit of research, you will be able to learn about the available places that you can go to in order to get this sort of training.

However, there is also the option that you have of taking training online, and so you can do this if this is more convenient for you, however if you go to an actual place where other people are going then this is often a better idea because you will have someone right there that you can ask if you have any questions, for instance.

Either way you want to make sure that you do what is best for you, and remember that there are more than enough people out there that are more than willing to help you out throughout this entire process. You should take as full advantage of this as you possibly can, and this is because if you do, then you are going to be able to get the best results.

Take your time, have patience, do not get frustrated, and remember that there are many different options that you have here. Do your own research, on the Internet for instance, so that you can be as informed and as knowledgeable as you possibly can be. This way you will be able to protect yourself against being an identity theft victim as much as you can.



By: Ann Marier

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