Protecting Our Identity

Women’s Credit Card - Compare Women’s Credit Card and find out what is low APR and balance transfer credit cards.

Have you ever wondered why you get credit card offers in mail when you have not even made a request for it. If your name and address is in public information system than by now you must have received many credit cards offers. Each giving better offer than other competing credit card company.

With so much information to process will lead to confusion and wrong acceptance of credit cards. Choosing a right credit card is a daunting job, it needs careful analysis and close scrutiny of fine points written in small fonts. Special attention should be given to credit card rates, when new higher rates will apply. Give importance to reading terms and conditions of credit cards. You will get new understanding of how credit cards work. Before you start applying credit cards you need to know few important terms used in credit card. By knowing these terms will help you applying for a correct credit card.

Credit Cards

As you know small plastic card known as credit card is in dimension of 85.60 X 53.98 mm. As the name suggest you get moneyon credit or you buy things in market on credit. The credit card differs from Debit card because when you make purchase by using your credit card it doesn’t remove money from your bank account. where as when you do purchase using Debit card it removes money from your bank account after every transaction you make.

When you make transaction using credit card the credit card company lends money to merchant where you did shopping. Usually you get one billing cycle money on credit without any interest being charged to you.

All is required from you is to pay full balance before due date to avoid interest charges. In case you have made big purchase which you can pay in full in one month, try paying off balance as soon you can to avoid more interest charges.In case you are not able to pay money back to credit card company please ensure you pay at least minimum balance required by due date. Usually this amount is little and it helps you to keep your account in good standing. Ideally this option should be avoided as it will pile interest amount on your borrowed amount and in no time your borrowed money will start swelling.

Credit card company issues credit card to user after his/her request for application has been approved.

Every credit card compnay will set credit limit for each customer based on his/her credit strength

The credit card user will make purchases by using issued credit card.

The credit card on average is in dimension of 85.60 x 53.98 mm

Every credit card has number written on it by which your account is identified.

Some of the known credit card companies: Chase - Bank of America - Citigroup - Wells fargo - American express - discover etc. Practically every major bank issues its credit card to users.

When you make purchase at any merchant you sign a small receipt acknowledging you will pay same amount to your credit card company.

Few of the transactions can be done over phone, such as airlines and hotel booking, by giving your credit card number and expiration date etc. Please be care full when making such transactions. Ensure you do such transactions with trusted parties.

Almost all merchants or store owners have credit card verification system, while you swipe your card for payment it is checked in background for fraud or missing card status.The credit card payment terminal or Point of Sale (POS) system helps store owners to do verification with issuing credit card companys sytem.

The security code of credit card is printed on back of credit card.

Each month credit card company will send monthly statement to credit card users. The statement will include details of transaction made by credit card user. The important details will be visible such as day of transaction, merchant’s name, amount paid etc. This information helps you to cross verify purchases made with amount charged on credit card.

The credit card statement also gives other information such as billing cycle, due date (payment date), total balance and minimum payment you can make.

The grace period is the number of days to make payment back to credit card company from the day he/she made purchase.

The credit card companies form associations and many bank become member of these credit card associations. The known associations are VISA, MASTERCARD,DISCOVER, AMERICAN EXPRESS etc.

Electronic transaction processing network, which allow electronic transaction to work through secure system. Following are few companies which are in this business. NDC Atlanta, Nova, Cardnet, Nabanco, Omaha, Paymentech, Vital, VisaNet and Concord EFSnet.

Secure credit card: Some credit card companies issues secure credit card after applicant has deposited 10% of credit limit into his/her account. This type of account is for new users with very little credit history to show.

Pre-Paid Credit Card: This is not really a credit card, because no amount is borrowed from lender. This type of credit card is used by students when their parents deposit required amount into account for their shopping. This type of credit card comes with VISA/MASTECARD logo thus is called pre-paid credit card

Security of credit card is dependent upon the number on credit card. Few merchants will allow certain types of sale by just getting credit card number. Ensure you don’t compromise security of credit card.

You can also withdraw money through credit card at ATM’s using your secure pin number

Annual percentage rate (APR): Learn what is APR and how it is calculated.The annual percentage rate is the interest you will be paying on borrowed money to lender.

The APR rate applicable to your account will differ from the rate which was given as introductory, partly because of few month introduction rate and other fees get added to final interest calculation.

In simple terms APR is monthly interest multiplied by 12 months will result in annual APR rate. This assumes there is no other fees involved.

Balance transfer: Why would you transfer debit amount in your credit card to other card. the reason could be better interest rate and terms. some of the credit card companies give introductory offers such as no interest on balance transfer for 6 months to 2 years.

These offers are good when you are paying high interest rate or you have high balance on credit cards and you are looking for cooling period to fix your debits.

How important is to protect your Credit Card

This small plastic card which you carry in your wallet is very precious more than your jewelry you wear on your body. The security of credit card should be taken very seriously. Once your credit card is stolen, your account information is known to others, it will take good time before you will get those charged removed from your account.

Meanwhile your credit rating will take hit if there is big charge on your credit card and you are not able to settle those charges. take every effort to safe guard security of your on-line identity and security of credit card.

Few security tips: Always keep your credit card in secure place when not using.

Never reveal your credit card numbers to others.

Try to avoid giving your credit card information on phone.

Any loss of credit card should be immediately informed to issuing credit card company.

If you are using on-line access to check your credit card account, please use secure methods to protect your identity and credit card etails.

Install “fire wall” and good virus and spyware scanner on your omputer.

Change your on-line account passwords periodically.

Never use public computers to access on-line accounts.



By: SANJAY KAK

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As many of the readers of this article are aware, computer and internet security is a very serious and complicated concept of the twenty first century. Nearly all of our personal and confidential information is stored in a computer somewhere and these computers must stay secured from hackers and security breaches. It is not uncommon to see security breaches in the news or even to receive notifications from companies holding your information that may have lost it during a security breach. I am writing this article to inform you how and why this happen.

First, let’s start with why people want to steal your information. Some hackers just want to prove that things are possible or to show that they have the power that others don’t. Others like defacing websites in order to pronounce their views. Unfortunately, most breach security to use or sell your information for financial gain. This personal information is most commonly sold right here on the internet on underground forums and chat rooms. Federal agencies do work to shut down and arrest people on a regular basis but because thieves commonly hide their identities using proxy servers and also live in foreign countries; it can make it very difficult for authorities to find the fraudsters.

Personal information can easily be used to apply for credit lines such as credit cards, bank accounts, and loans without the actual person knowing. This can cause blemishes on your credit that take a lot of time and hassle to clear up. If someone has only stolen your credit card or debit card information they are able to make purchases from online, over the phone, and in store but you are generally not held liable for any unauthorized transactions. The purchases are generally reviewed by your bank or credit card company and credited back within a week or two. It is important for people to know that the internet is no more risky than shopping in stores. In fact, the internet is completely designed to keep your information secure and encrypted where as store fronts are not.

The credit card bureaus legally have to allow an American citizen to check their credit once every year at no cost for the use of monitoring your credit. For those of us that are truly interested in active protection, you have several choices of services that will monitor your credit for a small fee but a very large piece of mind.



By: Steven Cancel

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There are so many ways where people that you don’t know can take advantage of you, without you even knowing. One threat which is becoming more and more known by the general public is identity theft.

Identity theft is the term used for the illegal and unauthorized use of one’s private information. A perpetrator can attempt to obtain private information from you to do all sorts of things in your name. One can get a hold of your Social Security Number and use it in filling in information to do transactions over the internet. One can get hold of your credit card number and expiration date and use it to register into all sorts of services and memberships.

This sort of information can be used by a criminal to place you in the scene of a crime, placing you under hot water. Identity theft is also done simply when one uses the name of an establishment or business for the purpose of getting credit.

Though the response to this sort of threat has been quite overwhelming, everyone is still in danger of being a victim to identity theft. Companies have taken measures like shredding all discarded data to make sure that nobody can gain or take information from their garbage. Security measures have made the bringing in of data-storing devices more difficult. These same measures also ensure that people leave data at work instead of bringing them home, vulnerable for anyone to see.

Unfortunately, it takes a lot of money for a company to secure its secrets, and the personal information of its employees. Many companies simply cannot make it feasible to purchase all sorts of biometric devices and other electronic security measures. So instead of making this approach, companies have the option of applying for credit protection services. Instead of providing literal security guards and equipment, these services ensure that the information used in and out of the company is used only by the company. Credit protection services have all sorts of legitimate establishments as partners, and these entities would serve as watchdogs that would monitor and notify the company whenever a perpetrator attempts to use information related to the company.

The service of credit protection does not only cater to companies. Credit protection services are also available on a smaller scale, for individuals. Using the same logic, credit protection for consumers is usually employed to make sure that information is used only by the people who authorize it. One of the many strategies that credit protection services have involves communication: Whenever your credit card is used, or whenever your social security number is included in an application form, the partnered credit firms would notify you. Once they do notify you, you will then give the final say regarding a certain transaction. If you refuse, or if you mention that you never gave the go signal for the transaction in question, these credit firms would then make a trace to find out who tried to use your identity.

Credit protection services keep their clients constantly updated regarding any alerts or attempts of identity theft and other familiar activities. Additionally, these services would give the clients reports on a regular basis, and usually they deliver whenever their clients ask for one. Credit protection services are slowly growing to give more and more people less reason to worry whenever they make transactions.



By: Puripong Koomsin

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Spyware is software designed to mine your personal information from the computer while you are using it. This information is then sent to a third party, and you have no idea this is going on. Most often this is simply information about where you are going on the Internet, but often it targets your personal identity information. Whether you are batting spyware, adware, or both, there are several things you can do to protect yourself. You are on the right track now because you are getting educated about adware and spyware.

What are adware and spyware, and how can you protect your computer from them? While adware and spyware are often grouped together, they are in fact different. Adware is the software that decides which ads to show on your computer while you are surfing the Internet. It can also be responsible for ads popping up on your computer when you are not even using the Internet.

How to Tell If Your Computer Is Affected

The first step to protecting yourself from adware and spyware is determining if your computer is affected by the malicious programs. Usually, the first clue that you have a problem is a sudden and unexpected issue with the performance on your computer. If your Internet browser suddenly works slowly, or not at all, you might have a problem. Also, adware and spyware can make your entire computer run slowly. If you notice these problems, it is time to check your computer thoroughly.

Protections from Adware and Spyware

Protecting your computer from adware and spyware should be one of your first priorities. It may not be possible to completely avoid these programs installing themselves on your computer, but there are steps you can take to keep it from happening. The best way to protect yourself is to avoid installing software you are not familiar with. When you get those pop up boxes asking you if you trust the source of the software you are about to download, think twice before clicking yes! The most common way for spyware and adware to get on your computer is by piggybacking on a program you intended to install. Free programs are one of the best culprits of this problem.

Do not click on those pop ups that say your computer is at risk! These are also prime places for spyware to install on your computer. The minute you press “yes” to doing a security scan, you are opening your computer up for unwanted, and often dangerous, software. Make sure you have anti spyware programming installed on your computer, and that you use it on a frequent basis. Even if you are not noticing a problem, check. You might choose one day a week to do a scan for spyware and adware. This is one of the best things you can do to protect yourself.



By: Brian B

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Today, perpetrators have the tools that they need at their finger tips because of 21st century technology. Every consumer private record is for sale that you can think of including; social security numbers, birth dates, property records, unlisted phone numbers, phone bill records, cell phone number/records, license plate information-too many records to list because daily the list gets longer.

The data furnishers i.e. choice point now a lexis nexis company and the 3 national credit bureaus Experian, Trans Union and Equifax are selling consumer private records - operating below the radar of our nation’s legislature as well as the general public leaving many of us very vulnerable for serious problems-some can be life threatening like in the tragic death of Amy Boyer of New Hampshire.

None of us know or are informed that a data furnisher has sold our private record unless we know how to look or where to check. The datafurnishing companies don’t provide notification to consumers like you and me when they sell our phone bills for example nor do they contact consumers when they give away our employment information or any other private record for that matter. They “merrily” sell the records and leave the rest up to chance. This is a very dangerous practice that is having a dramatic impact upon the increasing number of cyberstalking, stalking and identity theft cases across our nation and beyond.  

Frequently, Cyberstalkers, identity thieves and domestic abusers are utilizing the datafurshing industry because today in the 21st century, the simple click of a mouse is all that is required for perpetrators to obtain all of the information that they need to succeed in the commission of these heinous crimes. For many victims of stalking and domestic abuse this information distributed to the wrong person becomes a matter of life or death. Sadly, this is business as usual for the data furnishing industry and the cases of identity theft and stalking are exponentially increasing.

I have been working diligently for 3 years promoting federal privacy protection legislation that will provide consumers with mandatory notification so that anytime a person or entity -like a data furnisher- inquires or provides a consumers information to a 3rd party all consumers will receive a notice by mail. This sort of notification system is not new. It is being utilized in the banking and Visa/MasterCard industry to help detect and mitigate fraud. For example, anytime you make a change on your Visa or MasterCard account i.e. a change of address or closure of an account a mandatory notice is mailed to your last known address advising you that a change has been made. With the notice a consumer will have a chance to “fight back” and protect their private information and records from criminal activity.

Seems like a “no brainer” to include within the existing legislation the data furnishing industry and credit bureaus doesn’t it?

For more information regarding the datafurnishing industry,  domestic violence, cyberstalking and identity theft contact Alexis A. Moore ,President & Founder of Survivors In Action. Alexis@survivorsinaction.com

One Person Can Make a Difference! 



By: Alexis A Moore

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In a country that prides itself on innovation and a citizen’s right to privacy, why are we still living with the most antequated personal credit scoring system in the world? Our SSN (social security number) is the key to our financial existence. It allows the world to see the good, the bad and sometimes the downright ugly. We have no choice but to use this system to obtain credit, mortgages, insurance and even jobs. Having established the importance of this 9 digit number to us as individuals why are we still using a system that appears to have been designed for the sole benefit of thieves and robbers? We may just as well walk around with a BIG sign pinned to our backs telling any criminal with half a brain “Great Credit - Please Rob Me- All information required listed below.”

Anyone who has had the terrible misfortune to be affected by Identity Theft will know only too well how completely useless and ineffective our current system is. The pain can and normally will go on for many years. YOU ARE THE VICTIM OF A TERRIBLE CRIME! It would appear that everyone knows you are the victim of this crime, but the system has no answers for you. What seems like a very simple solution (remove these items from my credit report) becomes a MAJOR and very time consuming challenge. The demand letters just keep arriving by the sack load and of course your credit score, the thing we are all judged by, keeps going down. It finally gets to levels we never knew existed before this nightmare began.

Before I outline a possible solution, lets look at the problem. We are asked to give up our SSN every time we need credit. How do we know where that information is going. We complete these credit applications and hand over our life story to someone we have never met before - our name, address, date of birth, bank account and SSN. This person normally takes the application to someone else who either faxes it or puts the information into an online system. We have no idea where this information is going - IN GOD WE TRUST.

With Identity Theft (the so-called “White Collar Crime”) hitting record levels, it time for the government to start looking after the citizens it’s paid to protect. Why are we still using a system most 3rd world countries would laugh at? If we must use a credit score system as a measure of our ability to pay debts, then at the very least put in place a system that protects us from criminals.

Why not make the SSN card a “Smart Card” with all our credit information held by a secure government agency. Before you all start crying “big brother” they already have it anyway. Just watch Law and Order or any CSI program and see how many times they trace someone from a credit card or cell phone. The smart card could have an account number, something like a credit card number. This number plus our zip code is the only personal information they would get. The dealers or stores would pay a small fee to the agency each time they requested a credit score. This would allow them to make a basic decision, yes or no. Should they wish to lend us the funds and we accepted their terms they could give us an account/reference number which we could enter into a government run secured web site allowing us to complete their application form. This would ensure that only fully licensed lending organizations would be receiving our most personal information.

They (our leaders) get the chance to put some real meaning into the words “Serve and Protect” and we get to sleep at night without the fear of being left pennyless, seems fair to me.

Have an opinion or a question you would like me to answer, then write me! http://www.carlhampton.com



By: Carl Hampton

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Have you ever gotten a credit card bill you know is not yours or do you have a credit card that has large purchase amounts that you did not buy?

What about a criminal record? Where you pulled over for outstanding tickets or warrants but you’ve never been in trouble with the law before?

Then you’ve more than likely been an identity theft victim. This can be a heartbreaking task to clear up.

Identity theft is a very frustrating and damaging crime for those who have been targeted by criminals. The thieves can steal your hard earned cash as well as ruin your reputation.

What else can these criminals do?

Some of the things these criminals can do is ruin you both financial, economically and criminally. Here are some things they try for:

- Financial fraud

- Bank account fraud

- Computer fraud

- Criminal activites using your name

Imagine if you will being investigated for crimes you have no idea about. Something has simple as stealing lipstick or food and they can use your name as theirs.

This is so upsetting for both the person whose name is being used and the family of the person whose name is used. Criminal activity is not easy to fix once your name is in the computer system.

These criminals will get you convicted for tax evasion and fraud if you are not protecting your information and looking over it continuously. How can thieves get this information? Thieves can get your data in a variety of ways. It can be as simple as clicking on a computer e-mail that has a link in it or losing your credit card outside your home.

Everyone should know how to protect themselves from these technologically advanced predators. Always be careful to whom you give out your personal information to.

Listed below are eight ways a person can protect themselves from being a victim of identity theft (These are not listed in the order of importance.):

1. Should the phone ring and a person identifies themselves with a company you do business with, asking to verify some information. Do NOT give this to them! Get a name, full one preferably, and hang up on them. Call the company back… asking if they did indeed call.

2. Should you ever give out your personal information to a company, be sure it is with one that is reputable, one that will protect your information. Ask them how they will protect your data.

3. Always keep track of credit card receipts and credit card statements. Keep a constant eye on your bank statements too. Thieves who want to use your good name all the time will buy only one item a statement period to throw off suspicion of anything being out of place.

4. Shred, rip up or cut up any personal information or papers. Thieves do not mind going dumpster diving for personal data.

5. Never carry documents you do not need in your purse or wallet. A simple crime in stealing these items can turn into a devastating nightmare of identity theft.

6. Make copies of credit cards, passports and other sensitive data. Doing so will make it easier to cancel if they are compromised.

7. Keep up with your deposit slips. These are the easiest way a thief can get your bank account number. Keep it safe in your home at all times.

8. Use a secure password, not one that can be easily guessed such as your birthday or mother’s maiden name.

Contact police if you feel you’ve been a victim of identity theft. From here, you can get unauthorized marks off your credit report easier.



By: Abhishek Agarwal

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Whenever you are shopping for a Credit Card you always wonder what all those insurances that come with the Credit Card Package stand for and how to issue a claim if something happens to you.

Each Credit Card Issuer offers different insurance programs and names them in different ways.

However, following is a list of the most common insurance programs available and a brief explanation of each one.

Names may vary but the concept remains the same.

Whenever you feel that any of the following events occur, don’t hesitate to contact your credit card issuer and inform them that the occurrence reflected in the insurance contract has taken place and that you want to know how to receive proper assistance on the matter.

Purchase Safety Insurance

Each time you buy goods with your credit card and those goods happen to be damaged, or get lost or robbed, you can always get your credit card company to reimburse the full or part of the purchase price in compliance with the insurance policy.

This is specially useful when you buy expensive home appliances as anything that might happen will be covered by the policy even if your home insurance policy also covers these events.

Theft Insurance

As long as you call your credit card issuer immediately after you loose or get your card stolen, the credit card company will block the card and not charge you for any purchase made after the theft or reimburse you the money if the purchase has already been processed.

Bear in mind also, that not only should you report the robbery due to the insurance but because it is also a legal duty.

Fraud Insurance Protection

Identity theft has became a growing issue for credit card companies, as it is driving away customers from credit cards that do not include this kind of insurance. Whenever you are subject to fraud due to the use of your credit card number and identity to make purchases without your consent, you should immediately let your credit card issuer know that fact and tag that operation as unauthorized.

The money will be placed on hold till the problem is solved and any payment processed will be reimbursed if the fraud is confirmed.

Travel annulment Insurance

If you’ve bought a plane ticket and maybe hotel reservations or other vocational products and something happens that forces you to suspend or cancel, you’ll be covered by this policy. You’ll get reimbursed in full or partly according to the insurance policy and you might also get to change the tourist-pack in order to go on vacations on another date.

Travel Accident Insurance

Last, but not least, this insurance will cover any accidents or even death during your travels. Let’s put aside the event of death which works exactly as a death insurance.

In case of an accident, all your costs, including medical bills, transportation, phone calls, medicine, etc will be fully covered by the insurance company.

You can visit her site and get aid for Credit Cards regardless of your credit.



By: Mary Wise

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Are you aware of the new “credit freeze” laws that, as of November 2007, have been enacted in all 50 states? These laws allow consumers to place a “freeze” on their credit information. No new credit may be obtained and individual credit information cannot be released in any manner unless the freeze is removed by the consumer.

A recent competitor in the credit monitoring/consumer protection products and services arena is Trusted ID. This company offers credit monitoring, identity theft, and ID theft insurance as well as other resources to consumers independently and not through one of the three major credit reporting agencies of TransUnion, Experian, or Equifax. This business is located in Redwood City, CA and more information about the company may be obtained by calling 1.888.548.7878.

ID Freeze is the title of the service provided and its features include; credit card monitoring, stoppage of pre approved credit card offers; access to ID theft and restoration specialist, “Lender Double-Check; ID theft insurance and “CreditLock.”

What are these features and why are they important? By providing credit card monitoring; consumers are able to be informed of activity that may indicate that their credit card information may have been compromised, for example additional details regarding the security breach experienced by TJMaxx and Marshall’s and how it may have affected you. The stoppage of pre approved credit card offers is important for two reasons. First, credit reporting agencies are selling your information to the marketing database - your information that you must PAY to receive. Pre-approved credit card offers are also considered the leading cause of identity theft, so your removal from this service is more important that just saving you a few minutes of time going through your mail. It may save your credit.

Subscribers to TrustedID’s ID Freeze are also provided access to id theft and to a restoration specialist 24-7. Members may access their specialist via email or telephone, have answers regarding their credit or restoration concerns answered, and obtain sample letters, emails and other resources necessary to correct credit errors.

The three more unique aspects of this product are: “Lender Double-check,” a one million dollar ID theft insurance benefit and “CreditLock. With Lender DoubleCheck, credit lenders must obtain your approval by telephone before taking any action that can affect your credit. The companies of Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian are provided with a “note” to your account with instructions. The $1,000,000 identity theft insurance benefit through AIG and Lloyd’s of London; is offered because of Trusted ID’s confidence that you won’t need it once you use their service. The feature, “CreditLock,” is a service by which consumers prohibit the release of their credit information to third parties without their express permission. However, in the event the consumer is applying for new credit, they are required to release their credit information-basically turning the “lock” on and off.

This service also automatically provides you with your yearly credit report from all three credit reporting agencies; however, this benefit hardly deserves mention. All consumers have access to one credit report annually, however the benefit of this service is that the consumer is not required to make the request for the report. It is simply provided.

With the utilization of “credit freezing” your credit information is protected before anything happens. With other services you receive information after the fact and, in some cases, too late. Scott Mitic, founder of Trusted ID, stated to consumeraffairs.com that; “The credit bureaus are in the business of selling your data,” he said, {and} “Consumer information is the new gold standard, and we want to put the power back in the consumer’s hands.” This product gives consumers the ability to be proactive instead of responding retroactively,

Trusted ID features and benefits such as StolenID Search have been featured in such publications as Time, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Newsweek; online at CNNMoney.com and CNBC and are recognized by the Identity Theft Resource Center.

Other products also available include assistance to corporations and small businesses with data security breaches. This company also lobbies Congress for stricter rules regarding who can access in individual’s personal and credit information. Their first feature is offered free, and is a “StolenID Search,” an online tool where consumers may search by social security number or credit card number to see if their information has been compromised. The website and service also provides an identity theft resource center with facts and information; videos of victims of ID theft and frequently asked questions.

As of Jan. 2008, the price for this service is 104.95 for a yearly subscription, providing the subscriber with a $50.00 a year savings over many other service providers. Subscribers may also purchase the services of Trusted ID on a short term basis for $12.95 a month, with the subscription ending upon non payment or cancellation.

Take a minute, or five and visit Trusted ID online to determine if this is the right credit monitoring service for you. If it is, you are there and ready to sign up; if not you will have the information you need to determine what kind of service you do want and be able to knowledgeably compare plans and benefits.



By: Lisa Carey

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