Protecting Our Identity

The last time you applied for a credit card, how long did it take? If you did a mail-in application through the postal service, you might have waited weeks or even months to learn whether your application was approved or denied. You can save yourself a lot of time and paperwork if you choose an online credit card application instead.

Some people are reluctant to apply for a credit card online. They worry that their information might not be secure, or that it might not be kept confidential. While identity theft is a growing crime, the chances of your data being stolen when you apply online for a credit card is slim to none. Banks have some of the most advanced security systems available. After all, a data breach would be a public-relations nightmare that would potentially cost the bank millions of dollars. It’s in their best interest to protect their customers’ information. To do your part, make sure that the computer you’re using to fill out the application has been checked for viruses and spyware.

When you first see the online credit card application, you might be surprised by how similar it is to written applications. Both types of forms will ask you to provide your contact information, household income, and personally identifying details to prove your identity. You will need to supply information about your home or rental history, as well as the length of your current employment. If you’ve been at your residence or job less than six months, you’ll be asked questions about your previous home and employer as well.

Some online credit card applications will ask details about your gross monthly income and outgoing expenses. All of them will require your Social Security Number so that the creditor can check your credit report for past delinquencies and defaults. All of the questions on a credit card application are used to form a picture of your creditworthiness. If you’re a good candidate for credit, you’ll soon receive a notice of approval and a new credit card. If your credit score needs improvement, you’ll be declined for now.

The advantages of applying for a credit card online are numerous. First, it’s fast and easy. Second, it doesn’t require you to keep up with paperwork that could get lost in the mail. And, finally, some creditors give special promotional deals when you fill out an online application. These can include lower interest rates, reward points, or even a free gift.

When you apply for your next credit card, don’t be afraid to apply online. The security is good, and the speed and convenience make it worthwhile. To compare instant approval credit cards, visit BestCreditCardRatings.Com. You’ll have an answer in seconds!



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that you stop thinking identity theft can’t happen to you. Consider the following statistics:

Every minute there are at least 19 people that have their identity stolen. This translates into more then 10 million people a year!

There are over 7 million households that had to deal with the devastation of identity theft in the year 2004… with identity theft on the rise by more then 80% today can you honestly believe you are safe?

The FBI currently has more then 2000 open cases of identity theft right now!

The worst part, your kids aren’t even safe. There are over 400,000 cases of child identity theft each year and that number is on the rise.

The bottom line here is that it is more likely that your identity will be stolen then it won’t unless you take the precautions to prevent this crime from happening to you. Every time you give out personal information over the internet, every time you hand the waiter or waitress your credit card and they walk off with it and every piece of mail you throw away without shredding that contains any personal information about you or your family members you are increasing the likelihood of your identity being stolen.

This includes any medical records and insurance information. Did you know that if someone else claims to be you, has tests run and is diagnosed with a disease of any sort it will be on your medical record for ever. It is important that you protect yourself and your family.

The first thing you should do after reading this article is get a copy of your credit report. Your credit report is going to be the first indication that someone else is using your identity. Unfortunately many people do not take the time to go through their report. It is more common then you realize for their to be mistakes and inaccurate information on your credit report.

The next step is to not sign the back of your credit cards. While some places will tell you that they can not accept your credit or debit card then without a signature that is simply not true. What they need to do is see your identification along with your credit card. They should be verifying that it is really you anyway.

In this day and age shopping on the internet is a wonderful thing. We can buy just about anything we want, get all the information that we want all for a small price. That price could also come with the risk of your identity being stolen. Consider setting up a separate account that is only used for internet shopping and then link that to a PayPal account. So that you aren’t giving out your information to people when you are buying items. All someone needs to steal you identity is your birthday, name and address and social security number.

Protect those precious items. If you don’t feel secure enough to take care of it all yourself or fear having to wage the battle alone once your identity is stolen there are services available to you for a very small fee. Look into those services and protect you and your family.



By: Don Hayes

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For many people in Singapore and other Asian countries, theft of their identities is the biggest worry they face, according to the latest Security Index. Eighty percent of people who were surveyed in Singapore along are worried about others stealing their identities or using their credit cards without their knowledge. Hong Kong and Malaysia had similar worries.

The Security Index is based on local fears about security. A low number indicates that people have little fear, whereas a high number indicates a lot. If there’s no fear, the Security Index would be zero, however, in Singapore and Hong Kong, the index is a startling 179, with Malaysia not far behind at 174. This is a lot higher than countries like New Zealand or Australia, which are below 150 on this scale.

Despite the fact that many people in the area are quite concerned about the security of their identities and finances, a fifth of them still don’t take basic security measures, like destroying the receipts from an ATM. This shows a degree of complacency that doesn’t match with their worries. Many people are used to trusting their banks and don’t realize all the vectors through which their identities could be stolen. Identity theft could occur by someone going through the garbage, by trying to spot information while looking over someone’s shoulder while they’re on the computer, or by stealing mail.

There are some basic precautions that can be taken by people in Asia or elsewhere to avoid the problem of identity theft. Tearing up or shredding personal documents, like credit card statements and bills, can help. However, securing the mailbox and guarding personal identification records are also important. People who want to avoid identity theft should also keep close track of their credit cards, ATM and gas station receipts, never give any personal information without finding out the reason for a call or email about that information, and take their names off marketing lists. It’s also important to go over credit card statement very carefully to look for any anomalies that might indicate unauthorized use of the card. In countries that have a credit reporting system, citizens should view that report regularly. This is another place that illegal use of someone’s information can show up.

Identity theft is a growing problem, in Asia and throughout the world. Simple precautions can do a lot to reduce the incidence of this crime, but can’t prevent it entirely. Anyone who’s worried about losing their information to someone unscrupulous, as are the inhabitants of Singapore and Hong Kong, should take steps to safeguard that information.

Also people should reach out to others they know online as well. Older, experienced online people need to help younger people just entering the online world to protect themselves as well as their computers. Printing out helpful articles and sharing copies with others, emailing copies as well are other ways to reach out. And bookmarking helpful sites and blogs and subscribing to them to stay advised of alerts and updates regarding identity theft issues and topics are also great ideas.



By: Bernard Pragides

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Last year 9.9 million victims were reported in America. It could be an growing epidemic because it`s picked up the last four-five years. It is nationwide, affects everybody, and there is very little you can do to prevent it and, worst of all - you can`t detect it until it`s probably to late!

Identity theft or identity fraud is the taking of the victims identity to obtain credit, credit cards from banks and retailer, steal money from the victims existing accounts, apply for loans, establish accounts with utility companies, rent an apartment, file bankruptcy or obtain a job using the victims name, and without the victim knowing about it for months or years.

How do the imposter take your identity?

Most victims don`t even know how the thief got their identity numbers because it is so easy. What worse is that for the criminal identity theft is a relatively low-risk, high-reward endeavor. All that is needed is you social security number, your birth date and other identifying information such as your address and phone number and whatever else they can find out about you.

With this information, and a false drivers license with their own picture, they can begin the crime. They apply in person for instant credit, or though the mail by posing as you. They often provide an address of their own, claiming to have moved.

Negligent credit grantors in their rush to issue credit and do not verify information or addresses. When the imposter opens the first account, they use this new account along with the other identifiers to add to their credibility. This facilitates the proliferation of the fraud. Now the thief is well on his/her way to getting rich and ruining you credit and good name.

Where does the thief get information about you?

Lots of places as your doctor, dentist, lawyer, school, place of work, health insurance carrier, accountant and may others have your identifying information. If some criminally minded person is working at the office,or just visiting,decides to use this information to assume your identity,you would not know it.

Also if this information is not disposed of with a shredder,a “dumpster diver”,could pick up the information and begin the crime against you. You do not need to lose your wallet or have anything tangible stolen from you for someone to take your identity. If you do not shred your confidential information, utility bill,credit card slips and other documents, it is easy to “dumpster dive” your garbage.

Much of your information is readily available on the internet,at courts,and accessible from public documents. Additionally,if someone obtains you credit report illegally,they have all the information necessary to become you.

What can you do if you are a victim of identity theft?

One way you will be aware of the theft is usually when a creditor contacts you or you will be denied credit, or you will see charges on bills,that are not yours.

As soon as you are aware of the fraud you must contact the major credit reporting agencies immediately,and get a fraud alert on your credit profile. It is also important to contact your local police station for advice and to report the theft.

Another question you might ask yourself is if you should change your social security number just to be safe. My advice would be to ask the Police,because you might not be the only one, who is a victim of Identity theft. If you live in a small town the local police might not know it right away,but they have the possibilities to ask a major police office.

My advice is also to contact a lawyer,who knows about cases like yours or is able to recommend you to the right authorities.

Is it possible to secure yourself and your business against identity theft?

If you own an online business you can take some precautions. If you pay by credit card make sure it`s a safe site,and notice the little “padlock” in the bottom or the top of the site. When you see this “padlock” it is a safe site and your credit card information`s are safe to sent to the merchant.

Be careful when you use the Internet and protect yourself using a virus protection program ,and make a scan of your computer frequently. If you use online banking make sure always to go to the website of the bank, don`t ever click on links in Emails telling you that your bank has a message for your. You also have to be careful opening links and files in Emails if you don`t trust the sender or know the person/firm don`t open it.

Another precaution you can use is to make proper passwords for your business programs. Don`t use passwords with your birth date, mothers maiden name, or any of your present identifiers not even your pets name.

Make up a strange name using small and large letters combined with numbers and figures. Keep the passwords a safe place and do never keep the code for your credit card together with you credit card. Go to your bank and collect a special card to remember your code. Download tools for your computer to remember your passwords, then it makes your work easier and you only open this “tool” with one single password,to remember.

And finally don`t leave your ATM receipt by the ATM machine.



By: Tove Kou

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The history of identity theft is something that you should really know about, especially in the world of today where identity theft is a huge and in fact growing problem. Identity theft happens to hundreds of people each day, and so you are going to want to learn about the history of identity theft as well as how to try and protect yourself against identity theft in general.

More About the History of Identity Theft

There is much to learn about in regards to the history of identity theft, and in particular, you should know that the history of identity theft goes back a long time. Many people seem to think that identity theft is an issue that only really came to be important as of rather recently, but this is not true at all.

Identity theft has taken place for a long time now, however with the technologically advanced world that we live in now, it is happening that much more now, and it is also much easier for people to commit identity theft acts. After all, you consider how much time the average person spends on the computer, as well as how the average person has at least one credit card, and you can see two major reasons as to why identity theft is more common now than ever before.

You do not have to be a victim to identity theft however, and there are several steps in particular that you can take in order to try and protect yourself against identity theft as much as possible. One of the first things that you are going to want to do is make sure that you do not have more credit cards than you need, and so if you have more than one, pick one that you want to keep and cut up the rest.

You are also going to want to make sure that when you throw out pieces of your mail that you cut it up or rip it up, so that people cannot go through your mail and find out personal information about you. This is especially important with mail from your bank for instance, as people can easily steal your identity with this type of information.

There are many different ways that you can protect yourself against this sort of thing, and so you want to make sure that you are as knowledgeable and as informed as you can be so that you can take the best steps possible in regards to protecting yourself against identity theft.



By: Ann Marier

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ID Theft and Identity Theft Prevention

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

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

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

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

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

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



By: S. Michael Windsor

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Identity Theft is when someone uses another person’s social security number, driver license, name, address, telephone number and any other information about that particular person as their own. The unauthorized person that obtains this information without the other person’s knowledge uses this information to commit theft and fraud.

How does a person committing ID theft get my information? By going through your trash, hacking into a computer that you may use, securing a copy of your credit report, stealing credit card and debit card numbers that you may have, stealing your mail,completing a change of address form to reroute your mail to a different address, stealing your purse or wallet, and scamming information from you by posing as a business person.

How would I know if I am a victim of ID theft? If you receive credit card statements for accounts you did not apply for, you do not receive your mail, your credit is being denied and you do not know why, counterfeit checks are used to withdraw money from your bank account, you receive calls from collection agencies about bills for accounts established with your personal information that you do not know about,and other problems that you may have with your personal information.

Should I order a copy of my credit reports to find out if I am a victim of identity theft? Yes, you may want to consider doing this if you suspect that you are a victim of identity theft. You would want to order a copy of your credit reports from all three credit reporting agencies which are: Equifax www.equifax.com 1-800-685-1111; Experian www.experian.com 1-888-397-3742; and; TransUnion www.transunion.com 1-800-916-8800.

What should I do if my identity is stolen by someone? Contact the three credit reporting agencies as soon as possible and let them know that you are a victim of ID theft and ask them to place a fraud alert and your statement as a victim in your credit report file. Order a copy of your credit report from each agency to check the information on your report.

Contact the credit reporting agencies fraud units at these telephone numbers or addresses: Equifax: 1-800-525-6285, P.O. Box 74021, Atlanta, GA. 30374-0241:: Experian: 1-888-397-3742, P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX. 75013:: TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289, Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA. 92834-6790.

Should I close my credit and checking accounts if ID theft has occurred? Yes, you may want to consider closing your credit and checking accounts if you suspect identity theft. Contact your bank and creditors about your identity being stolen and consider closing your accounts and establish new ones.

If your checks are stolen, request that your bank notify the check verification company that they use. You may also want to contact the major check verification companies as well.

The major check verification companies that you would want to contact are the following: Telecheck, 1-800-710-9898 or 1-800-927-0188:: Certegy Inc., 1-800-437-5120:: and; International Check Services, 1-800-631-9656.

You may also want to contact a company known as Scan at 1-800-262-7771 to find out if an identity thief has been using your checks. In addition, you should also contact your local police department and report that your identity has been stolen.

Make sure that you file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission about your identity being stolen as well. You can file this report at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.



By: Nocita Carter

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Protect your kids from the risks associated with identity theft. Children often fall prey to identity fraud, and the numbers of young victims grows every year, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). There are several simple tips you can use to protect kids from identity theft.

Why Kids Are Targeted by Identity Thieves

Kids are easy targets for identity thieves. By law, children can’t apply for credit cards, loans or other lines of credit until they are 18. That gives identity thieves many opportunities to steal a child’s identity and use it freely to open lines of credit. In addition to random strangers stealing a child’s identity, unfortunately, unscrupulous family members also often target them.

Children Feel Effects of Identity Theft When They Venture Out in the World

Children who are identity theft victims feel the pain inflicted by the crime when they try to establish a credit history. Applying for a loan or a credit card, children and their families are often shocked to learn that their child has a poor credit history, even though they’ve never had a line of credit. A poor credit score can prevent kids from getting the jobs they want, obtaining credit cards, loans and more. Although justice is on their side, it can take years to clean up a lifetime of identity theft.

Protect Your Kids from Becoming a Victim of Identity Theft

Adults can protect kids from identity theft by taking a few safety precautions. Shredding paperwork from doctors and other entities that list a child’s Social Security number or date of birth can help protect children from identity fraud. Credit card and loan offers that arrive in the mail addressed to children should be addressed with the company sending the offer, so they know that they are sending items to minor children. Social Security cards and other personal information about children should be safely stored to avoid the risk of identity fraud.

Children Identity Fraud Repair: What to Do if the Worst Should Happen

If a child becomes a victim of identity fraud, there are a few things you can do to help them repair their credit history and regain their identity. Their Social Security number should be changed and a police report should be filed immediately. Credit card companies, lenders and collections agencies associated with the phony identity should be notified immediately about the identity theft.

Reduce the risk of identity theft with credit monitoring . Credit monitoring provides an added layer of protection against identity fraud with up to date information about credit scores and details of unusual activities on a credit report.



By: Lisa Nichols

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Today, Identity fraud has become one of the most common thefts of the decade - It has been featured in different kinds of magazines and Television shows. It seems like each year the amount of cases being published increase drastically.

In America alone, over 27 million cases are being filed each year and it is still constantly increasing. It is also due to the fact that slowly most of the purchases are done through information - usually credit cards are the ones with high risk, since if they know all about your personal information they can easily use your card to purchase over the internet.

Now, in order to prevent Identity fraud I have listed the essential things you can do to prevent this from happening to you and your family. Keep in mind that if you follow these things you will prevent identity theft at least 90% of the time. So please take note of the information I am about to share with you.

1. Information Awareness

Now this is very essential, you should be extremely wary of the amount of information you are giving away to the public. It can be on the internet or hard copies of your identification documents.

So in order to be aware of the situation you just have to limit the amount of information you give out, especially on the internet. Don’t publish all of your information online.

Another thing is you should not allow anyone to copy or borrow your identification documents without proper reason.

Plus, always deal business with an official sanction of a company - Do not try to deal with individuals that don’t seem to have any official identifications, you can also check the person by calling up the company.

Shred any financial papers you receive before disposing of them in the trash. This includes any solicitation notices that you may receive for any credit cards or mail from other financial institutions.

Lastly, don’t bring your Social Security Card (or Identification number) with you unless it’s absolutely important.

2. Report Odd Credit Information

This is an extremely important part of preventing identity fraud. Most of the time, people who are involved in the cases think that they could be subjected to identity fraud problems, unfortunately they don’t follow their gut instinct to check.

The telltale signs are monthly expenses that show up in your credit card payment but they don’t provide any form of billing and check your credit card transactions to make sure that all transactions are made by you and if there is a discrepancy, immediately call the company to stop any fraud from continuing further.

And lastly, check your credit report at least once a year to make sure your information (and credit standing) is correct.

That’s why it is essential that you exercise these tips and relate them to your friends and family to prevent any of identity theft/fraud problem in the future.



By: Bernard Pragides

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