Protecting Our Identity

A number of clients have recently reported to their tax preparation services that they have been receiving calls from someone posing as a representative from the Social Security Administration. The caller began the conversation by talking about the pending Congressional leader’s announcement where a deal with the White House on the economic stimulus package would give most tax filers refunds of $600 to $1,200, and more if they have children. The caller went on to solicit from consumers their Social Security number stating confirmation of their number would ensure they received their rebate checks within the next 6 - 7 months.

The Social Security Administration is not making a conscience effort to confirm consumer identification numbers. You need to be aware that identity thief’s are however and they use a number of tactics to steal your identity. Spoofing is generally used by thieves as a means to convince individuals to provide personal or financial information that enables the perpetrators to commit credit card/bank fraud or other forms of identity theft. An attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive financial or personal information, such as credit card information or a Social Security number, by impersonating a business representative or trustworthy person is also known as a Phishing attempt and is usually initiated through e-mail, phone calls or Instant Messaging.

Thieves do not just collect Social Security Numbers. They are also after your telephone records, date of birth and your bank and credit card account numbers. This information is a personal asset as well and people who illegally solicit this information are also known as pretexters.

It is yet another name for identity theft and Pretexting is (like the other practices mentioned) a means of getting your personal information under false pretenses.

Pretexters sell your information to people who may use it to get credit in your name, steal your assets, or to investigate or sue you. Pretexting is against the law. Whether it is by means of Spoofing, Phishing or Pretexting the tactics are all designed to get your personal information.

According the Federal Trade Commission For example, a pretexter may call, claim he’s from a survey firm, and ask you a few questions. When the pretexter (let’s just call it a thief) has the information they want, it is used to call your financial institution.

The thief pretends to be you or someone with authorized access to your account. They might claim that they have forgotten their checkbook and need information about their account. In this way, the criminal may be able to obtain personal information about you such as your SSN, bank and credit card account numbers, information in your credit report, and the existence and size of your savings and investment portfolios.

Keep in mind that some information about you may be a matter of public record, such as whether you own a home, pay your real estate taxes, or have ever filed for bankruptcy.

It is not pretexting for another person to collect this kind of information. Identity thieves don’t just use the schemes we’ve just talked about to get your personal information they also procure your identity by:

* Stealing wallets, purses and your mail (bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, new checks and tax information);

* Stealing personal information you provide to an unsecured site on the Internet, from business or personnel records at work and personal information in your home;

* Rummaging through your trash, the trash of businesses and public trash dumps for personal data;

* Buying personal information from “inside” sources. For example, an identity thief may pay an employee for information about you that appears on an application for goods, services or credit.

Even though the laws are on your side, it’s wise to take an active role in protecting your information. The Federal Trade Commission recommends the following actions;

1. Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or over the Internet unless you’ve initiated the contact or know who you’re dealing with. Pretexters may pose as representatives of survey firms, banks, Internet service providers and even government agencies to get you to reveal your SSN, mother’s maiden name, financial account numbers and other identifying information. Legitimate organizations with which you do business have the information they need and will not ask you for it.

2. Be informed. Ask your financial institutions for their policies about sharing your information. Ask them specifically about their policies to prevent pretexting.

3. Pay attention to your statement cycles. Follow up with your financial institutions if your statements don’t arrive on time.

4. Review your statements carefully and promptly. Report any discrepancies to your institution immediately.

5. Alert family members to the dangers of pretexting. Explain that only you, or someone you authorize, should provide personal information to others.

6. Keep items with personal information in a safe place. Tear or shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance forms, bank checks and other financial statements that you’re discarding, expired charge cards and credit offers you get in the mail.

7. Add passwords to your credit card, bank and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother’s maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN or your phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers.

8. Be mindful about where you leave personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates or are having work done in your home by others.

9. Find out who has access to your personal information at work and verify that the records are kept in a secure location. Checking your credit report annually can help you catch mistakes and fraud before they wreak havoc on your personal finances.

Order a copy of your credit report from the three nationwide consumer reporting companies every year. To order your free annual report from one or all the nationwide consumer reporting companies, call toll-free 1-877-322-8228, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form avail at their Website annualcreditreport.com, and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

If you do not have the time or expertise to put measures in place to protect you and your family’s identity consider visiting a credit protection service that can put the appropriate measures in place to preserve your good name, credit and assets.



By: Ronald Hudkins

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Identity theft has become a worldwide crisis, particularly in the United States. The Federal Trade Commission states that the crime of identity theft is rapidly growing and will affect thousands of people throughout the world and because the rate of conviction and prosecution of identify theft criminals is so small, this crime will just grow worse over time. If you are like the majority of people, then you may wonder exactly what identity theft is, how it can affect you, and what thieves may do with your information once they have it. The goal of this article is to examine the crime of identity theft and look at how it can affect the average person.

Essentially, identity theft is where a criminal gains access to your personal identification information, be it your Social Security number, credit card number, or bank account information. You may be amazed at what somebody can do once they have access to your personal identification history. Once a person with the available knowledge and lack of conscience has gained access to your Social Security number, address, phone number, and birth date they have an open ticket on accessing and abusing your credit. You may think that this cant happen to you but the Federal Trade Commission estimates that 9 million Americans will be affected by identity theft each year and unfortunately, you could be next on the list. If you become a victim of identity theft, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Victims of identity theft not only have to go through the difficult, time consuming, and self demeaning act of proving their innocence, but will also be required to engage in the process of restoring their credit and good name. The act of restoring your credit can take hundreds of hours spread out through a period of several years and can cost thousands of dollars in out of pocket expenses for the victim. In addition to this fact, an identity theft victim can have their life put on hold while trying to restore their credit, making it difficult or impossible to secure home mortgages, automobile loans, and credit for other needed items. On rare occasions, an identity theft victim can actually be arrested for crimes that they did not commit. To make matters worse, someone who has fallen prey to identity theft may not even realize what has happened for months until they are contacted by debt collectors for bills that they did not incur. To make matters even worse, if an identity theft victim needs to seek another job, their now negative credit history may have a large impact in obtaining gainful employment.

Once a person understands what identity theft is and how it may affect them, they often wonder just what an identity theft thief will do with their information. The possibilities are virtually endless, with identity theft criminals using stolen personal identification to rent apartments, get credit cards, open telephone or utility accounts, and even open bank accounts, all in the victims name. While some identity theft criminals are simply people with bad credit themselves who may use your information for the purpose of obtaining credit and will actually pay the bills, many more will simply spend with no intention of ever paying back the debt and continue to do so until your credit and good name are completely destroyed. Some identity theft criminals have actually filed for bankruptcy using a victims social security number.

As seen by this article, identity theft can happen to anyone, and can often go unnoticed until the point where the victims credit history and good name has been completely destroyed. While recovering from identity theft can be a long and hard road to recovery, there are steps that someone can take to narrow the possibilities of becoming an identity theft victim. Anti identity theft programs such as LifeLock specialize in helping people protect their credit and personal identification information before they become an identity theft victim.



By: Rick Churchill

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If you have unfortunately been a victim of identity theft, you need to come up with a plan for identity theft solutions so that this or something like this doesn’t happen ever again to you or someone close to you.

A Handy Checklist:

BE Prepared

1. Make a list of all the companies you need to call and do it quickly. Your list will include credit card companies, bank accounts, other loans, mortgage payments and the like. After your call to freeze cards and issue stop payments on checks you did not write, send the companies a letter in writing and keep copies.

Follow up with another call to see if any solution to your identity theft has been figured out. Keep a track of whom you have called and if there is anything you need to get back to them with.

Credit Card

2. File a police report and contact the credit reporting agencies. If you are traveling, ask your credit card company to overnight you a new card.

Check First

3. Always check your credit card statement before you pay it and never assume it is correct. A charge at a gas station for $40 is okay, but a charge at a gas station in India is not especially if you’ve never laid foot in Asia! Call your credit card company; you pay them hefty fees for someone to answer your call 24/7. There might not be a need for an identity theft solution if it was a simple mistake. A part of the statement could get cut off and it could actually be a $40 gas bill for the trip you took to Indiana last month! – Review Report – 4. Review your credit report at least once a year, and more if possible. Check if any new accounts have been opened that you have not authorized. Check if the dollar amounts on the credit balances you have are correct. A measly zero can make or break your credit when you go to buy a new car or find a home. – Drivers Lisence & Check-

5. An important identity theft solution is to avoid having your driver’s license number or social security number printed on your checks. If you do pay by check, the cashier can check your ID and write the number in front of you. 6. Know and review with other family members whom to call if you find your wallet has been stolen. – Computer – 7. Update your computer virus protection, anti-spam software and install firewalls so some college nerds do not try to hack in to your system just for the fun of it. – Online Shopping – 8. A relatively newer identity theft solution is gaining popularity. When shopping online, use a unique virtual credit card number provided by your card company for the exact amount of your purchase. That is a secure way of seeing to it that no one can use your card over and above the amount you enter for that transaction.



By: Tony Hartmann

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Stealing is against the law, no matter what form it takes. Theft threatens individual freedom and corporate security. Thankfully, there are laws to protect us from identity theft and related fraud.

People are becoming more aware of identity theft, but not many of us understand what it is and how it happens. In a 2003 study, the Federal Bureau of Investigation found at as many as 9 million people fall prey to identity theft every year. The impacts on personal financial security and business in general are huge. That same year, the Federal Trade Commission reported over $48 billion is losses to business and financial institutions and $5 billion out-of-pocket losses to American consumers as a direct result of identity theft.

Identity theft isn’t just a local or national problem. Ever-improving technology and communications has promoted identity theft to a worldwide problem. As we depend more and more on computers and online transactions, we become more vulnerable to the unscrupulous actions of identity theft.

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is a crime that occurs when someone steals your personal information, usually your full name, home address, social security number, or bank or credit account numbers. Once identity thieves have this information, they can apply for credit using your credit rating and ruin your credit score, not to mention your personal financial reputation. And the saddest part of it all is that a person doesn’t usually know it’s happening until his or her credit is already in jeopardy.

And with the miracle of the worldwide web comes the risk of having your personal information leaked through non-secure websites or tricked out of you by sly e-mail “company representatives” who want to “verify” your information. Some internet hackers have even stolen personal information for thousands of clients of a single company.

What Can I do to Protect My Personal Credit?

It’s not easy to protect yourself from identity theft. Most of it is intended to occur without your knowledge or consent. And there are many avenues for identity theft that are outside your control. But there are some things you can do to lessen the chances for identity theft.

- Secure your personal information at all times. Don’t leave lists of account numbers unlocked, and don’t share your user IDs or passwords with ANYone. Maintain as much control over your personal financial information as you can.

- Don’t throw mail away if in contains any personal information, including your full name and address. Shred these documents before putting them in the garbage.

- Educate yourself about the techniques and tactics used in identity theft and protect yourself accordingly.

- Don’t share personal account information with anyone, including co-workers, friends, and roommates. Unless they are also responsible for paying your bills, they have no reason to have this information. And don’t give them your passwords without a very good reason. If you do share your passwords, change them as soon as possible.

- Shred unwanted and pre-approved credit applications, and have your name removed from those mailing lists.

- Be careful when you make purchases online to use only secure servers and to carefully guard your information. Do not keep a written list of passwords, and use passwords that are difficult to figure out (rather than something simple like your phone number).

How Do I know if Someone is Using my Personal Information?

Many victims of identity theft are not aware of the problem until they are refused credit or receive a bill for purchases they did not make. There are a few ways to catch identity theft early on:

- Request your credit report from one or all of the three major credit reporting companies (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax). Review the reports carefully to assure you are aware of and agree with the status on all accounts. Make sure there are no accounts you don’t know about listed there. And check all recent credit inquiries. Companies from which you have not asked for an account should not be making inquiries. This is a sure sign that someone is out there using your name and information.

- When you review your credit report, immediately contact the reporting company and your creditor about any errors. Make sure individual account information is accurate and up-to-date, and be very persistent in getting errors corrected. You may have to provide documentation for corrections, and you will most likely have to contact the companies several times before the corrections show up in your report.

- Review your account statements immediately when your receive them. Be sure you are aware and approve of all transactions. Check to be sure recent payments are reflected. Make sure they have the correct address. If you find errors on bank or credit card statements, contact the company immediately and continue to communicate with them until the corrections are reflected in your statements.

What if I Am Already a Victim of Identity Theft?

If you think someone else is using your identity or personal financial information inappropriately, contact the nearest office of the U.S. Department of Justice. Contact your creditors to alert them to the fraud. Also inform your bank of the activity and secure their agreement to help protect your information. You may want to revisit the names of people authorized to access your personal financial information and limit it to essential parties only.

Find out as much as you can about the accounts, purchases, and applications the identity thief has made using your name. Then contact those companies directly and immediately to make sure they close the accounts and notify law enforcement when they become aware of any additional transactions.



By: Abhishek Agarwal

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An online credit card application is very summer to apply for a credit card in any other situation. The same sort of information is going to be asked and your credit report will still have to be looked at. The only difference is that you don’t have anything to fill out by hand in your to sign your name. Here is what happens when you think in one to apply for an online credit card application.

When you want to apply online for a credit card application, you’ll be asked the same sort of information at every site that you look at him for a credit card. The information along to be asked is how long you’ve been a residence, how much you make, and then more information they would consider standard biker address phone number. You will often be asked for your source tree number as well so make sure that you are doing is with a reputable site. There are many scam artists out there today who can use your Social Security number to apply for credit cards. This is why you must be careful whenever applying online for a credit card because is very easy to steal your identity and it takes many years to resolve the issues that come from identity theft situation.

When you want to apply online and with a critical application, take a look at the different sorts of rewards and features that come with every card. When the key things that should be standard on any car that you look for our identity protection and fraud detection. Fraud can happen on any card without the card actually leaving your wallet so you will want to make sure that there’s a strong fraud unit that looks into any sort of possible transactions that do look suspicious.

Applying online credit card application is a very simple process and you can often get instant approval or denial so that you know what the outcome is. Make sure to not apply for many cards because this doesn’t hurt your credit score and make sure that it is a card that you want. Their many different credit cards up there so make sure that you’re getting what you want. If you need to get a house or a car at some point, too many credit cards can be a red flag and it could cause you to get denied for that. You don’t want credit cards to get in the way of your bigger purchases like that.



By: Mario Churchill

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As online shopping becomes more popular it is important to exercise safety precautions to make this new American pastime rewarding, problem free and our efforts to save both time and money an excursion we will surly duplicate over and over again with confidence.

E-commerce sales are growing at an astronomical rate and along with its popularity grow the possibility of identity theft. Shopping online is not likely to go away as it is a great source for saving money. We save because online stores aren’t paying to rent buildings, storage space, or supplying employee payroll and benefits packages. The list of savings is endless and ultimately because of savings, prices are reduced. You, the savvy online (e-commerce) shopper get the well deserved discounts.

By using some of the tips, tricks and guidance that follow, you’ll be able to maintain all the advantages of online shopping. Remember, online shopping can be fun, easy and rewarding if accomplished correctly. So the very first and most important thing to remember is to never give out your social security number online. If the company demands it as a prerequisite to place your order, find another shopping mall! Giving out that kind of personal data leaves you wide open to a hacker and subsequent identity theft.

Always take the time to read the sites privacy and security policies. This is where you find out just exactly the type of information they will be requesting when you order. They list usually whom they will be sharing your information with and why they collect that information about you. If they sell your personal information to list companies be prepared to be inundated with advertisements as there is usually a clause giving them the right and your approval to this advertisement barrage.

Look for special seals of approval from Trust E and the Better Business Bureau online as these and other companies do have and adhere to strict guidelines for privacy and security issues. Looking at the web address and seeing an “s” after the http another words, web addresses starting with an https:// tells and ensures you the site is a secure website. This basically means your personal data is scrambled so it can not be hacked into. An additional safeguard to look for is a picture of a padlock on the site. A picture of a locked/closed padlock means the site is secure. An open padlock means the site is not secure. This picture is normally located at the bottom of the webpage screen.

Do not use your debit card or a personal check to order products online as this can leave your bank account vulnerable. You are basically throwing away the protection afforded by the protection a credit card offers when things go wrong with a purchase. There are many third party payment options that protect the integrity of a sale. Papal for example is a third party agency set up for online consumer protection and your purchase is protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act.

You can have fun and save time doing comparison shopping on the internet but I’d like to close with an insider secret and that is to simply shy away from EBay or Ubid shopping. I’m not saying there aren’t deals but bear in mind with their ever growing popularity and ease of posting; these sites are loaded with wholesale re-distributors. They shop wholesale malls, add a mark-up, post their deal and hope you will get caught up in the excitement of their product auctions. Don’t let your emotions get caught up in the competition on these sites. The savvy internet consumer can get some great personal savings on the many wholesale and discount malls available above and beyond the auction/seller sites previously mentioned.

Online shopping can save you a bundle and a whole lot of gas when not chasing sales out and around the city. Just be safe and take the few precautions we talked about. Your online experience can be highly rewarding, convenient and secure.



By: Ronald Hudkins

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Identity felt is where a criminal obtains your personal information such as Social Security number, credit card numbers, bank information, address, phone number, and birthday. While the methods used to obtain this information are numerous and varied, certain protective steps can be taken to reduce the chances of this crime happening. In order to protect yourself from identity theft, it is important to understand how a criminal get your information, why it is often difficult to detect your stolen information, and how someone can minimize the possibility of becoming an identity theft victim. It is the goal of this article to explore how an identity theft thief gains access to personal identification and what someone can do to prevent it.

The methods a criminal may use to obtain your personal identification are as varied as the victims themselves and while there is never a guarantee of not becoming a victim, there are certain steps one can take to greatly reduce the danger. While identity theft criminals have developed many ways of gaining access to your personal information and are continuing to come up with new ideas all of the time, the most widely methods used are still the easiest ones to block which can make prevention easier. Below is a list of the most widely used methods an identity theft criminal will use to gain access to your personal information.

1. Dumpster Diving: This the process where a criminal digs through trash, hoping to find discarded items such as credit card bills, bank account statements, and other mail which may include sensitive personal information.

2. Skimming: This is a process where a criminal sets up a special storage device that captures your credit card information when making a purchase.

3. Phishing: This is a newer technique that became available with the advent of the Internet and email. A criminal will pretend to be a representative of a financial institution and will send emails stating that your account appears to have been compromised and lead you to a website where you can straighten things out. This is a scam and you will be asked to verify certain personal information that the thief should not have.

4. Pretexting: Once a criminal already has some of your information, they will contact your bank or creditors and using a bogus excuse will persuade the institution to supply additional information to them.

5. Physical stealing: This is the oldest method around and is just as it sounds. A criminal will simply steal somebodies wallet or purse to see if any sensitive information can be obtained.

Once a criminal has access to the above information, they can, and often do, take steps to guarantee that you wont be aware of any activity until it is too late. Crimes such as this include opening a bank account using your name and Social Security number but with an alternate address so you are not aware of the new account or stealing your credit card number then submitting a change of address so you dont get any bills showing suspicious transactions. Some people may catch on fairly quickly with the credit card scheme because they are no longer getting expected billing statements but often times the new bank account scheme doesnt get caught for quite some time. Either way, the victim may not realize what is going on until they start getting notices from bill collectors for debts that they did not incur and by then it may be too late for a simple solution. Once you know how a criminal can steal your information and hide the fact from you, you need to understand what steps you can take to minimize your risk.

While it is virtually impossible to guarantee complete safety from becoming a victim of identify theft, there are some simple steps that a person can take to eliminate, or at least minimize the risk. First and most important is to always dispose of mail with your personal information in a safe way such as shredding or burning and never putting it in your trash where a criminal can find it. Next is to keep a vigilant eye on your credit history. New laws that have been written during the past few years require the major credit reporting companies to provide free credit reports to Americans four times a year and it is a great idea to take advantage of this. Reviewing your credit history on a quarterly basis gives you a great opportunity to look for discrepancies in your file and if you can manage to catch this type of problem early on, it is much easier to fix. You can and should also pay close attention to your monthly bank statements and credit card billing statements for suspicious activity and if you fail to receive billing that you normally receive, take action immediately and contact your financial institutions to find out why. And if you experience outright theft of personal property such as a wallet or purse, make it a point to cancel all debit and credit cards immediately.

After reading this article, it should now be obvious that anybody, including you, can be affected by the identity theft crime and while law enforcement agencies exist to protect us from crime, they are ill equipped in handling this type of crime. While they may be able to help you after becoming a victim, you will still have a long road ahead in repairing your credit. It is a far easier for an individual to take pro-active steps to avoid becoming a victim rather then trying to repair the damage afterwards. Whether you decide to take such steps on your own or employ an anti identity theft program is up to you but for the sake of you and your family, please take steps today.



By: Rick Churchill

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You may not know that you are a victim until you are denied a loan, credit card or anything else the requires a credit report. Suddenly you discover someone has opened accounts in your name and of course not paid them. What could you have done?

BUY A SHREDDER

You can find a small easy to store shredder for less that $20 at almost any office supply store. There is no reason not to have one of these. Any document that includes personal information or your Social Security number should be shredded before you throw it away. Believe it or not there are folks out there that are regular dumpster divers. Shredding your documents makes it impossible for theives to steal your account numbers.

KEEP YOUR FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS HIDDEN AND SECURE

You would think that most people are perfectly trustworthy but some are not. Is it possible that an appliance repair man, handy man or even a guest in your home could access your personal financial documents? Not if they are under lock and key!

PROTECT OUTGOING MAIL

Think of everything that goes in your mail. Checks give potential thieves your name, bank account number and routing number. Credit card account numbers are listed on the very coupons they mail each month to send your payments in. You do not want this stuff to get in the wrong hands. If you haven’t graduated to the great convenience of on line bill paying you should consider dropping off your bills at the nearest post office rather than leaving it out in your mail box where anyone can get it. Make sure your online bill pay offers encryption and other security measures to keep your transactions safe from criminals.

BE CAUTIOUS OF SOLICITORS

Don’t give out your credit card number, Social Security number, or any sensitive financial information by email and don’t do it by phone unless you initiated the contact. Make sure you trust the business before divulging any information.

OPT OUT OF CREDIT CARD AND JUNK MAIL SOLICITATIONS

The three major credit bureaus have a toll free number (888-5OPT-OUT) that allows you to take your name off marketing lists that are sold to credit card companies. Registering will not eliminate all credit card solicitations, but will cut down the volume quite a bit. The less offers you get in the mail means less chances thieves will have to steal them.

There was a reported 10 million cases of identity theft last year alone. Don’t let it happen to you. Reduce your exposure by following these simple tips.



By: John Rasor

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With credit scores more important than ever, more and more thieves are turning to identity theft to allow them to do and have the things they want to do and have. And these thieves are bold in their approach to getting their hands on your identity.

Once they have a few details like your social security number, date of birth, and address, they can proceed to create their own new identities - as you.

The worst part is, because they’ll change your address on any credit card accounts you haven’t been using, and of course will use a different address when making application for new credit, you won’t have a clue until you try to use your credit yourself. That is, unless you check your credit report regularly.

Some thieves, unable to gain employment, will use not only your good credit scores, but your work history and professional credentials. Suddenly, a person who flunked out of 9th grade has a University Degree! So they get the job… but what happens when he or she is fired for poor work performance? It goes on YOUR record.

For those proficient in the use of the internet, all the information they need to assume your identity is easily obtained.

Along with using your credit scores to obtain new credit cards or car loans, these thieves will use your personal reputation to enable them to rent a house or apartment. Individuals who have repeatedly “run out in the middle of the night” leaving unpaid rent and a “trashed” rental unit are now free to start over. The problem is that the next time they do it, it will be YOUR name that is blackened, and YOU that the landlords seek to gain restitution for damages.

How can you protect yourself? You can’t. Not entirely. In our electronic era, information about all of us is “out there” ready to be found by anyone with the skills and determination to go after it.

The only protection is early detection, and that’s why it’s so important to get your credit report and review it carefully - and to keep watch over it. Anyone with good credit should either review his or her report monthly, or sign up for a service that alerts you each and every time there’s a change or new entry.

Then, if someone suddenly changes your address, you can take immediate steps to stop them in their tracks. Nipping a problem in the bud is a lot better than making application for a loan and being turned down - because you’re wanted by collection agencies and angry landlords!



By: Mike Clover

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For the sixth consecutive year, identity theft surpassed construction, credit card and debt collection fraud as the most prevalent form of consumer fraud, according to the Federal Trade Commission, which received 255,000 identity theft complaints last year.

Many consumers associate identity theft with email solicitations and computer firewall breaches, but checks, credit cards and Social Security numbers remain targets as well. To protect yourself from becoming a victim, follow these tips to prevent identity theft.

Checks: – Use your initials and last name when ordering printed checks. A check forger won’t know how you sign your checks, but your bank will. – Do not have your home phone number or Social Security number printed on your checks. Use your work phone number. Use a post office box or work address instead of your home address. – Order new checks from your bank and pick them up at the bank, rather than having them sent to your home mailbox.

Credit cards – When paying credit card bills, write only the last four digits of the account number in the check memo line. – Do not sign the back of your credit card. Instead write, “Photo ID required.” – Photocopy both sides of your driver’s license, credit cards and other important contents of your wallet. In the event it is stolen, you’ll know exactly what is missing. – Keep a list of your credit card numbers and their toll-free customer service numbers so you can cancel cards quickly if lost or stolen. Keep the list in a safe place in your home, not in your wallet.

Social Security Number – Do not carry your Social Security card in your wallet. Memorize the number and put the original card in a safe place. – If you believe your Social Security number has been compromised, contact the Social Security Administration fraud line 800-269-0271.

PINs and Passwords – Do not write your PIN on the back of the card or on anything else in your wallet. – Use different PINs for each debit and credit card. If you have too many to remember, consider reducing the number of cards you carry in your wallet. – Do not use easily available information, like your birth date, phone number or part of your Social Security number, for PINS and passwords.

Mail and Trash – Use post office collection boxes for outgoing mail, rather than your home mail box. – Shred any trash that may contain personal information, including charge receipts, credit applications, insurance forms, medical statements, checks and bank statements, expired credit and debit cards and direct mail credit offers. – You can opt not to receive direct mail credit offers by calling 888-567-8688.

If your wallet is stolen, you should immediately: – File a police report to document the theft and the wallet contents. – Contact one of the national credit reporting organizations (listed below) to have a fraud alert placed on your name and Social Security number. The organization you contact is required to contact the other two. If the thief’s purchases initiate a credit check, the credit reporting organization can alert the merchant. Placing a fraud alert entitles you to free copies of your credit reports. – Equifax 800-525-6285 – Experian 888-397-3742 – Trans Union 800-680-7289 – Close all accounts for missing credit cards. Check your credit reports for accounts opened fraudulently. – File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, which maintains a database of identity theft cases, online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft . This database assists law enforcement agencies and helps the FTC learn more about identity theft. – Notify your bank if your wallet contained a checkbook or debit/ATM cards.



By: Robert Valentine

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