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Identity Theft Prevention Programs Offer Identity Protection Tips

ID Theft Writer — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:21:16 +0000

The FTC and other organizations have started identity theft prevention programs to try and make the public more mindful of methods to protect their identity from the thieves who would like to use it for their own objectives. These programs offer identity protection tips so that folks know what to go looking for to determine if a thief has accessed their information as well as offering advice on what to do to forestall it from occuring in the 1st place.

Most of these identity theft prevention programs state that making the general public aware of the peril is the largest way to help to prevent the issue from worsening.

Shredding Personal Documents

One tip in the identity theft prevention programs is to shred any private info before it is thrown into the rubbish can. This is particularly important for any documents which will have full checking account or social security info on it. It’s also important for documents that have full credit card information on them,eg the credit card bills themselves.

Telephone and household bills can also be an issue since the account number is mentioned on the bill as well as the home address and identity thieves can sometimes get away with using just that info to add a connection or transfer an account so that they can use it for their own purposes.

Social Security Number

A further tip from identity theft prevention programs is to protect the social security card and SSID number at any cost. The social security card should be locked in a safe place where it may not be easily accessed by strangers. If there are roommates in the house, the card should be kept in a locked place at every point. It should not be carried in the wallet or purse as it is too straightforward to rob it.

To Protect Yourself from Identity Theft, these prevention programs also advise not to give out the social security number over the telephone or Internet unless the individual has instituted the phone call so they are certain that the organization is legitimate.

Secure Passwords

Finally, the identity theft prevention programs warn not to use simple passwords when creating accounts, especially bank accounts and other high security accounts. Many folks will use birth dates, their mother’s maiden name, or the last four digits of asocial security number and these are too straightforward for thieves to figure out, allowing them to access those accounts and nick money from them.

As part of Norton Internet Security software, there is a program called Identity Safe. You can set a password within Identity Safe and the program will remember all your login information for websites that you use frequently. Ensure you employ a terribly complex password for Identity Safe – a mix of letters, both uppercase and lowercase, and numbers – these should be irregular letters and numbers that have no meaning.

Identity Theft Protection Companies

Of course, there is only so much that a person can do to protect themselves. The best system is to use an Identity Theft Protection Service; they are surprisingly cheap but the rewards are that you are going to not become the next identity theft statistic. This is no joke, as an identity is stolen each 2 seconds in the States; that is over 15 million folks a year!

Tags: identity protection tips, identity theft prevention programs, identity theft protection service, identity thieves, social security number

How to Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

ID Theft Writer — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:48:41 +0000

Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. With tens of millions of identities being stolen in the last year, you must make sure that you do not become identity theft’s next victim.

There are a few steps that you can take to reduce the probability of falling victim to identity theft. Probably the easiest thing to do is to just use your common sense. Make sure you protect your important personal information and do not give it out unless you absolutely have to.

You need to check your credit bureau report at least annually to ensure that there has not been any credit opened in your name without your authorization. If you are aware of what should appear on your credit report, then it is simple to see if there has been any unauthorized use of your personal information.

You should be using identity theft shield to reduce your exposure to the possibility of your identity being stolen. There are several companies that specialize in protecting your identity. identity theft prevention companies use a credit report fraud alert so that you are alerted anytime someone attempts to open up credit using your social security number.

These identity theft companies also reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, including credit offers. This limits the chances of mail theft resulting in your identity being stolen.

Also, identity theft companies monitor the black market and online activity for any unauthorized use or selling of your valuable information. Criminals typically will sell your valuable information, such as your social security number and name and address, which is used to steal your identity.

With ID theft hitting one out of every four residences in the United States, you need to make sure you are protected. By using an identity theft prevention service, you are doing what you can to make sure you do not become a victim of identity theft. To find out more about these services, you can read about TrustedID.

Tags: credit report, d, fraud alert, identity, identity theft, identity theft protection, preventing identity theft, security, social security, social security number, Theft, trustedid, victim of identity theft

Stop Identity Theft in its Tracks

ID Theft Writer — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:46:07 +0000

ID theft is the quickest growing crime in the United States. With tens of millions of identities being lost in the last year, you must ensure that you do not become identity theft’s next victim.

There are several things that you can do to limit the probability of falling victim to identity theft. Probably the easiest thing to do is to just use your good judgement. Make sure you protect your valuable personal info and do not give it out unless you absolutely have to.

You need to check your credit report on a regular basis to make sure that there has not been any credit opened in your name without your authorization. If you are aware of what should be on your credit bureau report, then it is simple to see if there has been any unauthorized use of your social security number.

You can also use protection against identity theft to limit your risk to the chance of your identity being stolen. ID theft prevention is a speciality of several reputable services. ID theft protection services use a credit bureau fraud alert so that you are alerted whenever someone attempts to open up credit using your social security number.

These ID theft solutions also eliminate a lot of junk mail, which includes offers of new credit. This limits the chances of mail theft resulting in your identity being stolen.

Also, identity theft companies watch the black market and the Internet for any unauthorized use or selling of your valuable information. Criminals typically will sell your personal information, such as your social security number and name and address, which is then used to steal your identity.

The average identity theft victim spends 600 hours and $8000 to repair their credit. By using an identity theft prevention service, you are doing a lot towards making sure you do not fall victim to identity theft. To get more information about these services, you can read about Life Lock.

Tags: credit report, d, fraud alert, identity, identity theft, identity theft protection, life lock, preventing identity theft, security, social security, social security number, stop identity theft, Theft

What Are You Doing For Identity Theft Protection?

admin — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 06:52:50 +0000

Having identity theft protection is becoming an increasingly necessary precaution. This type of theft is a rapidly growing crime problem with many avenues in which unscrupulous thieves take advantage of unsuspecting people. Here is some information about identity theft and some things you can do to protect yourself.

What is identity theft? It is quite literally when someone steals your identity and then uses it to their own fraudulent advantage. Once your personal information has been compromised, the thief will set up phony credit accounts in your name with the card or money being sent to a false address, often a PO box. The thief will run up the charges and then default on the loan or credit card. This negative information is then reported to the credit bureau and your scores plummet, because from the creditor’s perspective, it was YOU who made the charges and are now not paying on them.

Identity theft can happen many ways. It is not only a crime that happens when people use the Internet for their financial transactions. Many times a credit card statement will be missing for one cycle. People don’t think much about it, but it could be the first indicator of identity theft. You may begin receiving letters or phone calls from creditors that you don’t even do business with. Coming back from identity theft is a very long and painful process that can potentially cost you hundreds and even thousands of dollars, not to mention months and even years of time when you cannot get credit for anything.

There are ways to get identity theft protection, though. Some common sense things can really save you time and money in the long run. Make sure that you protect all of your personal information. Shred any personal documents like credit card and bank statements, loan statements, even utility bills before you throw them away. Be especially vigilant with anything that has a social security number or bank account number on it. You should also check your credit report at regular intervals. This will help you catch any fraudulent information early on when you can prevent the most damage.

Identity theft is not limited to only online activities, but Internet safety is also important. Do not log into any websites on which you will be giving personal information unless they are a secured website. This means that instead of an “http” it should be an “https”. Do not respond or log in to any email that is sent to you, even if it looks like it is from your financial institution. Legitimate financial institutions will not ask you for personal information through an email. These types of scams are called phishing, and are very dangerous.

There are also many identity theft protection programs available. These programs will send you alerts when suspicious activity occurs on your credit report. They can also help diffuse the costs of disputing fraudulent transactions. If you are interested in this type of program, choose wisely. Not all companies are created equal and some are better than others. One of the premier companies that provides identity theft protection is Life-Lock, where the company even had an advertising campaign where the CEO of the company showed his own social security number in the ad because he felt so extremely safe in doing so!

Identity theft is a huge problem in America today. As a consumer you need to be vigilant in guarding your personal information. There are many things that you can do to avoid becoming a victim. Make identity theft protection a priority. You will be glad that you did!

For more insights and additional information on how you can get Identity Theft Protection as well as reviewing a special offer from Life-Lock for identity theft protection, please visit our web site at http://www.idtheftprotectiontips.com

Tags: credit card, credit report, identity, identity theft, identity theft protection, phishing, security, social security, social security number, Theft, thieves

Find Out How To Prevent Identity Theft

admin — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 02:53:35 +0000

If you haven’t done so recently, you should invest a minor bit of time and effort into getting yourself a copy of your credit report. It is free once a year in most states, and you need to get a separate copy of it from each of the “big three” credit reporting bureaus, which are Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. Some creditors report to only one of them, some report to a couple of them, and some even report to all three of them. The key point is that the data maintained by each one is not necessarily the same, and in fact, is probably vastly different.

Why is the data different? With the hundreds of millions of credit reports that these companies need to maintain, errors are almost inevitable. Interestingly enough, studies have shown that the MAJORITY of consumers have at least one or more inaccurate or erroneous piece of information in their credit report. The scary part is that, contrary to popular belief, the errors will NOT be corrected automatically. In fact, if you don’t alert the credit bureau of the errors, then the errors will be carried forward with your record, year after year.

Please be aware that while identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes of this century so far, it is not limited to just online activities. Granted, with the advent of the ease of shopping online and being able to purchase something at a great price with just a couple of mouse clicks is attractive for many, there are steps you should take to ensure that you have done everything responsible that you can do to avoid your information from getting into the wrong hands. One of the first places to start is to get yourself a copy of your credit report, and look especially for accounts that you are not aware of, which is the first sign that you may be a victim of identity theft.

Online identity theft is a serious crime that can clean out your life savings and leave you with a damaged credit history that may take years to repair. Unless you’re familiar with the person with whom you’re dealing, or are filling out an official form for a legitimate personal or business purpose, information such as a social security number, bank account numbers, credit card numbers and other types of data that might have a bearing on your individuality should never be divulged. If you’ve ever used a credit card to order take-out food over the phone, you’re leaving yourself wide open to identity theft.

Congress passed the Fair Credit Reporting Act several years ago in an attempt to smooth out some problems in the credit reporting industry. The presence of this alert requires any creditor to verify the identity of the borrower prior to granting credit in his or her name.

When you travel, regardless of how you book your reservations, your personal information will still end up on the company’s computer and stored in their databases. Many companies, including some large major corporations, do not protect your personal data the way they should.

Many people ignore the importance of protecting their personal and financial information against identity theft until they become a victim of it. The amount of goods and services purchased with fraudulently obtained personal identity was more than $50 billion dollars last year.

If you purchase merchandise online frequently, you may want to use a separate credit card that you obtain just for that purpose. Always use ONLY that credit card. For the junk mail that you receive regularly saying you are approved for a new credit card or mortgage loan, don’t just simply throw it in the trash. Instead, invest in a shredder and take the time to shred those letters. Many cases of identity theft occur because the thief has gone “dumpster diving” to find those pre-approval letters, and opens an account in your name.

Jon is a computer engineer who maintains web sites on a variety of topics based on his knowledge and experience. You can read more about protecting yourself against Identity Theft at his web site at Prevent Identity Theft

Tags: bank account numbers, credit card, credit card numbers, credit report, financial information, identity, identity theft, online identity theft, personal identity, prevent identity theft, security, social security, social security number, Theft, victim of identity theft

Identity Theft – Impacting Your Taxes?

admin — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 21:27:22 +0000

If your identity is stolen, your finances can quickly become a nightmare. A less obvious problem is the effect identity theft can have on your taxes.

Identity Theft

Generally, thieves steal your personal data for the purpose of running up credit card charges or opening and abusing new accounts. A developing trend in the identity theft field concerns schemes impacting your taxes.

Selling Social Security Numbers

Identity thieves have created a new line of business – selling your social security number. Who would want to buy it? The list is surprising long, but undocumented workers, individuals with bad credit and people trying to obtain a new identity lead the list. This can create a huge problem for you since any income paid to those individuals is reported to the IRS as being paid to you. This results in the IRS having inflated income numbers and, often, audits when you “under report” your income.

With the creation of the Real ID Act, better known as the National ID Card, things will only get worse. Under the Act, all workers will be required to submit social security numbers to obtain jobs. With our leaky borders, there will be a high demand for your social security number.

False Tax Filings

It doesn’t take much to file a tax return. What’s to stop an identity thief from filing one under your name to generate a refund? Nothing. To generate the maximum refund, you can be all kinds of frivolous deductions will be claimed. After all, it will be you that has to attend the audit.

What Can I Do?

If you receive a notice from the IRS that leads you to believe someone may have used your Social Security Number fraudulently, you should notify the IRS immediately. Indicators can be found in notices from the IRS that state:

1. More than one tax return for you was filed, or

2. IRS records indicate you received wages from an employer unknown to you.

Don’t hesitate or be nervous about contacting the IRS. The agency knows this is a growing problem and not an opportunity to pound on taxpayers.

Richard A. Chapo is with BusinessTaxRecovery.com – obtaining tax refund recovery for overpaid small business taxes. Visit BusinessTaxRecovery.com to read more business tax articles or our new tax credits

Tags: credit card, identity, identity theft, security, social security, social security number, social security numbers, Theft, thieves

Steps You Can Take To Avoid Becoming An Identity Theft Victim

admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 06:57:04 +0000

Becoming an identity theft victim can happen to anyone. Many people believe they can only become a victim if they make purchases online. However, there are countless ways people can become a victim of identity theft. Identity theft is becoming an increasing problem at an alarming rate.

One of the most common ways people become victims of identity theft is through mail fraud. Every day, people receive junk mail that they carelessly toss in the trash. If someone gets a hold of your junk mail, with some of your personal information, they can easily steal your identity. Therefore, it is important to shred any unwanted mail you may receive. It is worth investing in a cross shredder, so that your information does not fall into the wrong hands. These are readily available at just about any office supply store, or even a national chain such as Best Buy or Circuit City, and they are relatively inexpensive.

You can also become an identity theft victim if your wallet is either lost or stolen. Chances are, you carry credit cards, your driver’s license and other valuable, personal information in your wallet. Therefore, if it falls into the wrong hands, your identity can easily be taken over.

If you have fall victim to identity theft, there are a variety of different steps you will want and need to take. One of the first steps is to contact the three major credit bureaus and place a fraud alert on your credit. This can help in preventing the thief from continuing to use your identity and your credit.

Next, you will want to close any and all accounts that could have been affected by the thief. You will want to speak with a fraud worker for each company, so they have a full understanding of what is going on. When it is time to open new accounts, do not use the same PIN or Personal Identification Number you had used before. Likewise, you will want to avoid using numbers such a portion of your social security number, part of your phone number or birth date. As well, you will want to avoid using consecutive numbers.

You will also want to contact the Federal Trade Commission and file a complaint with them. You can either file the complaint online or by contacting them personally. The information that you provide the Federal Trade Commission will then be used to help track down the person who stole your identity. As well, you will want to file a report with your local police department. By filing a report with the Federal Trade Commission and your local police department, you are then entitled to certain types of protection. The reports will help block any fraudulent information from showing up on your credit report. Likewise, you will not be held responsible for any debt the thief racked up.

One of the most important things you can do is keep accurate records. Keep a notebook with the date and time and name of the person that you talked with at your bank, at your credit card companies, and even at the police department. Keep a copy of the fax or email you sent to report the crime. This is for your own benefit, since there are some credit card companies who may not believe that your identity was stolen, that all these new charges are really yours, and this documentation can help them understand this is real for you.

Anyone can become an identity theft victim. However, there are a variety of different steps you can take to both prevent the theft from occurring, as well as steps you can take to recover from the incident. With the rise in number of identity theft cases, it is very important to remain on the defense and take as many precautions as possible.

For more insights and additional information about how to avoid becoming an Identity Theft Victim as well as finding out about some services available to help prevent identity theft, please visit our web site at http://www.idtheftprotectiontips.com

Tags: credit card, credit report, fraud alert, identity, identity theft, identity theft cases, prevent identity theft, security, social security, social security number, Theft, victim of identity theft, victims of identity theft

ID Theft Victims… Fix Your Credit Today Starting From Scratch !

Elizabeth Ward — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:17:32 +0000

If you are the victim of identity theft, you need to get your life back on track. Probably this is the first time this has ever happened to you and you’re walking in a combination of fear anxiety and depression. You wonder why did this happen to me!.

Don’t worry you’re not alone. Hundreds of thousands of people are in the same position you’re in right now and I want to encourage you. This to shall pass.

I’m not negating the seriousness of your dilemma, but I want you to know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, so lets get started.

Most of the information in this report was gathered from the FTC website. http://www.ftc.gov

The first thing you need to be very wary of is…

The Scam

Everyday, companies nationwide appeal to consumers with poor credit histories. They promise, for a fee, to clean up your credit report so you can get a car loan, a home mortgage, insurance, or even a job. The truth is, they can’t deliver. After you pay them hundreds or thousands of dollars in fees, these companies do nothing to improve your credit report; most simply vanish with your money.

The Warning Signs

If you decide to respond to a credit repair offer, look for these tell-tale signs of a scam:

* companies that want you to pay for credit repair services before they provide any services.
* companies that do not tell you your legal rights and what you can do for yourself for free.
* companies that recommend that you not contact a credit reporting company directly.
* companies that suggest that you try to invent a new credit identity and then, a new credit report by applying for an Employer Identification Number to use instead of your Social Security number.
* companies that advise you to dispute all information in your credit report or take any action that seems illegal, like creating a new credit identity. If you follow illegal advice and commit fraud, you may be subject to prosecution.

You could be charged and prosecuted for mail or wire fraud if you use the mail or telephone to apply for credit and provide false information. It’s a federal crime to lie on a loan or credit application, to misrepresent your Social Security number, and to obtain an Employer Identification Number from the Internal Revenue Service under false pretenses.

Under the Credit Repair Organizations Act, credit repair companies cannot require you to pay until they have completed the services they have promised.

The Truth

No one can legally remove accurate and timely negative information from a credit report. The law allows you to ask for an investigation of information in your file that you dispute as inaccurate or incomplete. There is no charge for this. Everything a credit repair clinic can do for you legally, you can do for yourself at little or no cost. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA):

* You’re entitled to a free report if a company takes adverse action against you, like denying your application for credit, insurance, or employment, and you ask for your report within 60 days of receiving notice of the action. The notice will give you the name, address, and phone number of the consumer reporting company. You’re also entitled to one free report a year if you’re unemployed and plan to look for a job within 60 days; if you’re on welfare; or if your report is inaccurate because of fraud, including identity theft.

* Each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion is required to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The companies are rolling this out across the country during a nine-month period. By September 2005, consumers from coast to coast will have access to a free annual credit report if they ask for it. For details, see Your Access to Free Credit Reports at ftc.gov/credit. Otherwise, a consumer reporting company may charge you up to $9.50 for another copy of your report within a 12-month period.

* You can dispute mistakes or outdated items for free. Under the FCRA, both the consumer reporting company and the information provider (that is, the person, company, or organization that provides information about you to a consumer reporting company) are responsible for correcting inaccurate or incomplete information in your report. To take advantage of all your rights under this law, contact the consumer reporting company and the information provider.

STEP ONE

Tell the consumer reporting company, in writing, what information you think is inaccurate. Include copies (NOT originals) of documents that support your position. In addition to providing your complete name and address, your letter should clearly identify each item in your report you dispute, state the facts and explain why you dispute the information, and request that it be removed or corrected.

You may want to enclose a copy of your report with the items in question circled. Your letter may look something like the one on page 6. Send your letter by certified mail, “return receipt requested,” so you can document what the consumer reporting company received. Keep copies of your dispute letter and enclosures.

Consumer reporting companies must investigate the items in question usually within 30 days – unless they consider your dispute frivolous.

They also must forward all the relevant data you provide about the inaccuracy to the organization that provided the information.

After the information provider receives notice of a dispute from the consumer reporting company, it must investigate, review the relevant information, and report the results back to the consumer reporting company.

If the information provider finds the disputed information is inaccurate, it must notify all three nationwide consumer reporting companies so they can correct the information in your file.

When the investigation is complete, the consumer reporting company must give you the results in writing and a free copy of your report if the dispute results in a change. If an item is changed or deleted, the consumer reporting company cannot put the disputed information back in your file unless the information provider verifies that it is accurate and complete.

The consumer reporting company also must send you written notice that includes the name, address, and phone number of the information provider.

If you request, the consumer reporting company must send notices of any correction to anyone who received your report in the past six months. You can have a corrected copy of your report sent to anyone who received a copy during the past two years for employment purposes.

If an investigation doesn’t resolve your dispute with the consumer reporting company, you can ask that a statement of the dispute be included in your file and in future reports. You also can ask the consumer reporting company to provide your statement to anyone who received a copy of your report in the recent past. You can expect to pay a fee for this service.

STEP TWO

Tell the creditor or other information provider, in writing, that you dispute an item. Be sure to include copies (NOT originals) of documents that support your position. Many providers specify an address for disputes.

If the provider reports the item to a consumer reporting company, it must include a notice of your dispute. And if you are correct – that is, if the information is found to be inaccurate – the information provider may not report it again.

For more information, see How to Dispute Credit Report Errors at ftc.gov/credit.

Reporting Accurate Negative Information

When negative information in your report is accurate, only the passage of time can assure its removal. A consumer reporting company can report most accurate negative information for seven years and bankruptcy information for 10 years.

Information about an unpaid judgment against you can be reported for seven years or until the statute of limitations runs out, whichever is longer. There is no time limit on reporting: information about criminal convictions; information reported in response to your application for a job that pays more than $75,000 a year; and information reported because you’ve applied for more than $150,000 worth of credit or life insurance.

There is a standard method for calculating the seven-year reporting period. Generally, the period runs from the date that the event took place.

For more information, see Building a Better Credit Report at ftc.gov/credit.

The Credit Repair Organizations Act

By law, credit repair organizations must give you a copy of the Consumer Credit File Rights Under State and Federal Law” before you sign a contract.

They also must give you a written contract that spells out your rights and obligations. Read these documents before you sign anything. The law contains specific protections for you. For example, a credit repair company cannot:

* make false claims about their services
* charge you until they have completed the promised services
* perform any services until they have your signature on a written contract and have completed a three-day waiting period. During this time, you can cancel the contract without paying any fees

Your contract must specify:

* the payment terms for services, including their total cost
* a detailed description of the services to be performed
* how long it will take to achieve the results
* any guarantees they offer
* the company’s name and business address

Have You Been Victimized?

Many states have laws regulating credit repair companies. State law enforcement officials may be helpful if you’ve lost money to credit repair scams.

If you’ve had a problem with a credit repair company, don’t be embarrassed to report it.

While you may fear that contacting the government will only make your problems worse, remember that laws are in place to protect you. Contact your local consumer affairs office or your state Attorney General (AGs).

Many AGs have toll-free consumer hotlines. Check the Blue Pages of your telephone directory for the phone number or check www.naag.org for a list of state Attorneys General.

Need Help? Don’t Despair

Just because you have a poor credit report doesn’t mean you won’t be able to get credit. Creditors set their own credit-granting standards and not all of them look at your credit history the same way.

Some may look only at more recent years to evaluate you for credit, and they may grant credit if your bill-paying history has improved. It may be worthwhile to contact creditors informally to discuss their credit standards.

If you’re not disciplined enough to create a workable budget and stick to it, work out a repayment plan with your creditors, or keep track of mounting bills, consider contacting a credit counseling organization.

Many credit counseling organizations are nonprofit and work with you to solve your financial problems. But not all are reputable. For example, just because an organization says it’s nonprofit, there’s no guarantee that its services are free, affordable, or even legitimate. In fact, some credit counseling organizations charge high fees, or hide their fees by pressuring consumers to make “voluntary” contributions that only cause more debt.

Most credit counselors offer services through local offices, the Internet, or on the telephone. If possible, find an organization that offers in-person counseling.

Many universities, military bases, credit unions, housing authorities, and branches of the U.S. Cooperative Extension Service operate nonprofit credit counseling programs. Your financial institution, local consumer protection agency, and friends and family also may be good sources of information and referrals.

Reputable credit counseling organizations can advise you on managing your money and debts, help you develop a budget, and offer free educational materials and workshops.

Their counselors are certified and trained in the areas of consumer credit, money and debt management, and budgeting. Counselors discuss your entire financial situation with you, and help you develop a personalized plan to solve your money problems. An initial counseling session typically lasts an hour, with an offer of follow-up sessions.

For more information, see Knee Deep in Debt and Fiscal Fitness: Choosing a Credit Counselor at ftc.gov/credit.

Do-It-Yourself Check-Up

Even if you don’t have a poor credit history, some financial advisors and consumer advocates suggest you review your credit report periodically

* because the information it contains affects whether you can get a loan or insurance and how much you will have to pay for it.

* to make sure the information is accurate, complete, and up-to-date before you apply for a loan for a major purchase like a house or car, buy insurance, or apply for a job.

* to help guard against identity theft. That’s when someone uses your personal information like your name, your Social Security number, or your credit card number to commit fraud. Identity thieves may use your information to open a new credit card account in your name. Then, when they don’t pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report. Inaccurate information like that could affect your ability to get credit, insurance, or even a job.

Sample Dispute Letter

Date
Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip Code

Complaint Department
Name of Company
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing to dispute the following information in my file. The items I dispute also are encircled on the attached copy of the report I received.

This item (identify item(s) disputed by name of source, such as creditors or tax court, and identify type of item, such as credit account, judgment, etc.) is (inaccurate or incomplete) because (describe what is inaccurate or incomplete and why). I am requesting that the item be deleted (or request another specific change) to correct the information.

Enclosed are copies of (use this sentence if applicable and describe any enclosed documentation, such as payment records, court documents) supporting my position. Please investigate this (these) matter(s) and (delete or correct) the disputed item(s) as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Your name

Enclosures: (List what you are enclosing)

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them.

To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit http://www.ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261.

The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad

Finally one of the most little known & easiest ways ID thieves can steal your personal information is right over your computer.

You MUST take precautions to protect yourself from crooks thieves and scammers from harvesting your credit card information, banking information, passwords etc by using commonly available tools to help you put a barrier between you computer and the rest of the worlds.

Elizabeth Ward makes it easy to protect your Internet & computer privacy. Learn the 4 essential steps to spy proofing your computer. To receive your FREE 4-part mini-course visit theAnti
Spyware Mini Course

Tags: credit identity, poor credit histories, social security number, victim of identity theft

“Phishing” for Suckers: Two Things You Should Look For In An email

John Young — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 13:17:23 +0000

“For Your Immediate Attention! Don’t Lose Your Account! Update Immediately!”

Bob opened the email and was confronted by the logo of one of his major credit card companies. He had been carrying the card for some time, and had used it for a lot of online purchases.

Understandably he was concerned with the message under the logo: “Due to online identity theft, we need to verify that the information in your account is accurate, or we will be required by the FTC to suspend it”.

Below was an itemized list of the information he was required to verify: his old account number, name, address, telephone number, social security number, and mother’s maiden name. The also wanted him to change the password to his account.

Panicked, Bob hit the reply button and started filling in the information. He didn’t want to lose that account. He had set up several online accounts using that credit card number, and used it to buy and sell in online auctions…

THE “PHISHERMEN” AND THEIR HOOKS

“Phishing” is a technique used by identity thieves to stampede people into giving out their credit information online. The scam has been around for awhile, and, unlike Bob, most people are aware that they should never:

• Be intimidated by a message found in an “authentic looking” email

• Reply by giving vital information to the “phishers”

• Open up any links contained within the email, which can download “criminalware” onto their computer.

We all know these facts intellectually, but when confronted by an intimidating message, many of us react emotionally, not rationally. Maybe I’m more easily intimidated than most, but I’ve found myself opening an email and feeling compelled to fill out the information the message demands.

I have to confess an incident that occurred when I almost did that very thing. In my own defense, however, I have to say that it happened before I’d ever heard the term “phishing”. Fortunately I became suspicious before hitting the “Send” button.

But I almost did it. I almost sent it off and thereby gaffed myself.

THE LAKE IS GETTING CROWDED

Although the public is becoming savvier to this scam, the “phishermen” must be experiencing success because the Anti-Phishing Working Group, http://www.antiphishing.org/ reports that phishing incidents are on the upswing.

They list 28,571 consumer reported incidents in June 2006, almost double the reported numbers in June 2005.

More suckers are being “phished” than ever before, and as every honest fisherman knows, there is no bag limit on suckers.

HOW TO IDENTIFY LEGITIMATE EMAILS

Of course, the best thing to do when asked for vital information by someone purporting to be a legitimate credit card company or other institution is to call the company on the telephone and ask if the email in question does indeed come from them. Then, if it has, go to that site to change your information.

But there are a couple of “quickie” things you can look for in the email itself, which you should do if you are alarmed by the message and tempted to jump.

1. Check the “From” Address to see if the address is correct. It should come from a top level domain, i.e. ebay.com, not a sub domain such as ebay.security.com. A sub level domain can be obtained on line for free, and is not something a legitimate company would do.

2. Make Sure the “digital signature” is valid.

KNOW YOUR DIGITAL SIGNATURE

I don’t know if you’re like me, but my eyes glaze over when somebody mentions the words “digital signature”.

Basically, it’s just an electronic means of verifying that the email you received:

• Has originated from the source it claims to come from

• Hasn’t been intercepted and repackaged on the way.

An email that is “digitally signed” has a little red icon down in the lower left hand corner in the ‘To…From” box.

Click on that icon and you can find information about the sender. Be sure your email client is “S/MIME” compliant. “S/MIME” compliancy is supported by over 350 million email clients, including Microsoft Outlook, Lotus, Novel, Netscape and MacMail.

As noted on the antiphishing site, this is unspoofable for two reasons:

• It is strongly encrypted.

• It is generated when you open the email, not at the source

The email client has validated four things on receiving this email:

1. The email address in the “From” field matches the one in the digital certificate.

2. The certificate was issued by a trusted authority.

3. The message wasn’t tampered with in transit.

4. The certificate itself has not expired.

To put it simply, the certificate makes sure the email has indeed come from who it says it has come from, and hasn’t been tampered along the way.

To see what the certificate looks like, check out:

http://www.antiphishing.org/smim-dig-sig.htm

THREE WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF.

There are three good ways you can protect yourself from “phishermen.”

1. Call the company they supposedly represent. Don’t respond to alarming statements demanding personal information online.

2. Don’t open any links in the email. They can download “criminal ware” that can start gathering vital information off your computer.

3. Don’t open suspicious emails unless you have an “S/MIME” compliant email client and can view and open that digital icon.

LOOKING FOR SUCKERS

The phishermen are out there and still looking for suckers. Based on the rise in reported incidents they are still finding them. Armed with a little knowledge and a healthy awareness, you won’t end up in their “game bag”.

You definitely don’t want that…because the next stop is the frying pan.

John Young is a writer with a scientific and programming background. At the age of 62, he lives in California with his wife and pet cat “Bear”. His new book “Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft” can be found at:

www.youridentitystolen.com

Tags: credit information, identity theft, phishers, phishing, social security number

Identity Theft: Phishing in Dangerous Water

Daryl Campbell — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 05:50:10 +0000

Have you received one yet? You know. The email directing you to visit a familiar website where for some odd reason you’re being asked to update your personal information? The website asks you to verify your passwords, credit card numbers, social security number, or even your bank account. You recognize the company name as one that you’ve done business with in the past, so you click on the “take me there” link and proceed to provide all the information they’ve requested. No problem right? Except you find out much later that the website is a fraud. It was created for one reason: to steal your personal information. Welcome to the world of phishing.

Phishing (pronounced as “fishing”) means to send an email to a recipient falsely claiming to have an established, legitimate business. By fooling the recipient into giving their private information, the phisher has in effect stolen their identity.

It’s not easy to spot an email phishing for information. At first glance, the email may look like it is from a legitimate company. The “From” field of the e-mail may have the .com address of the company mentioned in the e-mail. The clickable link even appears to take you to the company’s website, but in fact, it is a fake website built to replicate the legitimate site.

Many of these people are professional criminals that have spent considerable time in creating emails that look authentic. Users need to review all emails requesting personal information carefully. When reviewing your email remember that the “From Field” can be easily changed by the sender. While it may look like it’s coming from a company you do business with, looks can be deceiving. Keep in mind that phishers will go all out in trying to make their emails look as legitimate as possible. They will even copy logos or images from the official site to use in their emails. They also like to include a clickable link which the recipient can follow to conveniently “update” their information.

How do you check to see if the link is authentic? Point at the link with your mouse, and then look in the bottom left hand screen of your computer. The actual website address to which you are being directed will show up for you to view. This is a fast and easy way to check if you are being directed to a legitimate site.

Also never and I mean NEVER click the links within the text of the e-mail. Delete the e-mail immediately and empty the trash box in all of your e-mail accounts as well. If you are truly concerned that you are missing an important notice regarding one of your accounts, then type the full URL address of the website into your browser. That way you can be confident that you are being directed to the true and legitimate website.

Phishing is a major weapon of choice for online identity thieves. Don’t get hooked.

Daryl Campbell’s website fightidtheft.winthemarket.com provides free tips,resources, featured articles from experts and up to the minute news concerning identity theft and fraud.

Tags: credit card numbers, professional criminals, social security number

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