Posts filed under 'identity theft'
Identity theft is one of the most serious crimes in today’s society. Although a lot of people say that identity theft will never happen to them, you have to consider that a lot of people who said this very words became victims of identity theft themselves. No one is safe from this crime. Whether you are single or married, and regardless of race, gender, and age, criminals are just lurking around the corner looking for their next victim whoever they may be.
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If you think that this crime is not as serious as it sounds, then you should think again. Try to imagine taking out a car loan. You know that you will get approved for the loan because you pay your bills on time and you have sufficient funds in your bank account. However, when the car dealer checked your credit report and went back to you, he or she said that you are not qualified for the loan. You were shocked and you asked for the credit report. Then it hit you. Page after page of opened accounts in your name and maxed out credit limits and all of them are way past due. It suddenly dawned on you that you are a victim of identity theft.
This is why it is important for you to know how criminals commit identity theft. By knowing how they do it, you will be able to know how to prevent it. So, here are some of the ways on how identity thieves commit this very serious crime and tips on how you can prevent it.
Firstly, one of the most common ways criminals commit identity theft is by stealing your credit card and using it as much as they can before you discover that it has been lost and make a report about it. The best way to prevent this is to be aware of your credit cards and always check whether it is there or not. Also, try not to bring all your credit cards if you have more than one. If you don’t plan on making any credit card purchase, always leave them in a safe place at home.
As for any unwanted documents that may contain your personal information, such as junk mails and any other outdated documents, destroy it.
It is important that you should bring in your mails daily and never leave it in your mailbox. Even if your mailbox is secured with locks, it can easily be broken down. Make this a habit and you can be sure that any documents containing your personal information will be kept safe.
Never ever carry your social security cards with you or any documents that may contain it unless it is absolutely necessary. Instead, keep them in a safe place in your home.
Your ATM card receipts should never be left behind. Keep it or shred it once you get home.
When you receive any mail containing your personal and financial information and that you already settled it, destroy or shred it.
Identity thieves can also get your financial information through the internet. Make sure that you install a reliable antispyware software program in order to make sure that no one is eavesdropping on the transactions you make on the internet.
These are the things that you should do in order to prevent identity theft. Criminals will do whatever it takes in order to take advantage of you. So, never ever disclose any of your personal and financial information to anyone you don’t know.
October 4th, 2007
As a person serving in the military, it would definitely be an additional burden for you if you keep worrying about identity theft while you are on active duty or you are deployed for service. It’s enough to risk your life for your country but someone assuming your identity while you are deployed in another country to commit fraud or identity theft is too much.
However, thanks to the Amendments to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you can be sure that your finances will be kept secured from identity theft. With this law, your credit report may be marked with active duty alert if you choose to, which means that anyone who is attempting to open a credit card account in your name will be denied, questioned and possibly imprisoned.
What the active duty alert status in your credit report will do is that it will require the creditors the person who is trying to open an account in your name to verify their identity before they can grant credit. In fact, you too will be required to verify your own identity if you still have an active duty status in your credit report.
The credit report will also contain personal information which will include your address, whether you have been sued or arrested, have filed for bankruptcy and even how you pay your bills. Creditors, insurers, business, and employers will be able to use this information to evaluate you when you apply for credit, insurance or when you are planning to rent a home.
As you can see, the credit report can also act as a guardian or even let you discover whether identity theft is being committed in your name.
What identity thieves usually do is open a credit card account in your name, purchase the things they want to purchase, and then they disregard the bills. With the overdue account, it will be submitted and included in your credit report which will significantly affect your credit rating or credit score.
Identity theft is a very serious crime. It will not only leave you with financial woes, but it will also leave you with a bad credit score which can take months or even years to repair.
So, if you are in the military and you are away on duty, you may want to try placing an active duty alert status in your credit report. This will prevent or at least minimize the risk of getting victimized by identity theft when you are away for duty. When creditors see the active duty status on your credit report, they will be required to confirm your identity before they issue any credit. They may contact you directly but if you are on deployment and are not possible for the creditor to contact you, they will contact the personal representative you chose.
You can place an active duty status on your credit report with one of the three credit bureaus, which are Experian, Trans Union, or Equifax. Before you can do so, you will need to prove your identity by bringing official documents with you, which can include your name, address, birth certificate, social security number, and other information that can prove that you are you.
These are the things that you can do as military personnel who want to safeguard themselves from identity theft. By doing this, you will be able to protect your financial status and also keep your mind at ease while you are away on active duty or when you are on deployment.
All in all, you have nothing to worry about as your credit report will be able to safeguard you from being a victim of identity theft.
September 30th, 2007
How to Avoid Credit Card Identity Theft
It is always advisable to have petty cash at hand. This will be enough to take care of your little expenses everyday. But what if you need money right away? Most people will resort to borrowing money from friends or relatives. Money is really hard to find in today’s time that is why a lot of people prefer to have credit cards.
You can obtain the best credit card if you have an excellent credit record. But there is also a disadvantage in using credit cards especially if you’re always making financial transactions online. This is the easiest way for criminals to steal anyone’s identity. This is more commonly known as identity theft.
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Once your identity is stolen, the criminals can ruin your whole life. They can steal your money and the worst is that they can wreck your credit standing. But don’t despair because there are steps that you can follow to avoid identity theft through credit card use.
Most major credit card companies inform their clients about identity theft but there are also those who don’t care about their client’s welfare. To ensure that your identity is protected, follow these steps:
1. Have both sides of your credit card photocopied. Keep the copy in a secured place. If you’re card is stolen, you can easily inform the proper authorities as well as the card company so that the thieves can’t tamper with your accounts.
2. Credit cards are used in various transactions including those in grocery stores, department stores, gas stations, etc. Always ask for the receipt and be attentive at all times when another person is holding your credit card. Check the receipts to see if the charges made are correct.
3. Change is permanent in this world. You often change your clothes, accessories, personal things, and a lot more, so why not change your card as well? You can request the card company to change your card each year. At the end of the year, the card company will issue a new credit card. If you’re not familiar with the procedure, call your card company’s customer service and they can help you with your problem. By having a new card every year, you can prevent identity theft.
4. When making an online purchase, make sure that the page where you put all your personal information is encrypted. This means that only the online seller or vendor can have easy access to your personal information, especially your credit card number. Be very careful in making online transactions because this is the most common place where identity theft can take place.
By following these four steps, you can avoid identity theft. Credit cards are important in your everyday life so you should take good care of it. Don’t hesitate to report to your card company or to the police if you suspect that someone else has tampered with your accounts.
People should have a greater awareness about this serious crime. Identity theft can ruin your credit standing; take away job opportunities, and a lot of important things in your life. Prevention is the best answer to identity theft so take your time when making credit card transactions.
Criminals are always looking for their possible victims so this only means that you shouldn’t let your guard down or else they can take what is rightfully yours and even get away with it.
September 25th, 2007
Identity theft is not a new subject of discussion. In fact, many people now realize that this kind of crime is widespread and that it can happen to anyone. Since there are already thousands or even millions of victims of identity theft all over the world, the authorities are trying to figure out more ways to increase public awareness about this grave crime.
A lot of individuals especially those that have permanent jobs find credit cards to be quite useful. There are times when you run out of cash but if you have your own credit card, you can still make purchases or even be provided with certain services by using the card. Your monthly bill will be sent to you every month wherein all your transactions are reflected.
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With the increasing demand for credit cards, there is also a bigger chance for criminals to conduct identity theft. Credit cards are being used in almost any online transaction. If you often shop online, the sellers or owners of online stores would require you to provide your credit card number. This is the most ideal situation for criminals to steal your valuable card number.
Websites are not all encrypted. So every time you make an online transaction and give your card number, make sure that the page is encrypted. This way, you can be very sure that your card number is protected.
There are different ways to prevent identity theft. Don’t wait until your identity is stolen; take the necessary steps to protect yourself. Prevention is still the best way to fight the increasing number of identity theft.
One of the most effective ways to prevent identity theft is to have a copy of your credit card. You can have it photocopied and then keep it in a safe place. Just in case your wallet or purse is lost, you can report to the right authorities. This way, the criminals can’t use your credit card.
If you’re a frequent online shopper, you can also make use of virtual credit card numbers. You can request that from your card provider. These virtual card numbers are only used once and all your transactions using the virtual numbers are reflected on the monthly bills of your original credit card account.
Another thing is that you should check all your monthly bills and see if there are any suspicious items included. This will serve as your sign that somebody else is using your credit card number. Don’t let credit card identity theft happen to you.
Credit card numbers are very important and if criminals have access to it, they can easily make purchases using your number and have you pay for their expenses. If you don’t monitor your monthly bills, you will be paying a huge amount every month for the transactions made by criminals.
If you suspect credit card identity theft, notify your card provider at once. This way, they can give you another number so that the criminals can no longer use your card.
Be careful when you’re using your credit card. Who knows, the criminals or thieves are just beside you. They are always on the look out for possible victims who are quite careless in using their cards. By being extra careful, you can prevent identity theft and years of suffering. Don’t forget to tell your family members that they too should be careful in using and keeping their cards.
September 19th, 2007
Today, identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in our society. Although it may not sound as serious, you have to consider the fact that people’s lives were ruined because of identity theft. If you still live under a stone and you don’t know about this crime, well, now is the time to do so as identity theft can strike you anywhere and anytime.
The big problem with identity theft is that it is virtually undetected until it’s too late. Just imagine waking up one morning only to find that your credit card was maxed out or your bank account has been cleaned out. The simple thought of this can make anyone cringe.
Click Here to Learn How to Prevent Identity Theft!
Another fact about identity theft is that it can have a devastating effect in your credit rating. Because some identity thieves can obtain your personal information and take out new credit cards in your name, they will be able to change the billing address. This means that you won’t know anything up until credit card companies will start calling you and ask you when you plan on starting to make payments.
This situation can happen to anyone regardless of where you live, who you are, your age, sex and whether you are single or married. Once the identity thief has your personal information, they will con their way in pretending to be you and make huge purchases in your name.
However, there are some steps that you can take in order for you to prevent being a victim of identity theft. Here are some tips on what you should do in order for you to prevent this crime from victimizing you.
First, you should try purchasing an identity theft protection service. With this service, you will be able to minimize the damage done by identity thieves. What this will do is that it will monitor your bank account, and your credit card use. If there are any suspicious activities happening in your bank account, then the company that is monitoring your accounts will temporarily freeze your account and call you whether you are indeed the one who is making the fund transfers or the credit card purchases.
You can also prevent identity theft by getting a credit report from the three major credit bureaus at least once a year. Here, you will be able to monitor your credit and also spot any suspicious activities that are happening in your credit card.
You also have to remember that you should never disclose your personal information on the phone. If someone calls that claims to be from your bank or from the credit card company and is asking for your personal information, try telling them that you will just give the information when you personally visit them. You can also tell them that you will call back later and use the legitimate number of the bank or the credit card company and ask them if they really need your personal information.
Identity thieves also use the internet to get your personal information. Be aware of suspicious websites and you also need to install an antispyware software program.
You also need to be aware that identity thieves may have an accomplice working in a legitimate store. Today, there are machines that can copy the information in your credit card’s magnetic strips which means that identity thieves will be able to duplicate your credit card. So, never take your eyes off your credit card when making credit card purchases.
These are some of the ways you can prevent identity theft from happening to you. Follow these tips and you can be sure that you will be able to prevent or at least minimize the effects of identity theft.
September 19th, 2007
The Importance of Identity Theft Protection Services: Why You Should Purchase One?
In recent years, there has been a steady increase in cases of identity theft. Although the crime may not sound as serious robbery or kidnapping, you have to remember that this crime have ruined lives already. Can you imagine what it would be like if you woke up one morning receiving a phone call from your bank that you cleaned out your bank account? Or, getting a huge credit card bill in your mail? Surely you too would take this type of crime seriously.
A lot of people who were victimized by this serious crime have never fully recovered from it. In fact, some even said that it left their lives in tatters.
Another fact about this crime is that no one is virtually immune from it. Regardless of geographical location, age, sex, and race, you are vulnerable. The sad thing about this crime is that you will never know that the crime is being committed until it’s too late. A lot of people knew about the crime when the person who committed it was long gone.
Sound scary? Well, it actually is. This is why it is important for you to know about the preventive measures that you can take in order to minimize the risk of the crime from happening to you. It is also highly recommended that you get some sort of identity theft protection services. Today, there are a lot of companies that offer identity protection services for sale. If you purchase their services, you will be able to protect yourself from identity theft.
What most identity theft protection services, like LifeLock Identity Theft Protection, will do is that it will monitor your account for any suspicious activities. For example, if huge amounts of money are being moved from your account to another account, it may be considered to be suspicious. Or, if your credit card is being used for a shopping spree that is way beyond your regular spending, then it is also considered suspicious.
These are some of the things that identity theft protection services will do. You can also give them the power to freeze your accounts in case they monitor suspicious activities. They will inform you about the suspicious activity and they will also ask you if you are the one making the purchases or the money transfers. If not, then they will be able to notify the authorities about the activity.
Identity theft is continuing to be one of the worst crimes of the century and is still continuing up to this day. No matter where you live and no matter how old you are or how many preventive measures you take, you will always be vulnerable to identity theft. This is why it is highly recommended that you purchase identity theft protection services. This will provide as an additional protection and minimize the risk of losing a lot of money from the crime.
Identity theft protection services should never be considered as a luxury. In today’s society, it should be considered to be as a necessity especially that identity thieves are finding new and ingenious ways to obtain your personal and financial information.
These are the reasons why identity theft protection servicers are very important. So, if you don’t want to be a victim of identity theft, you might want to start investing in identity theft protection services.
September 19th, 2007
Today, there are companies that offer identity theft protection. What they will do is monitor your account and watch out for suspicious activities. Once detected, they will freeze your account and call you whether you are the one making the purchase. If you are, then your account will be reactivated in a blink of an eye, but if not, then the account will continue to be frozen. They will then notify the authorities. a Few examples of these types of identity theft protection services include:
As you can see, identity theft protection services are definitely a must in today’s world. If you still don’t have this kind of protection, then it may be time that you do so as identity theft is a crime that may have the potential of ruining your life.
You have to remember that identity theft protection services are not a luxury. It is an investment and a good one at that. With this type of protection, you will be able to stop being a victim of identity theft.
Other features that identity theft protection services will be able to give you are that it will be able to proactively track down any suspicious information that may suggest identity theft. It will track down any unknown addresses that are affiliated with your name, and it will also take a look at the records of the DMV in your state. Your banking activity will also be monitored for any fraudulent activities.
Identity theft continues to be a national crisis. Regardless of who you are, what your race or age is, you are vulnerable to identity theft. So, aside from taking all the necessary precautions to prevent identity theft, try getting identity theft protection services. This will provide you with better protection and will also stop identity theft on its tracks before it’s too late.
These past few years, identity theft has been the number one fraud complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). In fact, the FTC reportedly received more than 200 thousand reports of identity theft in 2006 alone. This means that identity theft have increased 30% in the past year. Just imagine what it would be like now.
Identity thieves are finding new ways to commit this crime. Usually, the thief will first get your personal and financial information. Once this happens, they will pretend to be you and will gain access to your bank account, credit card information and this is where the crime will be at its worst. Just imagine waking up one morning only to get a call from the bank that your bank account has been drained. Or, receiving a huge bill from the credit card company where you didn’t even make any big purchases this month.
Many people who have been victims of identity theft were unable to recover. All in all, their lives were completely in ruins. All their hard work completely went down the drain. Identity theft is a very serious crime and it is also a crime that is continuing to grow every single day. This is why it is important that you should have some sort of protection from identity theft.
No one is immune from identity theft. Whether you are married or single, whatever your race is and regardless of your age, you are vulnerable to this very serious crime. Because of this, identity theft protection is a must.
September 19th, 2007
Identity theft is indeed one of the fastest growing crimes in today’s society. It is a crime where 9 million Americans became a victim to and it is also a crime where all the victims combined lost a total of 5.5 billion dollars and is still continuing to grow.
Identity theft is a new breed of crime. If you get victimized by this type of crime, you will not only suffer from getting your bank account drained, but you will also face a lot more problems, such as getting huge credit card bills, get you into debt and leave you with a bad credit rating.
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