You heard right. Identity Theft is THE fastest growing crime wave in America. Why? Because it’s easy and doesn’t require someone to break into your home to make off with the goods. They can get them right out of your trash!

According to the U.S. Postal Service, one reason is the carelessness of how many of us handle sensitive documents. One of the best investments you can make for your home or office is a paper shredder. There are people who make a living out of looking for a copy of someone’s un-shredded bank statement, credit card bill, tax return or any number of documents with sensitive account numbers!

This article is an attempt to educate you of those dangers and give you some genuine facts and a solution or two. If you have ever known someone who had their identity stolen then you know what we are about to tell you is true.

Last year alone, more than 9.9 million Americans were victims of identity theft, a five billion dollar crime wave!

The number of id theft victims and their total losses are probably much higher. It’s hard to pin down, because law enforcement agencies may classify id theft differently – it can involve credit card fraud, Internet fraud, or mail theft, among other crimes. It can even involve your credit report because when you order a copy of yours unless you request that only the last 4 digits be listed, the entire number is there just waiting to be stolen! I know this myself because I recently ordered my credit report be mailed to me and there was my entire social security number on EVERY page for all to see!

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) reported that only four percent of victims cited stolen mail as the source of personal information. Even so, U.S. Postal Inspectors, charged with protecting the nation’s mail system from criminal misuse, are leaders in the fight against identity theft.

What Should I Do If I Am A Victim of Identity Theft?

According to the FTC, if you are a victim of identity theft there are four steps you should take as soon as possible, and keep a record with the details of your conversations and copies of all correspondence.

Place a fraud alert on your credit reports, and review your credit reports.

Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. But one is too many.

One of the best favors you can do for yourself is order LifeLock the guaranteed Identity Theft program. When we set our site up we decided to only recommend vendors that we had confidence in personally.

What sold us on LifeLock? The fact that their founder and CEO Todd Davis does their advertising and gives his Social Security number in all their ads. When I first heard this I figured it had to be an advertising ploy. After further checking them out both my daughter and I both signed up. They have lived up to everything they said and as a bonus we stopped getting those pre-approved credit card offers and the majority of our junk mail also stopped.

Here is what LifeLock says about themselves:

Stop Identity Theft. Guaranteed.

By now you’ve heard the stories about individuals whose identities have been stolen by identity thieves. They’re not pretty stories . . . people working for hundreds of hours over many years to get their lives back in order, even innocent individuals ending up in jail! We can protect against this ever happening to you. Guaranteed. Up to $1 million.

LifeLock doesn’t just report unauthorized use of your credit information, we prevent it by working with the credit bureaus to make sure you’re contacted to approve any credit transaction before it takes place. We also remove your name from pre-approved credit card offers and junk-mail lists, where identity theft often gets started.

We’re the leaders in proactive identity theft protection as you’ve probably seen in coverage in The Wall Street Journal and Chicago Tribune, and on MSNBC, CNN, and many other national news outlets. We’re so sure of our system our CEO confidently publishes his own Social Security number in all our ads.

Is this fraud alert something you can do yourself? Yes however since this is not a priority with most people it will get put off until it’s too late. Then you have to un-do what could have been prevented in the first place for approximately 33 cents a day. That’s pretty cheap insurance. This is an investment in protecting your peace of mind and your good name as well.

If you’ve already become the victim of id theft you can contact them for help on getting your good name back!

With the increase of identity theft, I wouldn’t put it off another day. Once your identity is compromised it can take months or years to get it fixed. Contact LifeLock today.

Identity theft (ID theft or identity fraud) is the deliberate appropriation of an individual’s personal information to impersonate that person in a legal sense. Stealing someone’s identity enables the thief to make a frightening number of financial and personal transactions in someone else’s name, leaving the victim responsible for what might turn out to be a mind-boggling turmoil in his or her life. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) keeps records on identity theft, and, not surprisingly, the number of incidents reported increase each year. The recent identity theft statistics reveal that ID theft affects as many as ten million Americans each year! According to FTC’s identity theft statistics, the losses to businesses and financial institutions total nearly 53 billion dollars annually.

These identity theft statistics further reveal that the most common types of ID thefts are credit card frauds, communications services fraud (such as opening a cell phone or a utility services account using someone else’s information), bank fraud and loan fraud. For years, the primary cause of identity theft has been good old-fashioned or low-tech analog crime. Impersonators rummaging though mailboxes, snatching purses or searching the garbage for discarded bank statements or credit card receipts. Rapid advances in technology have seen a plague of sophisticated phishing attacks. Identity theft statistics expose phishing as the most dangerous of all ID thefts that uses both social engineering and technical subterfuge.

Phishing can have serious financial consequences. In a phishing attack, the victim is sent an email that “appears” to be from a bank or other financial institution. The victim is then told to click a link and verify his/her account information or supply personal identity data. The link appears to be a legitimate site, but is in fact a scam. The moment he/she enters sensitive data, the identity thief gains access to account information and can empty the bank account. Phishers can also take out credit cards in the victim’s name, steal ISP account information and do other financial damage. In its latest report on identity theft statistics, the research group Gartner says that close to 60 million Americans reported receiving a phishing email, and 1.7 million people have been victims of identity theft, which cost banks and credit card companies $1.2 billion in losses.

You must take steps to protect your account information, social security numbers, passwords, etc. Now. Always memorize and shred important documents that you are discarding. Don’t simply throw these types of documents away!

Attorney General John Ashcroft called identity theft as “one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States”. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the leading governmental agency which keeps records on identity theft, estimates that over 9 million Americans (or 4.25% of all adults) are victims of ID theft on an annual basis, resulting in $52.6 billion losses to businesses and financial institutions. Even the 9/11 or September 11th hijackers were believed to have been identity thieves, using stolen passports and Social Security numbers to obscure their trail. Beyond doubt, identity theft crimes have reached epidemic proportions with subsequent catastrophic consequences.

Identity theft crimes are not new, but they have become more persuasive in the past decade. Advances in computer hardware and software along with the growth of the Internet have significantly increased the role that identity theft plays in crime. Individuals can hire credit-monitoring services that alert them when there are changes in their credit report. One such company, Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. in conjunction with Kroll, Inc. has developed a unique solution for victims of identity theft. This service referred to as the “Identity Theft Shield” is available to Pre-Paid Legal Services members. With the Identity Theft Shield, you have the added security of knowing that experienced professionals from the world’s leading risk consulting company are there to fight for you.

To prevent identity fraud, experts recommend that you review your credit report regularly. The ID Theft Shield makes this task easier. You receive prompt notices if any new accounts are opened in your name or if derogatory notations are added to your credit report. On an average, ID theft victims spend more than 250 hours and $2000 to clear their names. With Identity Theft Shield available at just $9.95/month, the cost of combating ID fraud crimes is much less. This monthly fee provides benefits to you, the member, and your spouse. At this cost, it is well worth the time and money to keep your affairs private.

Truly, Identity Theft Shield is the most factual and comprehensive solution to ID theft restoration. However, at times, even the best backup plans Fail. Therefore, you must learn to depend on yourself to set up your own identity theft shield and minimize your risk. Some things to do would be to shred all paperwork with important account information on it, don’t just throw it away in the trash because one of the simplest methods of Identity theft is for the theif to go through trash cans and dumpsters. Memorize pin numbers, do not carry them with your credit cards; Just to mention a couple thoughts.

Identity theft is a definite threat to us all, effecting hundreds of people everyday across the globe. There are insurance policies that can be taken out in order to cover yourself against ID theft, but this may not be necessary, as there are a number of measures you can take to help you to avoid becoming a victim, most of which rely on simple common sense.ID theft is a technique used by criminals allowing them to benefit financially through claiming they are you, for example taking out loans, applying for credit cards etc. all in your name.One of the issues in tackling this type of fraud is that the police have limited resources, especially  as a large number of these criminals are not even in this country.Doing all you can to avoid becoming a victim of ID theft is easier than you may think and being aware of the following points could save you a lot of grief. 1.      Ensure that all of your important documents and financial related documents are stored in a safe place out of sight. These include official documents such as passports and driving licence documents, as well as financial documents such as bank and credit card statements, bank account details, insurance documents etc. 2.      Frequently monitor your bank accounts and credit card statements to ensure there are no suspicious transactions. If possible, set up internet banking for all banking products as this will allow you to regularly check statements without having to wait for your monthly statements. Online banking is also very secure, with many banks now providing customers with card readers which generate pass codes that must be used when logging in to your account, or making a payment. If you do notice anything that looks suspicious, contact your bank or credit card provider immediately. 3.      Buy a paper shredder. You can pick one up from £5 to £30 and you can use it to shred any official documents that you don’t need to keep. This includes the obvious such as bank statements, but also any loan or credit card application forms, and even junk mail that has any of your details i.e. name, address, telephone number etc. Simply throwing these documents away could result in them falling into the wrong hands. 4.      Make sure you are aware of when your regular financial documents arrive, ensuring you are aware of anything out of the ordinary, for example you haven’t received your credit card bill for 7 weeks. 5.      At least once a year, apply for a copy of your credit file to check all current finance arrangements in your name, allowing you to spot anything unusual. 6.      Never give out sensitive information over the phone unless it was you that made the call or are 100% sure that the call is legitimate. For example, you receive a call from somebody claiming to be your bank asking for details such as your full name, DOB and Mother’s maiden name. These are types of information that fraudsters will want to get hold of, so be vigilant. 7.      Never trust emails claiming to be your bank or Credit Card company. Some of these emails can look extremely convincing and the irony is that many of them claim to require your details to help tackle fraud. You can usually spot these emails as the URL that you are required to click may appear to be the official site, but on closer inspection you will see it is in fact close, by hovering your cursor over this link. You will then be re-directed to a spoof page that looks genuine but is actually used to steal your login details. 8.      When moving house, subscribe The Royal Mail’s redirection service. This will ensure all mail addressed to you ends up with you. 9.      Check your bills as soon as they arrive in the post. If there’s anything suspicious contact your bank or Credit Card company immediately.There are a few main techniques employed by criminals to carry out ID theft. These include:Bin DivingGoing through your bins searching for bills or other documents containing your personal information.SkimmingUsed to steal credit/debit card numbers using a special storage device. This can be avoided by keeping your card on you or in view when making payments.PhishingClaiming to be a legitimate financial institution to gain your trust then push you to reveal your personal information.Changing Your AddressDiverting your bills, statements and other sensitive documents to another address by filling out a change of address form.Old-Fashioned StealingStealing wallets; mail etc. to get enough information about you.PretextingUsed to obtain personal information from a number of sources such as financial institutions, telephone companies, and other sources by impersonating youOnce an identity thief has successfully acquired your personal information, they can use it for a number of different things.Credit card fraud: * A new credit card can be applied for in your name. The card can then be used to get credit and all unpaid bills will appear on your credit report, damaging your credit history. * By changing your address, they could run up charges on your account but you will be unaware as you are not getting the bills. It could be some time before you notice anything unusual.Phone or utilities fraud: * A new phone or wireless account could be opened in your name, or even utility services like electricity, water, or satellite television.Bank fraud: * Counterfeit checks made with your details. * Bank accounts opened in your name. * Credit or debit card cloned allowing them to use your cards. * A loan taken out in your name.Government documents fraud: * Used to get official ID cards such as a driving licence under your name but with their picture. * Use of your details to get government benefits. * Fraudulent tax return made using your information.Other fraud: * Qualify for a job using your personal information * Rent a property in your name.These days, most banks have intelligent anti-fraud systems that recognise any unusual activity on your card, for example you withdraw money from a cash point in the UK and later that day money is withdrawn from an ATM  in Canada.  When taking out a credit card, you will probably find that you are offered some kind of anti-theft insurance to protect you against fraud. But the fact is that ID theft is heavily promoted and sometimes over exaggerated to help sell the product.According to a spokesman from the UK’s fraud Prevention Service – the CIFAS, ID theft is still a relatively rare crime, but it is on the increase.So as long as you’re cautious with who you give your personal information to, keeping it in a safe place, shred all unwanted documents containing your information, you should remain safe from fraud.

“Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.” Plato.

Identity theft, one of the fastest growing crimes in America, is a federal crime under the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act. Bad people or con men usually find ways to get around this law. Identity fraud occurs when a con artist illegitimately uses your identity to make a frightening number of financial and personal transactions in your name, leaving you – the ID theft victim, responsible for what might turn out to be a mind-boggling turmoil in your life. Last year ID fraud crimes topped the list of complaints reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the governmental agency addressing the problem of identity fraud, for the fourth consecutive year.

The FTC estimates that ten million people are victims of ID theft each year. Perhaps the only people minting money are the conmen and identity theft lawyers! Determining the exact scope and financial impact of id theft on people and businesses is difficult. According to a survey conducted by Privacy Right Clearing Group, victims spend from $50 to $2000 on costs related to ID theft, not including identity theft lawyers’ fees. Since ID fraud is a complex crime you may not be able to clear your name as fast as you would like. Bureaucratic financial institutions move slowly, partly to protect you. But if ID theft recovery procedures fail to resolve the problem, you should get in touch with identity theft lawyers. Credit issuers and reporting agencies are sometimes slow in responding to complaints from consumers. The threat of lawsuits can provide some impetus.

If you believe you have been a victim of identity fraud and all steps to restore your name and credit fail, contact top identity theft lawyers in your area immediately, to minimize the damage to your personal and financial accounts, as well as your credit report and reputation. Thanks to the nature of the crime, most identity thieves are never found. So, in order to clear your name, you patiently need to work with the law enforcement agencies and identity theft lawyers, assisting them when you can. Remember, justice moves slowly, and ultimately you will be proven on the side of right, and your life can go return to normal. This is usually a slow process, but it is a necessary evil we all live with.

Many people seeking to avoid the saddening effects of ID theft are in search of ways of minimizing such losses. Apart from enrolling in a credit card protection program, you can opt for identity card insurance, an insurance package tailored to meet the specific needs of potential ID theft victims.

Identity theft insurance, just like any other insurance is meant to cover for costs or losses incurred in the event of you becoming an identity theft victim. With cases on ID theft on the rise, it has become normal if not a prerequisite for one to have identity theft insurance. The many insurance companies marketing this service offer various policies depending on what your specific needs are, or what you risk looing in the event of ID theft.

The amount of coverage given for ID theft protection will largely depend on the type of policy you choose. The amount you will need to contribute will also depend on specific factors which will be inclusive in your policy.

Some companies offering credit service provide these policies as part of their plan or a form of endorsement to other forms of insurance policies. In such occasions the amount charged is often less. You can ask your creditor if such services exist in their products.

The most important thing to know before you take an insurance policy is its terms and conditions. This may be same across many insurance agencies but when it comes to what is covered in your policy, the list may vary sharply across the board.

Most insurers will cover legal costs incurred when you get an advocate to look into your case. Some will compensate for wages lost during the time you will spend dealing with the ID theft case. The loan re-application fees may also be covered by your agent. The mailing charges and other notary fees will also be inclusive in most policies. You may also send while notarizing various important documents to the relevant authorities.

Before going for an ID theft insurance policy, be informed of the above and such factors from the insurance agency in order to ensure the policy you get will provide you the maximum protection available. Identify theft insurance policies are a great way to protect you and your family against the growing threat of identity theft.

There are 5 kinds of Identity Theft but most people are just aware of credit card identity theft. That is just 20% of the problem. Here are all 5.

1) Driver’s License Identity Theft

2) Social Security Number Identity Theft

3) Character/Criminal Identity Theft

4) Medical Identity Theft

5) Financial Identity Theft

You are vulnerable to having your identity stolen. You have a significant investment in protecting your good reputation so the last thing you want is for someone to use your driver’s license to commit a crime, not show up for “your” trial which will result in a bench warrant being issued against you. That is exactly what more and more people are experiencing as victims of Driver’s License Identity Theft. If that were to happen to you, you would need a lawyer, probably in the middle of the night.

Given that only one in seven hundred identity thieves are caught, there will be no slowdown in this crime wave any time soon but you can protect yourself from being the next victim. You need a monitoring system that lets you know if a thief opens a post office box, files a change of address card, tries to buy a house or opens a new bank account in your name. If you are falsely accused of a crime due to someone stealing your identity you WILL need the help of the best lawyers.

Social Security – Did you know that on July 1, 2006, 32 states passed laws that require business owners to see a passport or Social Security card from each employee? The government admits that we have 10 million illegal aliens in the country, but business experts put that number between 25 – 30 million. But just for argument’s sake, let’s assume 10 million: if each one of those folks paid just in FICA withholding each week, ,000,000 would be going to the Social Security Administration on a weekly basis. Given they are FOUR TRILLION in debt, they have NO incentive to let the actual owner of the Social Security number know that another 10, 20, 80 people are using that same Social Security number since they only have to pay out to the real owner. But the IRS is going to take a real interest when they see how much “you” earned at your 10, 20 or 80 different jobs but none of “you” did the proper withholding. Your problem begins when the IRS notices that “you” did not pay the federal and state withholding taxes – the real “you” will have to hire an attorney to fight the IRS or you will just pay them because it is less expensive or you may spend years trying to convince the IRS that you didn’t earn that money

Medical – I met a woman the other day who recently went into the hospital for some test and they asked her how her arm was doing. She didn’t know what they were talking about. Apparently someone else had used her medical insurance to treat a broken arm. What if it would have been something more serious, like someone got a heart transplant using her insurance. That would effect her lifetime cap and it would definitely pollute her Medical Data Base if there was nothing wrong with HER heart. Medical identity theft effects your ability to get insurance, proper health care if unconscious and they are relying on wrong info/blood type/heart condition of someone else. HIPPA won’t let you into your own file if you admit that positive HIV test isn’t YOU. That broken arm is now in her medical database. Thank God it wasn’t something more serious. You are going to need a good lawyer to fight this battle to get the other people’s info out of YOUR file.

Driver’s License ID Theft – The government recently decided that the employees at all Department of Motor Vehicles needed to be able to recognize what the driver’s licenses of all the other states looked like so that when a resident of Florida moves to California, the CA DMV can recognize a “real” Florida license. In order to assist these employees, the federal government made up a little book with the EXACT specs on each state’s driver’s license. About a week after that book was mailed out to each state’s DMV it was already being sold on the internet, spawning a new and very lucrative business. All a criminal needs is a laptop computer, a printer, a laminator and that little book, and they have themselves a very prosperous little criminal enterprise. The police cannot tell the difference between the “real” license and the fake one. In fact, they can’t tell the difference between the “database you” and the “Real You” that looks back at you from your mirror!

Driver’s License ID Theft often affects your character/criminal Identity. A prostitute stole a teacher’s purse. She told her principal and friends about it so everyone knew it was possible that something bad might come of this theft. When a newspaper ran the story of the teacher being arrested for prostitution it wasn’t hard to explain to her friends and neighbors what had happened. It was a small town so everyone knew the teacher was a victim of id theft but is that teacher going to be able to change jobs and go to another town where they don’t know her? Her character has been stolen now.

Financial ID theft, this is the one everyone focuses on because we are losing billions each year to id theft. But here is the thing, you know those cute little commercials on TV with the man’s voice coming from the woman’s body and the woman’s voice coming from the man’s body. They talk about ZERO liability. That is a lie! If you don’t contest a bill within 60 days YOU are stuck with it and with our new bankruptcy laws you can’t discharge it. How are you going to contest a bill you never got. These ID thieves are doing change of address cards and having your mail forwarded to another place, a PO box or another residence. And by the way, the Postal Inspector I met the other night mentioned that the post office doesn’t ask for proof that the change of address card you are filing is actually YOU. Anyone can go into the post office and file a change of address card. So how can you contest a bill you don’t get? Sounds like you are going to need another lawyer. All of this ID Fraud stuff sounds like the lawyers full employment bill to me.

The Federal Trade Commission, which is the lead agency handling ID Theft, says that on average, it takes a person 600 hours to restore themselves after being a victim. That is FIFTEEN 40 hour work weeks. NO ONE has that kind of free time. People need the protection of having their credit monitored so they know if someone is opening new accounts, forwarding their mail or opening a PO Box in their name. There are lots of new companies that do credit monitoring but there is only one company that does restoration and that is Kroll Background America, Inc.

Kroll is the only company that was allowed to go below ground zero to remove the gold from the vaults after 9/11. When the FBI, CIA and Saudi government could not find where Sadam hid the Saudi money that he stole, the Saudis hired Kroll. Kroll found it, recovered it and returned the money to the Saudis. The Security and Exchange Commission hired Kroll to discover where all the Enron money went and the City of San Diego hired Kroll to investigate and do the forensic accounting on the recent pension scandal. If our government and big corporations hire Kroll to protect them, why wouldn’t you?

ID theft is one of the crimes that folk are always talking about. Media is one of the best identity theft resource centers. You’ll be able to find all related stories, new methodologies and solutions for this crime through media. It is also due to them that folk have gotten all the required info to battle the spread of identity theft.theft resource centers that are focusing on the difficulty to hand it seems that this crime is steadily expanding in numbers. Can all this be accredited to the fact that these thieves are getting wiser everyday?There are more factors that could be contributing to the spread of I. Personal data storage.One of the reasons for its expansion is the wrong up keeping and dropping of individual’s imperative info and financial information. This could be due to the myth that I. D. theft is only limited to trading and patron based areas.But then, all kinds of business are in peril. Though the most vulnerable would be and banking and lending institutions, real estate and facilities management and other related fields. It can be noted that the government are also not taking these crimes sitting. Other means of prevention. New and different measures can be seen in the way credit and other financial transactions are done. One example is the so-called security freeze. When somebody is making an application for credit, the freeze can be lifted off for a certain time so that application can be processed. The advance technology of today is also helping people and companies protect and store info. With the portability of computers and the speed of Web connections, people are shifting to using electronic pictures more. The higher cost of having electronic storage info made is only reasonable when you compare it to the cheaper ones that are not really working effectively for your business. Besides, the advantages you’ll be getting out of this electronic deals are sufficient to make up for the pricetag you paid initially. You probably will get more customers because they are assured of the security measures that you can give them. Each format is created safe and access can be encrypted or can be protected by a password. A lot of pages can be saved on a single CD ROM. Thus abolishing file cabinets and the potential risk of identity thieves finding vital information in back room storage areas. Disaster recovery is also made easy when information is archived electronically and stored in a secure off site location by a service provider.There should be no doubt in your mind that this crime is rising and it can get to you when you least expect it. By adding important features to business establishments, its owners and customers will have a peace of mind that they will not become victims of fraud and there will be no more identity theft. You can check some more identity theft resource center to find out what is being developed to help prevent this crime from getting to you and going out of hand. Help stop this madness and add to the effort of making sure there is no more identity theft.

What is identity theft?

Identity theft is when a person steals personal information, such as the name, address, birth date, Social Security number or mother’s maiden name from another person in order to commit fraud. The thief then uses this information to impersonate the victim and take over their financial identity.

With a relatively small amount of information criminal can taking over banking, insurance or investment accounts, open new bank accounts, purchase automobiles, apply for loans and credit cards, receive Social Security benefits, rent apartments, and even establish utility and phone company services, all under the stolen identity.

How do identity thieves get personal information?

While there is much in the media about internet based identity theft, there are lots of ways your personal information can be stolen, many of them much easier than internet theft.

-Stealing your wallet, purse, or checkbook. -Removing mail from your mailbox, both incoming or outgoing. -Going through your trash to find statements and receipts. -Phishing – Obtaining information by email scams or fraudulent websites. -Hacking – Illegally gaining access to a computer where personal information is stored. -Social Engineering- Simply tricking the victim into giving out personal information

Who is an identity thief? Contrary to what many people think, identity thieves are not always sinister villains looking for victims.  In fact, many studies show that a significant portion of identity theft actually occurs by people the victim knows and trusts.

-Opportunity criminals who ‘chance’ upon your personal information -Organized criminals who actively seek victims -Husbands and wives who use their spouse’s information to open accounts to take money -Roommates -A person you meet at a party who has lots of questions about your personal life -Parents who use a child’s identity -Children who use a parent’s identity -Housekeepers, contractors or others who have access to your home

How do I protect myself from identity theft?

By taking a few precautions you can limit the opportunity for an identity thief to steal your personal information.

Safeguard and protect your personal information

-Don’t carry important documents such as Social Security cards, passports, or birth certificates in your purse or wallet. Keep important documents in a safe place at home or in a safe deposit box at the bank. Only carry them when you need them. -Shred any receipts, financial statements, documents, or bank statements, including credit card bills, before disposing of them. Immediately report lost or stolen checks immediately to your bank or other financial institution. -Immediately report lost or stolen debit or credit cards.-Always store checks in a safe place including cancelled ones.  Ask your bank if they will store your checks instead of returning them in the mail. -Store any account numbers in a safe place and don’t write down passwords for internet sites that contain personal information such as internet banking sites. -Reconcile your banking statements regularly and consider using your bank’s internet banking service to monitor your accounts regularly.  Studies show that identify theft is caught quicker and is less costly by victims who use check their accounts regularly. -Remove mail from your mailbox as soon after delivery as possible.  When mailing bills and credit card payments, take them to a post office or place them in a secure, official U.S. Postal Service collection box. -Consider using an internet banking service to pay bills since even if there is a loss your bank may be obligated to refund your losses.  Be sure to check your bank’s terms and conditions. -Promptly notify your bank and other creditors when you move or change your phone number or email address. -Contact creditors if your regular bills do not arrive when expected.

Don’t give away your personal information

Careless conversations can be the best source of identity theft.  Make sure you don’t make yourself a victim by giving away your confidential information.

- Don’t give out personal information, such as your Social Security number or account numbers, over the telephone unless you initiated the call and you know with whom you are dealing. -If you receive any telephone calls asking for personal information don’t give out personal information until you can verify to the call is legitimate.  A good way to do this is to call the customer service number printed on your statement. -Confirm why personal information is needed before giving it out and even then only give out what is absolutely necessary. -Register your home and cell phone numbers with the Federal Do Not Call Registry to reduce some unsolicited calls.

Review your credit report regularly Your credit report shows most accounts and balances opened using your information.  Accounts that you can’t recognize or that have unexplained balances could be signs that your identity has been stolen.

-Review your credit report from the three major agencies at least annually to confirm there were no unauthorized credit inquiries made or accounts opened in your name. -Consider using one of the credit report monitoring services offered by the major credit reporting agencies. -In the US you are eligible for a free copy of your credit report under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act). The FACT Act requires the three major credit reporting agencies to provide consumers with a free copy of their own credit report each year.

To obtain a free credit report contact: Annual Credit Report Request Service P.O. Box 105281 Atlanta , GA 30348-5281 1-877-322-8228

What do I do if I think I am a victim of Identity Theft?

-Immediately contact the fraud division of the credit reporting agencies and request that a “fraud alert” be placed in your file. Ask that no new credit be granted without your approval.  -Notify the Social Security Administration by calling 1-800-772-1213. -Notify all of your creditors of the fraud. -File a report with your local law enforcement authority.-Report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-438-4338.  The FTC is the clearinghouse for identity theft complaints. They provide information to help resolve financial problems that result from identity theft. -The FTC provides an ID Theft Affidavit which you should complete as soon as possible after you become aware of the fraud. Completing this affidavit can help protect you from responsibility for fraudulent charges on your accounts. -Keep detailed records of all events once you determine that your identity has been stolen. Include names, telephone numbers, and the date and time you made contact with individuals or companies requesting assistance in recovering your good name.

While no one can be completely safe from Identity theft, simply taking the time to safeguard your information reduce that likelihood.  You can also significantly reduce the amount of time and money you spend to recover your identity if you are prepared before you become a victim.

Aubrey Jones is President and founder of Riverbank Consulting, Inc.  Since 1996 he has worked to protect internet banking clients for one of the top US financial institutions.

 http://www.moneybizhome.com

Copyright (c) 2010 Suzy Vanstrusen

As cases of identity theft continue to rise over the years, one can never be too careful. In this article, we’ll be discussing the important steps that can help you minimize your risk of falling prey to ID theft. Most of these steps are simple and can easily be overlooked. However, keep in mind that identity thieves can be anywhere and these law violators are always on the alert for any chance to steal your precious information. Therefore, be responsible and do your share in fighting the crime of identity theft.

Don’t provide information over the phone. Identity thieves still use the old “phone call” scheme to steal personal information. You may receive a phone call claiming to be from the IRS, from your credit card company or your mortgage lender asking you to confirm a few details regarding your account. Never give out any information in this manner.

Watch out for “phishing scams”. Watch out for e-mails disguising to be from a legitimate company or government organization. Never provide any of your personal information particularly banking information via e-mail. Be wary about “false websites” that may look genuine or authentic. Don’t fill up the online information sheet without carefully verifying the source.

Erase the history folder before leaving your desk. It’s a good idea to delete the cache and cookies from the browser after using the computer particularly when accessing the internet from shops or public places. Don’t forget to completely sign out of your e-mail account as well.

Use strong passwords. A strong password is one that contains both numbers and letters in it. Don’t use passwords that can be guessed easily such as your birthday, name or personal information.

Shred important documents. Make it a habit to shred receipts, billing statements, and other important documents into tiny bits before throwing them in the trash. Cut old or expired credit cards into small parts before disposing them. It is also a good idea to throw the pieces in different trash cans.

Don’t carry all your credit cards and IDs in your wallet. Bring only the credit card or the ID that you intend to use. Bringing all your cards in your wallet puts you at greater risk in case your wallet gets misplaced or stolen.

Ask an online card number from your credit card company. If you shop from the internet, ask your credit card issuer for an online number that is different from the number on your card.

Be alert when using the ATM. Make sure that no one is standing too close behind you or near you when using the ATM. Don’t throw away your ATM receipts in the trash. Bring it home and shred it before disposing it.

Don’t give out your SSN. Some merchants or companies ask their clients to provide their Social Security Number. Tell the company that you prefer to give them other identifying information in place of your SSN. If the company refuses, ask them to provide you with their Privacy Policy. Better yet, take your business somewhere else.