Identity-Theft: What, Where, When, How?
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How well are you Protected?
Identity-Theft Safety: Free Quiz
Identity-Theft is one of the most often committed crimes in America, and the effects can be long lasting. There are stories of Identity Theft victims continuing to suffer the results of Identity Theft for years after the crime.
In addition, the criminal can practice an off and on tactic, so you can think the person has stopped using your name, your credit,and all the rest,and then the theft starts up again.
You are not immune in college. People tend to trust their roommates or dorm members, even though you just met five minutes ago. Like other kinds of threats, you must use common sense. Identity Theft starts this way:
Lost or stolen checkbooks, wallet, purses, credit cards, or piece of mail
Computer viruses, fraudulent emails, hackers grabbing your computer information
Business losses >$55 billion annually
Nine million Americans have identities stolen each year <
How ? Who?
NOTE:The latest risky behaviors for credit card theft is using your debit card, and paying for gas with a credit card. Seems employees can find your credit card information.
As I left the by the back door of a coffee shop near Stanford, I passed the cafe's office. On a shelf, right in front of me to my right, was a box with credit card receipts in it. Easy to grab.
Personal or financial info stolen from above sources
Friends and family close to you or in your home who have access to your information
Personal records stolen from businesses by employee access or hacking records
Personal records stolen through email or phone, by someone posing as a rep of a legitimate company
Thieves complete change of address form diverting your mail from your home to another address
Thieves go through trash, garbage, or city dumps for receipts, names and financial info
People in prisons "have the right to Internet access." They can and do use it to stalk people, including their former victims who are the reason the bad guy is in prison. They can continue to wreck the victim's credit from inside, or otherwise intimidate their former victims.
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How can I tell if I am a victim? Are there sign?
Check your Credit Reports regularly, check for:
Credit cards you never applied for showing up on your credit report
Accounts listed from stores or businesses for which you did not apply, inquiries regrading credit
Verify Social Security number listed on report, check names, addresses
Credit Reporting Agencies
Free Credit Report: (877-322-8228)
Equifax Credit Agency (888-766-0008)
Esperian Credit Agency (888-397-3742)
TransUnion Credit Agency (800-888-4213)
What else? Other signs?
Receiving credit cards for which you did not apply
Missing bills or other mail
Denies credit, or offered high interest rates
Receiving calls or letters about merchandise or services you did not buy
People going through your trash barrel - the one with all your old mail - with all that personal information. I read that thieves will accumulate a little here, a little there, and soon,they have all kinds of information about you.
How do I protect myself?
Buy a paper shredder, use it to destroy financial records
Order free copy of your credit report annually
Regularly review your personal information to help protect your credit
DO not carry Social Security cards, pin numbers, extra credit cards in your wallet or purse
Be careful when supplying your Social Security number. Some businesses, other institutions will ask for it when it is not legal for them to do so. At college for instance, you can request an ID number to be used as your class Identification, instead of your Social Security number
Change passwords periodically, and do not use same password for every online website
Avoid using birth date or last four digits of your Social Security number as password
Don't give others access to your computer, especially NOT to your passwords
Regularly update your firewall and software that protects your computer against viruses and spyware
Shred unsolicited pre-approved credit card offers, blank courtesy checks
Promptly collect your mail. If gone for a period, arrange to have mail held at post office
Social Networking: Facebook, etc.
We accept friends of friends onto our private pages.
We announce when we are leaving home for a vacation, or even a trip to the mall! Why would you do this?
When you start to put private information onto your Facebook page, ask yourself if you would want someone to see this who could do you harm. For most people that would be a "no" answer.
It happened to me! What do I do?
Shred all paper work. Don't throw any personal information into the trash
File a police report, and (immediately) submit a copy of complaint/police report to your creditors
Report it to the Campus Police at your College
Report theft to fraud department of credit bureaus, and get your case numbers
Put a "Fraud Alert" on your credit files so creditors will contact you before opening credit accounts
Request, in writing, copies of fraudulent applications, and send copy of police report
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission(FTC):
National resource for ID theft
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