Identity theft can happen anytime, anywhere and to anyone,
individuals or businesses. Everyone must be educated and aware
so it can be avoided. Most identity theft involves the U.S. Mail
which is why the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is a lead agency
in investigating Identity Theft. Identity Theft is a criminal
offense.
How can I prevent Identity theft from happening to me? Never
leave your receipt or slip in the ATM or gas pump. Pay attention
to your habits, lock up or organize and file your bills, and
bank statements. Shred them using a cross shredder before
throwing them away.
In a recent article in MSN Money their research showed that 32%
of people said they had been a victim of identity fraud by a
friend or family, and 13% were victimized by a co-worker.
Beware! These people know your patterns and habits.
Some steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of Identity
theft are:
Get a copy of your credit report from all three credit bureaus.
(FREE as of 9/1/05!)
Experian, PO Box 2002, Allen TX 75013 www.experian.com
888-397-3742 Equifax, PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30348
www.equifax.com 800-685-1111 Trans Union, PO Box 4000, Chester,
PA 19016 www.transunion.com 866-887-2673
Opt out of mailing lists by contacting the credit bureaus above.
Opt out by reading the privacy notice that comes with your
credit card and following the instructions. Call the national Do
Not Call Registry at 1-888-382-1222 or visit www.donotcall.gov
be sure to call from the number you want to register Do not
carry your Social Security Card in your wallet Do not print your
Social security number on your checks Do not get your social
security number printed on your drivers? license Do not carry
your Medicade card with you, Medicade #?s are your Social
security number Delete any emails from Nigeria, or lottery or
prize notifications before opening Stop credit card offers
888-5-OPT-OUT Remove your name from national mailing lists by
visiting www.the-dma.org or write to: Mail Preference Service PO
Box 643 Carmel, NY 10512
Install firewall and virus protection software on your computer
Password protect your computer and private personal files Format
your hard drive or physically destroy when disposing of your old
computer When you order new checks, get your first initial
printed on them instead of your first name Use a cross shredder
to shred your bills and bank statements or any junk mail Bring
your mail to the post office or secure mail box rather than
leaving it in a rural box. Use only one designated credit card
for online purchases Be sure all online purchases are made
through a secure server ? notice the ?lock? icon and how the URL
address changes from http to https. The S means SECURE. Do not
carry your PIN # in your wallet Do not use your date of birth as
a password or PIN. Do not give out personal or financial
information over the phone. Grind up or shred back up CD?s you
are throwing away. Check your online banking account at least 3
times a week and change your password often.
If you feel you have been a victim of identity fraud, contact
the Department of Justice, consumer protection division. They
offer mediation with identity theft; they also have a hot line
for consumers that is available 8-5 Monday ? Friday. They
maintain a database of written complaints that goes back to
1998. They offer seminars to school, seniors or your group.
Be aware that 40 million crooks obtained credit card numbers
this past year, ?Be Suspicious?. Also be aware that most
identify theft is not reported, especially when it involves
family members, so the statistics are off. These statistics show
that consumers lost $5 billion last year when in actuality it is
closer to $50 billion. There have been an estimated 9.9 million
victims in America.
About the author:
Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in credit and debt
collection. She owns and runs Credit & Collections.com a free
online community for credit and business professionals. She has
written 5 books in her Collecting Money Series. For more
information on Michelle?s services or to order any of her books
please email her at michelle@michelledunn.com or visit
www.michelledunn.com & www.credit-and-collections.com
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