Stop Identity Theft

Identity Theft: How to Protect Yourself from online Identity theft

Identity theft includes a wide range of deception, as stolen credit cards used to charge purchases to existing accounts, information stolen to impersonate the victim, opening of new accounts (even utility accounts electricity, phone, gas etc.), and rack up thousands of dollars of debt.

There are over half a million new cases of identity theft each year (some say upwards of closer to 1 million), identity theft ranks as one of the fasting growing crimes in the USA. In many states is not even illegal or hardly punishable. Most perpetrators go uncaught and unpunished. Worse part is that it takes an average of 12 months for the victim to realize they are victims of Identity theft and by then it’s nearly impossible to climb back out of the black hole of damaged credit, costing hundreds of hours and hundreds of dollars to try to fix.

Sadly, since much of this goes unpunished, companies often write off the bad debt and then charge the consumer higher interest rates and fees to cover their losses. So we all are indirect victims of identity theft.

What can you do to protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft? There is not an absolute guarantee, but the more precautions used, the harder it is for someone to steal your personal information and use it illegally. Here are some ideas that you can use to start protecting yourself.

What is Spam-Where it Came From, and How to Escape It

1. Check your credit reports annually

Contact the major credit reporting agencies (www.equifax.com, www.experian.com, www.transunion.com) annually and obtain a copy of your credit report. Go through them and check for any discrepancies, report any problems, also require your permission to issue new credit lines.

2. Keep your Social Security number safe.

Many companies ask for your Social Security number (SSN) for their records. Check and see if you can substitute a different number. This is especially true of driver's licenses. Do not give your SSN to anyone over the phone or internet if you did not initiate contact. Don't carry your Social Security card, don't have your SSN preprinted on your checks or your phone number printed on your checks.

3. Protect your passwords and PINs.

Always protect your passwords and PINs from others, especially at ATMs. Don't write them down or carry them with you. Do not store passwords on your computer. If you need to write them down, store them somewhere else safe. Passwords should be hard to discover. When possible use a mix of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols.

4. Know your regular billing cycle.

Know when to expect your monthly bills. If any are late, call the company to check on its status. A late or missing bill could possibly mean that someone has stolen your information and changed the billing address, leaving you unaware of the charges that may be racking up.

5. Shred everything with your personal information on it.

All those credit card applications you receive in the mail and throw away should be shredded. Invest in a good cross-cut shredder and shred all documents with financial information on them, credit card receipts etc.

6. Make the post office your ally.

Deposit important mail at your local post office or in a locked post office drop box. Thieves sometimes patrol neighborhoods, stealing mail out of mailboxes. A little acid wash, and voila!, they change the amount and the person being paid. Don't give them the chance! If you're going out of town, put a hold on your mail at the post office. Or consider getting a post office box. Also have a neighbor pick up your news paper or stop delivery while out of town.

7. Technology doesn't beat everything.

Don't give out personal information over cellular/mobile/wireless phones, or cordless phones. Their radio frequencies can be easily intercepted, overheard, and hacked.

Surfing the internet puts you at risk from hackers breaking into your system; consider purchasing a "firewall" program to protect your computer from outside access. Other anti spyware programs should be used to scan your pc as well. When divulging personal information on the internet (for example, when making a purchase) always look for privacy policies and the little "lock" symbol that indicates your information is secure.

Here is a short list of some useful anti spyware utilities, firewalls and anti virus to help stop identity theft.

There are many more available.

7. NoAdware

Here is a list, to name a few that are free.

1. Adaware at www.lavasoftusa.com/

2. Avast Anti Virus www.avast.com/

3. AntiVir PE (Personal Edition) www.free-av.com/

4. Spybot - Search & Destroy 1.4

Don't use your email address for user IDs on websites; "robots" that specifically search for this information on sites like eBay try and trick you into divulging your personal information. You may receive an official-looking email asking you to "verify" or "update" your information. Remember, anyone who already has your information will not ask you to verify it. Always be suspicious of such tactics. The same goes for people who call you and claim to be somebody like a bill collector, government agent, utility worker, etc. If in doubt, call the company they appear to be representing.

If you use a laptop computer use a strong password (combination of upper/lower-case letters, numbers, symbols); don't use automatic login; always log off when finished; and don't store financial information on it unless absolutely necessary.

When disposing of your personal computer, deleting your personal information usually isn't enough. Use a "wipe" utility program to render files unrecoverable.

8. Be aware of the opportunities to steal your information.

Think of all the places that store your personal information, such as the offices of doctors, dentists, accountants, loan officers, health insurance, schools, courts, etc. Ask them how they protect your information. Request that they shred anything with personal information on it when disposing of it.

Keep your wallet or purse in a safe at work; do not assume all of your coworkers are trustworthy. Be aware of the "Good Samaritan" where your missing wallet is returned (after one of your several credit cards is removed; you have so many that you probably won't notice!). Only carry a minimum number of cards and identification with you.

9. Subscribe to a credit monitoring service is also an option.

If you're really worried about identity theft, consider a credit monitoring service. Delivers regular notification to you of your credit status and notify you of any suspicious activity

10. Make a list and check it twice.

Make list of all your credit card numbers, banking account numbers, and driver's license number with their customer service numbers and keep them in a safe place. That way you'll have a starting place if something should happen to you.

Remember, the more vigilant we all are, the more protected we will be against id theft.

For more information regarding identity theft, see the federal government's website at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.

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