On Guard Against Identity Theft: Basic Facts

Identity theft is generally considered to be the fastest-growing crime in the United States. The term itself refers to obtaining and using the personal identifying information of another person in order to fraudulently obtain goods and services. Personal identifying information includes things such as your name, date of birth, and Social Security number.
Roughly 700,000 people a year become victims of this crime. However, it is continually on the rise, with thieves employing a wide gamut of tactics from sophisticated online "phishing" scams to low-tech strategies like dumpster-diving. Thus, It is becoming more common - especially since the advent of the information age, when so much vital info about the world - and each other - is practically at our fingertips. That being the case, it goes without saying that practically anyone can become a victim.
The most common form of identity theft is credit card fraud; it is estimated to cost consumers hundreds of millions - some say billions - of dollars per year. Next is utilities fraud, followed by bank fraud. Credit card fraud can be particularly insidious, as you may not discover for quite some time that someone has, for instance, opened a new line of credit in your name and charged thousands of dollars to the account before leaving you stuck with the bill.
There are ways to protect yourself from identity theft. Credit monitoring, for instance, is absolutely critical to identity theft defense. Fortunately, you can obtain a free credit report from each of the three major credit-reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) annually. Thus, you can get a free copy of your credit report - one from a different credit-reporting agency - every four months. Likewise, regularly checking and balancing your bank account statements will also help you stay abreast of any irregularities that could be indicative of identity theft.
If you are already the victim of identity theft, it can be a long and arduous road getting back to some semblance of normalcy. On average, it is believed that it takes victims of identity theft six months to a year (and sometimes longer) to get matters rectified to some reasonable extent. This includes trying to recover money taken from bank accounts, as well as avoiding liability for goods and services that were never purchased or received (at least by the victim). Unfortunately, there is no sure-fire method to avoid becoming a victim. All you can do is take what precautions you can in order to mount a adequate identity theft defense. Just remember: it's easier to avoid becoming a victim than to recover from being one. In other words, this is truly a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The author runs a blog devoted to identity theft defense and protection: http://www.identitytheftdefensehq.com/

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How to Protect Yourself From Identity Theft, Fraud and Phishing

Identity theft is an ever-increasing issue given the sheer amount of people who are having financial difficulties due to the worldwide financial crisis. You can only protect yourself against identity theft, do not leave it up to anyone else to help you.
There are some basic measures we can all take to reduce the risk. The first of which I would suggest would be two have two separate email addresses, one for your financial business, and the other for everything else.
So your online banking, PayPal, your accountant and just about anything you buy online, you should use your financial email address. Use a very difficult password with a minimum of 10 characters including capitals and symbols and don't give this email address out to anyone else. The reason we include any purchases in this email is that you are giving your financial information away to these sites included card numbers and pertinently, your address.
Use the email address only for your financial transactions and never give it even to friends. Use your other email address for everything else.
It's fairly obvious why you wouldn't want people getting hold of your bank details or card number, but the reasons run a little deeper as to why we wouldn't want people accessing this email address. If they guessed your password what would they have access to? A few online purchase receipts (with your address on), details of your PayPal account which they can access to withdraw cash to themselves, your online banking login details? You might think "Well just because someone can access my email doesn't mean they could access your PayPal or online banking accounts" and you would only be partly correct. All they need is access to your email address and they could request a new password be sent. Bang! You're in trouble.
If you have to write down the password and place it in your purse or wallet do so, it's better than making it an easy password to guess or hack.
This has been really focussed on fraud, but there is another, more insidious factor, we need to bear in mind. That factor is identity theft.
Identity theft, to my mind, is worse than fraud. Yes fraud involves stealing your own assets, but identity theft runs deeper than that, they steal your identity and take out loans and credit cards in your name. When the lender comes calling, they are going to be calling the named lender, you! This can not only hurt you financially, but can also affect your future ability to lend, your reputation and your health.
You are particularly susceptible if you create relationships online, i.e. from dating or from social networking. The whole process is ripe for identity theft, it is all about getting to know someone so you can give out very personal information during the course of the chat. For example, they want to know how old you are, you tell them because it's one of those things that come up a lot. But let's take the conversation further:
"What star sign are you?" "Wow I'm Virgo too, when's your birthday?" It all seems innocuous enough, but if you tell them, they combine it with your age and they have your date of birth as easily as that.
Let's go back to the earlier example of them accessing your email. If you have one email address and you give it out, to exchange photos or something (or bear in mind how much information you show on Facebook) they can go to your email provider and pick the option that you have forgotten your password, they can they find out what your security question is and either find the answer by searching through Facebook or directly asking you. As an example, the security question might be your first pets name. They then might start asking questions about your past. "Where were you born?" "Do you have any brothers?" "Were you a happy child" "Did you have any pets?" and before you know it you're discussing fluffy your first rabbit and how it got stuck in your boots. They can then close the conversation, go to your email account and unblock your inbox.
So they have your date of birth and access to your email account, all they need to do is login, find the receipt for the table you bought a week ago and BAM they have your address. And all they have had to do is ask a few questions, ones that are asked every day, very innocuous.
Let's go back to the conversation. They have asked where you were born. In the UK the only information someone needs in order to get a real copy of your birth certificate is your name, town of birth and date of birth. With your birth certificate they have the basis of your whole life.
Where else can someone get your address? Are you on an online directory? Like for example is your phone number listed? The electoral role? Can they search your surname and area and find you?
If you are going to meet someone, do it in a public place, don't show them pictures of your house or your car, all these things can be traced.
Once someone has your address you are open to having your whole life destroyed.
They can apply for loans, credit cards in your name, they could also change your address at your bank although this makes it more likely they will be caught. But if someone has your address and date of birth, and takes out a loan in your name using your credit history by telling them you have recently moved address. Of course this means that the lender will come to you on the first default, also your future credit options will be limited.
Even without your address, if they have your date of birth and birth town it doesn't take much more to get your birth certificate which in some respects can be used to prove your identity. Let's say they want to open a basic bank account in your name, they can take out an electricity account in your name with no ID requirements, when you get your first bill, this can be used as proof of your address, with that, along with your birth certificate, they can open a basic bank account with no credit facility. But after a bit of time they can easily use your electricity bill, bank account statement and birth certificate to take out a contract phone in your name giving them a credit file and history. After a bit of time they can use this credit file to take an overdraft and/or loan in your name, even a mortgage. They can also use your bills to apply for a replacement driving license in your name.
It's surprisingly easy to do all the above simply by knowing your date of birth and address, or in the US your social security number.
So you have to protect yourself. Start off by saving your important emails to your computer and deleting them from your email account. Open a new email account and protect it with a top notch password. Further protect it with a security question that is unusual, one that might cause you to question it if it comes up in conversation. If all the questions are easy then substitute the real answer with one that you will remember that's incorrect, i.e. Mothers maiden name: table.
Be very careful what personal information you give out during normal conversation, it might be a good idea to train yourself to re-read anything you write before you click send.
Be aware also that even your nearest and dearest can steal your identity. I once investigated a case for a woman who's best friend had stolen her identity. In cases like this, I would suggest signing up with a credit reference agency who will be able to email you whenever a change to your file has been logged.
Finally, how do we rectify identity theft? Well if you are in the US, you can call the Federal trade commission on 1-877-IDTHEFT and the IRS on 1-800-908-4490. You should also report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. If in the UK, report it to the police first and foremost, then contact the lenders and give them the crime reference number. Keep a close eye on your credit report and deal with issues as they arise. Give your crime reference number to your bank and any lenders you have. Any company part of the finance act has guidelines on how to assist in these circumstances and they will be able to provide you with further information and support.
Phishing websites.
Phishing is the practise of someone getting you to reveal your bank account (or other account) details by way of a form that looks just like the real thing. Most of these scams are done through emails and you will receive it from a legitimate looking address, it might tell you that there is a problem with your account and you should click the link to get it unblocked. The email looks genuine, the link looks genuine and the page it takes you to looks genuine. The way to always stop these in their tracks is to hover over the genuine looking link and read the actual destination link that pops up in a small box, this is the actual destination rather than what is actually typed in the email. Is this destination address taking you through to the right place? If not, delete it. An example destination address might read paypall.com and you might miss the extra L if you wasn't specifically looking for it.
Most financial institutions have a fraud department dedicated to investigating these matters so you can always forward on the email to the company it is purported to have come from. As an example, there was a recent story that the HMRC (British version of the IRS) were sending out tax refunds to people, the stories were correct, but phishers were sending emails to people asking them to log onto a fake online form where they could collect the details. Once I read it and seen it wasn't genuine I forwarded this straight to the HMRC fraud department. Whether anything comes of it they don't say but I hope they catch the culprits.

About the author
Dave P Thompson is a security expert of high regard. Dave operates the highly successful ScamSeeker.org website offering free investigative services to anyone.
Also stars as a public speaker dealing with consumer security protection, offering advice on identity theft, phishing and fraud.
To learn more, please visit ScamSeeker.org

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Stay Organized and Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

Every year, thousands of people are made victims by identity theft. Modern telecommunications devices and computer processing can make it easier for us to stay in touch and process transactions, yet they can also make it easier for criminals to get hold of valuable information.
Be it paper or digital, preventing the wrong element from getting a hold of information they can use to steal from you and others, is important.
Imagine your children's information being used to establish credit cards and loans before they are even old enough to work. Imaging your identity stolen and your credit rating trashed for bad debt that someone else created for you. Worse yet, imagine being arrested for crimes you never committed.
In doing some research on the topic, these are just some of the scenarios I found that identity theft victims have had to live through.
Your safety is my concern, and so in order to prevent any one of these stories from ever being yours, today I offer some tips on identity theft prevention to help you protect yourself, your loved ones, and your business.
Common ways to protect yourself:
Paperwork
One easy first step to helping prevent someone from getting a hold of your private details is to invest in a paper shredder. Expect to spend $30.00 - $100.00 depending on what your volume of shredding may be. Shred personal information, credit card and debit card receipts, pre-approved credit applications etc. Cross cut shredders that can handle full sheets of paper make shredding easy and effective.
You can also bring your papers to service providers who make it their business to shred your docs on site. Some will even come to you, should you have a significant amount of documentation to destroy.
Around Town
When using your debit and credit cards, watch who is standing around you. Guard your pin number from prying eyes. Also, try not to carry extra credit cards you don't use. That goes for cards like you Social Insurance Number too. Better to leave that in a safe at home if you can.
For added security for your credit cards, cover up the 3 digit code on the back too. Memorize those numbers or write it down in a secret place somewhere separate from the card. That way you won't be sharing that code to everyone you hand your credit card too. I personally got stung on this one not long ago.
At the Mail Box
When ordering checks, have them delivered to your local bank instead of to your home. If getting new cards mailed to you, watch that they come on time. If you suspect it's late call the card company to see when it was mailed. If too much time has passed, have the card canceled. Same can go for your bills too.
On-Line
Secure your computer with anti-virus, anti-malware and anti-spyware programs. Have a firewall set up and when shopping on-line be sure that the site you are providing your private details to, is secure.
Set clever passwords for your on-line accounts. Combo's of letters and numbers is best. Don't use things like your mother maiden name or the city you were born in.
Personal Information
Unless you initiated the call yourself, do not give out personal information over the phone. Keep in mind too that there is technology available to monitor cell phone calls, so use a land-line if you can when you are going to give personal information over the phone. And another tip is to keep your phone number or social security number off of your personal checks.
Some key information that you should be diligent in protecting would be, your full name, date of birth, address, credit card numbers, Social Insurance Number (SIN) and any other personal identification numbers that could be used to open accounts, redirect mail, establish cell phone services, rent vehicles or even secure employment.
Stay Safe!

Michelle Panzlaff
Owner & Principal Organizer
Tidy Tiger Solutions helps individuals and businesses by working with them to create customized solutions designed around their needs. At home or in the office you can simplify your life and benefit from increased efficiency.
Vist Tidy's website to learn more about the benefits of getting organized.
Free gifts and printables and much more at http://www.tidytiger.biz/

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Understanding Identity Protection

Identity theft protection is one of the most critical things that you can do, specifically in this day and age when everybody is putting a great deal of private information on the internet and shopping on the internet frequently. If you're seeking a bit more information with regards to identity protection, you've definitely come to the right place, which is certainly true. We will talk about the importance of protecting your identity and a few of the things which you can keep in mind when you are thinking about this important matter here in this short article.
Your credit card information and facts and your social security number are the two things you should be worried about. This information is the most important information out there, and this is the sort of information that people are often stealing on the web. There are several pointers that can definitely help you as getting your identity stolen is certainly a significant issue that you do not want to have to manage.
It is crucial that you monitor your bank accounts and credit card accounts on a daily basis so that you can be sure that all of the charges are charges that you've really authorized. You should also get a credit report every so often so you can ensure there have not been accounts opened in your name or related to your social security number. If you do see unauthorized activity, you need to report it immediately and take the necessary action steps to make sure that it doesn't happen again.
Making sure that you prevent this before it really happens is the best thing to do. You can buy software such as Lifelock to accomplish this. If you do this, your data will be protected each time you get something on the web or enter your very own information anywhere on the net, and that's definitely a very important thing.
You wish to browse around and read some reviews to get the best protection when considering identity theft protection and the purchasing of software such as this. For instance, if you're thinking about Identity Guard, you can search for "Identity Guard reviews" in Google and see what results show up. Reading about the kinds of experiences other consumers have had with these programs is essential. You need to find identity theft protection that has a great deal of reviews that are positive since these programs will be the very best, you will find.
There are many things that you must remember when you are thinking about identity protection. Hopefully you have a better knowledge of this topic in general and you're more prepared to take precautions to protect your identity now that you have read this article. If you protect your identity in the correct way, you need to be able to prevent unwanted incidents and save yourself lots of time, money, and hassle in the long run.

If you're concerned about your identity, it might be a smart idea to get some more facts about Lifelock and also Identity Guard reviews.

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Are You High Risk for Identity Theft? Get Protection

Identity thieves originally went after high value targets that had the most money. Nowadays, they have gone out of that comfort zone and target lower income groups who make for easier pickings. Identity theft cases have skyrocketed in the 21st century fueled by technological advancements. It is becoming easier for identity thieves to get information about people which they eventually use to carry out fraudulent activities. Although identity thieves prefer richer people, their information is not as easy to come by compared to low income earners. The following people are more vulnerable to identity theft.
Frequent users of social networks. Research suggests that people who frequently use social networks are vulnerable to identity theft due to the possibility of sharing personally identifiable information. People who have used such networks online for over five years are twice as likely to fall victim to identity theft.
People who reside in apartments in major cities. Identity theft in this case is made possible by the ease by which mail can be intercepted by identity thieves. This group of people also move house frequently. This means that mail can easily land in the wrong hands at a previous residence.
It has become fairly obvious that online shoppers have the highest risk factor when it comes to becoming a victim of this kind of theft. This is because they usually give out loads of sensitive personal information and even credit card numbers.
A proactive approach can serve as a good means of preventing theft. The following are some steps that can be taken to deal with the risk of identity theft.
Always ensure that on changing addresses, you inform the people that send you regular mail such as banks. This will prevent your mail from landing in the wrong hands.
Always shred documents that have personally identifiable information before throwing them in the trash. Even better, burn items with highly sensitive data.
Always cancel all credit cards that you no longer use. People usually get shocked to see purchases made with unused credit cards.
Always have passwords that are hard to guess. Password-protected accounts usually have personal information within them.
Memorize all important numbers such as social security numbers so as not to leave them lying around on a written piece of paper. If not, save them in a secure password-protected location.
Check your bank statement every month to make sure that all transactions were performed by you.
Always make sure that any website you use to make online purchases is genuine. Such websites are usually validated and make use of secure connections.

Britney Fuller is a writer who enjoys writing on a number of different verticals. For more on identity theft, Online Security Authority offers readers information on tips for job seekers concerned with identity theft.

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Easy Tips to Protect Yourself From Rogue Identity Theft

Identity theft is a heightening concern for many of us.
Spotlighted regularly on the news and shows like Dateline, identity theft is a particularly frightful subject and could cause the victim all types of emotional pain and monetary trouble. For this reason it is very important to know how to protect identity theft from affecting you.
This kind of theft can happen by countless techniques such as someone using your Social Security, checks, cards, driver's license and much more.
Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to protect identity theft from hurting your life.
Documents are the most serious problem for most people. Stopping document theft all circles around how you handle and dispose of those documents.
From bank records to hospital bills, you get mail consistently that is always full of your private info. You would think in this computer dominated world, they could ultimately put a stop to all of these paper bills and documents and just send you everything electronically. However, that would not come about for quite some time.
Though you could contact your financial institutions yourself to do so, as that is one great thing to add to your list of how to protect from identity theft through the mail.
Another tip on how to protect from identity theft is to make sure you rip up or shred anything with your information on it.
Using a shredder might be easier for you as constantly ripping by hand may be a problem. Once shredded, make sure it is not visible in your trash bag.
Besides documents, there are several more tips on how to protect identity theft from entering your life that should generally be known, but can often be overlooked.
For example, you should be aware that checks definitely make it easy to take your money. When you're out you should never bring your social security card, birth certificate or checkbook. They not only have your private info, but they also have your checking account number and routing number right on them.
Some folks even put their Social Security ID right there on the check! Don't do that. This is definitely not how you protect from identity theft. In fact you'd be kind of inviting it, and the check with the social security on it is the invitation.
Using your common sense and information can go a long way in safeguarding yourself. Be conscious of these things, and keep your identity safe.

Rebecca Jones has dedicated her life to helping people improve their financial lives, as well as to show you how to protect identity theft from hurting you and your loved ones. To get exclusive info you won't find anywhere else, visit http://howprotectidentitytheft.com/

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Identity Theft - The Problem That Just Won't Go Away

Identity theft is serious, and it's something that every individual, business, nonprofit, and government agency must be concerned with, it's up to YOU to take responsibility to protect yourself and learn what's needed to secure your data, banking information, passwords, personal information, and transactional processes. Do not expect the "Cloud" or the government to protect you.
In many cases the government is one of the largest collectors of information and all too often this information is public record or easily attainable, in other cases the unthinkable, the government computers are hacked and the hackers collect personal information. Nearly, every large corporation has been infiltrated at one time or another and lost data, most large companies report attempted hacking attacks on nearly a daily basis. The US Military notes that someone tries to infiltrate its computers every minute.
Are you scared yet? You should be, and just because you think you are little peanuts and no one would want your information, think again. You are not safe and you must pay attention. I hope you will consider this article your starting point to learn more, and to protect yourself, and your computer systems. Also, don't be naïve to think that all those apps you are using on your smart phone or tablet are automatically safe or don't also require some due diligence as well.
Today, there are so many ways to steal information thieves rarely go through the trash anymore to collect bits and fragments to hijack your banking and financial records, today, the hackers seem to be able to get into nearly any computer system, even some of the most secure corporations and agencies on said planet - if they aren't safe, you surely aren't. And if you've been lucky so far, congratulations, but don't continue your bad habits or lax security thinking your luck won't run out, it may have already and you don't even know it yet.
Today, identity theft has surpassed all other crimes, even the illegal drug trade, so we are talking about 10s of billions of dollars, some of your dollars included if you don't wise up and protect yourself. This is your wake up call, the next move is your choice, you can do nothing until one day your identity is stolen, or you can act now and secure your data, and information so that you will not have it stolen. Please educate yourself and think on what I've said here today, your financial future may well depend on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Identity Theft. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net/