| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
How You Can Help Prevent Identity Theft
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 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. Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in credit and debt collection. She is the founder of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter. Michelle started M.A.D. Collection Agency and ran is successfully for 7 years. 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 and is currently writing a book for the Streetwise Series, part of the Adams Media Corporation. For more information on Michelle's services or to order any of her books please email her at michelle@michelledunn.com or visit http://www.michelledunn.com & http://www.credit-and-collections.com
MORE RESOURCES: |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Student Credit Cards STUDENT CREDIT CARDS With graduate debt averaging over £12,000, the ability to spread the cost of further education using a student credit card is obviously attractive. Adding to their appeal is the fact that these cards are relatively easy to obtain. SuperCharged Secret 5, Credit Card Utopia LIVING IN CREDIT CARD UTOPIALet's just take a brief moment to recap:If you've been following along on this journey with me, learning the 5 Super-Charged secrets to Credit Card Utopia, then you now know 4 very important things:You now know how to take advantage of zero to low interest credit card offers.You now know that there is safety in numbers, and you know the magic "Who's Who" of the major credit card companies. Warning: Todays Non Profit Credit Counselors Are Yesterdays Bill Collectors! Here's a dirty secret, today's "non profit credit counselors" are often just front organizations paid lucrative commissions by creditors to keep consumers from declaring bankruptcy!In the "debt collection biz", creditors will sell your outstanding debt along with the debt of hundreds of others to a collection agency for cash up front.The collection agencies will work this debt until they've made all the money they can. Credit Counseling -- Why It Doesnt Work For Most Debtors "Cut Your Payments in Half!" the headline screams. "Consolidate Your Bills into One Low Monthly Payment!"When you see ads like this, they are often from Credit Counseling firms. Identity Theft - Who Would Want Mine? With all my bills who would possibly want my credit? Let them steal my identity and pay my bills! Unfortunately, that's not the way it works. Many of us mistakenly believe that identity thieves hit only the wealthy. The Hazards Of Your First Credit Card You probably don't need me to tell you credit cards are easy to get a hold of; at least, that is so in the US and UK. How many weeks pass without a glossy brochure promoting a credit card popping through your letter box? And that's just your mail; the tv advertising budgets for credit card promotion are enormous, with some famous faces often adorning your screen, smiling beautifully as they tempt you. Fun with Credit Cards For those of us who know how to use them properly, credit cards can actually be quite fun and lucrative. To those who do not know how to use them properly, I would say that you should stop reading this column right about now, or at least I would advise you not to try any of this stuff at home. Credit Card Tips Here are some useful credit card tips for you to consider before applying for a credit card. Before applying for a credit card, you should decide why you want one, and make sure you can use it wisely. What You Need to Know about Debt Negotiation on Credit Cards Debt negotiation on credit cards is often referred to as credit card debt settlement. Whenever you make a credit card payment- or even pay your utility bills- it usually gets reported to one- or all- of the three main credit agencies. 0% Credit Cards These days, credit cards in the UK are competing with each other on two very attractive offers with a headline rate of 0%. These 0% credit cards will be either balance transfers; introductory purchases offers or a combination of the two. Get Your Credit Score To Soar In The Twinkling of An Eye Ever wonder how a creditor decides whether to grant you credit? For years, creditors have been using credit scoring systems to determine if you'd be a good risk for credit cards and auto loans. More recently, credit scoring has been used to help creditors evaluate your ability to repay home mortgage loans. The Next Person With Credit Problems Got Their First Credit Card Today! One of the focus areas of my information is the absolute necessity of changing the way a person thinks about money and debt while in the process of repairing their credit. I have seen cases where a couple will work really hard for months, and finally get their credit report to the place they can borrow again and go out and buy something on credit just because they can. Looking for that Low interest Credit Card? If you have been shopping around for a Low Interest Credit Card you will notice that the UK market is awash with Credit Card companies offering low rates to entice you to apply for their Cards.There has never been a better time to consolidate your credit cards and get a far better interest rate. 10 Ways To Boost Your Credit Score 1. Deleting Errors in 48 HoursThis is the absolute fastest way to correct errors on your credit report and raise your credit score. How A Prepaid Debit Card Can Help You Rebuild Your Credit Consumers today are up to their eyeballs in debt. And many people don't realize it until their good credit has been devastated. Like It Or Not, You Have A Score To Settle! Like It Or Not, You Have A Score To Settle! (Part 1 of 2 on Credit Scoring)Just when most people finish with school and can stop worrying about test scores, there's a new kind of scoring that enters the picture. It's called credit scoring. Low Interest Credit Cards Have Many Advantages When credit cards are used wisely they can be very beneficial to the consumer. A low interest credit card can be exceptionally beneficial. Save Money and Lower your Payments by Improving or Repairing Your Credit Having a better credit score not only represents easier access to money from lending institutions, but more importantly represents instant money in your pocket.This probably sounds like something obvious for most of people, but it isn't until you start thinking in terms of real examples and real dollars that most of us start to understand the magnitude of the benefits associated with a good credit score. Cutting Credit Card Costs What are the APRs charged by the credit cards in your wallet? If you are paying more than 12% interest on any of them, you are probably paying too much. The prime rate is currently in the single digits, so credit card companies that charge above 13% APR are overcharging. To Repair Credit Is No longer Satisfactory - Learn How To Earn A Millionaires Credit In 30 Days... To repair your bad credit does not necessarily mean that you now have a good credit, absolutely not. When most people have bad credit, they either purchase a credit repair book or seek a credit expert help.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |