Most people do not pay too much attention to mail identity theft, but this is much more dangerous than it seems. For one, you are most likely to have private information somewhere in your inbox that the identity thieves can put to fraudulent use.

Another reason is that the thieves would get ahold of all your contacts and possibly financial or other sensitive information for your friends, relatives and colleagues that are listed among the correspondence in the email inbox.

Something as simple as a birthday card can be used to commit fraud. For example: Happy Birthday, Grace! Remember when we grew up on Spruce Street in New York and you fell off the bike uncle Mike bought you? I still laugh. Glad you’re moving closer to me. Can’t wait until you get to Maine!!! (We need to find me a husband)  Love Always, Jane Apple.

In this one birthday card, a thief has gotten the recipients’ full name (including their maiden name), a former street name and city where they lived, two family member names, their birthday and where they will be moving to in the near future. Many of the things needed to prove identity for credit purposes at any time.

Yet another way that mail identity theft can harm you and your dear ones is when the thieves appeal to some or all of your friends/ family, seemingly on your behalf, for funds. There have been many instances where friends sent money for their “stranded friend/ family member,” only to discover later that they had been duped by hackers.

It is important, therefore, never to keep private information in your emails, even if seems innocent enough. Ensure that you delete any such email that comes with login and passwords for any financial and/ or non-financial accounts. Remember, mail identity theft can jeopardize your financial security, cause havoc among your friends and family and leave you all vulnerable to further financial devastation.

Source:  Mail Identity Theft – More Dangerous Than It Looks

The solution is to ensure that you are protected against credit card theft to the best of your ability. A few no-cost suggestions are listed below:

-    Keep your credit cards carefully in a wallet or purse in front of your body instead of in your back pocket or on your shoulder.
-    Take advantage of credit card fraud protection assurance from your credit card provider. In such cases, all you have to do is reach the nearest phone and inform the credit company of the loss of the card. By doing this, you would be exempt from paying for any purchases made after the company was informed of the loss.
-    Have the number on hand (more than likely toll free) and/or any other means to contact the credit card provider. Remember if you lose the card- how will get the number off the back of the card?
-    Photocopy your credit cards for ready reference of the numbers and other details in the event of credit card theft. Also photocopy all identifications in the event that those are lost as well, in order to prove your identity.

Source:   Credit Card Theft – Be Protected

Filing bankruptcy in Oregon is a good option if any of the following statements apply to you:

-    Your bills are too long overdue and you do not have any concrete plans or ability to get any additional income to pay these bills
-    You are unable to pay your mortgage
-    You are unable to make even the minimum payments on your credit card balances
-    You have lost your primary source of income/ job and you do not see an ability to get a new source of income in the near future
-    You have suddenly incurred a huge medical expense

The following debts/ payments due/ financial obligations will not be covered/ exempted when filing bankruptcy in Oregon:

-    Student loans
-    Child support and alimony
-    Fines imposed by the Oregon government
-    Cash advance made within 90 days

Source:  Filing bankruptcy in Oregon – The Pros and Cons

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1.    Second Credit Report – It is not possible to have a second credit report; not legally.  If any credit repair agency claims that they can avail you of the use of a second credit report, it is definitely a credit repair scam.

2.    Credit Repair Takes Time – There is no ‘urgent’ delivery in this business. If anyone tells you that they can improve your score overnight, beware; you are falling into a credit repair scam trap. Often times what the fraudulent company does is dispute every blemish on the credit report which gives the illusion of a repaired report. However, once the investigation is completed by the credit reporting agency and by whomever the debt is owed, it will be clear that this was a fraudulent attempt at raising the consumers credit report or to eliminate a debt by committing fraud. Remember, any and all actions done on your behalf are ultimately your responsibility and you will  have to face the consequences for illegal actions taken on your behalf. Often times by the time you realize that you have been a victim of a credit repair scam- the agency is long gone with your money and leaves you with no ability to trace them down.

3.    Credit Repair Emails – Are you getting offers via email that seem too good to be true? They are exactly that; they are lies. Be very wary of such emails. Never give any financial information through such emails, or any email that was not initiated by you through a secure and verified website. Also, be very careful as to how and when you respond to emails requesting your sensitive financial information, a copy of your identification or a request for your previous address or your mother or fathers information. Sometimes the simplest piece of information in the wrong hands can cause a catastrophic financial blunder that can be difficult to recover from.

Source:  Credit Repair Scam – 3 Danger Signs

Credit cards are used for a large gamut of services – not only for buying goods and services online and offline. In many places, credit cards serve as proof of ID. Paypal, for example, requires you have a valid credit card before they approve your account. With the immense acceptance and popularity of this mode of payment came the potential for credit card fraud.

Be aware that banks have introduced a second and third layer of Payer Authentication System PIN that will protect the payer at a different level while paying for goods and services online. However, credit card fraud is still possible during offline transactions. How do you prevent that? Here are some tips to help keep consumers aware of the transactions on their accounts before a statement is mailed out:

1.    Check when signing the counter slip that the amount is correct. Also ensure that you are not inadvertently signing two copies of an original receipt which can then be used to purchase goods under your available credit.
2.    Subscribe to sms to your mobile phone for every transaction made. This allows you to keep track of your spending in real time.
3.    Have the credit card company provider verify when payment are requested over a reasonable limit, say $200. What this means is that the credit card company will call you before they will approve any transaction over the set limit, allowing you to catch potentially fraudulent activity.

Source:  Credit card fraud – Be Sharp About Your Security

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The cost of identity theft ring start-ups is next to nothing when you consider that each individual victim might lose a minimum of $5,000, when they fall into such traps. Since the potential for profit far outweighs the initial cost it is no wonder that identity theft crime statistics show this type of crime is on a steady uphill climb.

The only way to ensure that you stay safe from this type of fraud is through education. Do not dismiss any news or education material on how to prevent identity theft. Given the cost of identity theft business set up, you will need to stay on the top of the latest news and technology developments to protect yourself from this crime. Identity theft criminals work tirelessly to find ways around security measures put into place by financial institutions and government agencies; you must work twice as hard to keep your financial information private and secure.

Source:   Cost of identity theft – A Thriving Business?

This has become a “business” today since the technological advancement is making it easier everyday to use hacking systems and tap into people’s personal (financial) data. This is why it is very important that every person know what credit theft is and is able to set up measures that guard against such theft.

Most banks acknowledged this potential danger by issuing second and third tier passwords and PINs to prevent online credit theft. Ensure that you are aware of and subscribe to such measures to make your credit card use more secure.  At the same time, beware of keeping any sensitive information in your email inbox – since emails can be hacked quite easily in this technological age. This also applies to setting up passwords on the internet. Be careful when you create passwords. Passwords should not be easily figured out or you could be the next potential victim of credit theft. It is advised to NOT use birthdays, social security numbers, addresses or family names as passwords because someone with enough time and ingenuity can then breach your accounts with much more ease.

Source:  Credit Theft – What is this?

Go to a library and review law books regarding financial matters or visit the website of any of the credit bureaus in order to educate yourself on how a credit score is calculated. You need to be informed as to what goes into your credit report and how long those inputs affect the credit score calculations. Stop relying on misinformation. Stop hoping for miracles. Stop inviting trouble.

Once you are aware of the law, it is nearly impossible for you to fall victim to such gimmicks. However, if you still hope against hope that everything they advertise can happen, then you are asking to be cheated out of your hard earned money. Mistakes with finances and your credit score can prove not only to be devastating; but can also be criminal.

Be aware that credit repair fraud happens because you close your eyes to the truth. Repairing your credit legally might be slow – but from a common sense approach- this is the only you should go.

Source:  Credit-repair-fraud-–-are-you-asking-for-it

If you are in need of credit repair counseling- do not wait any longer. Most people fear credit repair scams and therefore choose to handle their credit repair issues themselves. Don’t let yourself be intimidated into further financial destruction! Rather Instead, educate yourself on how to differentiate between a scam and a genuine credit repair offer. Professional help will not only help you pay less on your outstanding debts by re-negotiating with your creditors, but can also offer you free debt counseling which can prove  invaluable in the future.

While it is true that there are many credit repair scams out there, you can still find it relatively easy to identify the genuine ones. Seek word of mouth recommendations and or by investigating credentials and past success stories. Be sure that you verify the references the agency or counselor and only after you are thoroughly convinced of their efficiency, should you go ahead and ask for their assistance.

Source:  Are You Afraid Of Credit Repair Scams?

1.   Extensive advertising – They go on and on about themselves; their proficiency; their successes; their reputation. Any company that is advertising too heavily can be suspected of being a scam. They may be attempting to flood the market for clients/ victims and when they make enough money or begin to attract the attention of law enforcement, shut down the operation and disappear with all the money. Pay attention.

2.   They promise too much – These agencies always promise to be able to deliver whatever you want. Instant or in the shortest possible time. Do not be fooled. A credit score cannot be raised overnight unless there is a major and illegal manipulation. Is that really the path to financial stability?

3.   The credit repair companies ask for too much too soon – A major red flag is asking for their fees upfront. A company that is confident in their results and seeking to be a positive influence on the financial health of their clients will have no problem deferring payment until the client sees results.

Source:  3 Ways to Tell Which Credit Repair Companies Are Genuine

There are still plenty of people who make tons of money through credit repair fraud. Sad but true. These con men hope to find people who are upset and desperate about their income and debt positions. Many victims are acutely depressed and consider themselves’ complete failures, which is exasperated when they realize they have been duped. Conmen have a knack for identifying people with these vulnerabilities and targeting them.

Pay attention to these three very obvious scams and identify credit repair fraud before it traps you into doing something you will regret later. Here are 3 warning signs for you:

1.   You are promised things that are “too good to be true” – This is a major warning sign. Do not believe that your credit score can change overnight.

2.   You are asked to pay all fees upfront. Not only is requiring fees to be paid upfront illegal but it can also cause further financial hardship.

3.   You are told you could use someone else’s Secret Security Number – This is obviously contrary to acceptable credit repair practices and can be punished severely by both federal and local authorities for credit repair fraud.

Source:  Always Watch Out For Credit Repair Fraud – 3 Warning Signs

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A credit score is the result of an analysis of your past financial transactions and habits. How can you fast-forward or rewind the required time in order to increase your credit score within legal parameters? Any claim that says increasing your score rapidly is possible is false and greatly over exaggerated. Investigate how this agency proposes to achieve these results. Remember that you will be responsible legally and financially if there is any unlawful activity involved in this process.

You can increase your credit score, but this takes time and effort. Many times, before a consumer can begin to increase their credit score they meet with a financial advisor in order to understand the financial blunders that led to the low credit score.

Source:  Beware Of “Increase Credit Score” Scams

If you ever receive an offer from a credit card provider with terms that seem  “too good to be true,” stop right there in your tracks and review each line of the credit card terms carefully, inspect the contents of each paper and look for red flags. Red flags include but are not limited to spelling and grammar errors, private emails listed as company emails, and inconsistent information. This could be one of the hundreds of credit card scams that cyber- criminals use to steal an unsuspecting consumers’  identity.

Criminals often use this ruse to tempt people into divulging vital, private financial information (required when you apply for a credit card), which they  in turn use to file for legitimate credit. Using this information it is possible for a criminal  to steal everything you have saved in your bank account and cause  financial devastation.

Another common use for private financial information used by thieves is to obtain loans. These loans become your responsibility unless you catch the thief or thwart their efforts before too much damage has been done.

There are many credit card scams that circulating; be careful that you do not fall prey to them by staying alert and careful.  Ensure that you do not divulge your private financial information to unsolicited sources.

Source:  Credit Card Scams – A Great Way To Steal Your Identity

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1.    Lottery winner – You receive an email out of the blue announcing that you have won a huge sum in some lottery or other contest. You can draw the amount provided you claim the prize. However, for the prize money you must  first give your name, email id, date of birth and telephone number. If you provide this information, next they will ask you for your bank account number and perhaps your id. The criminal claims this is in order to direct deposit the funds into your account. Do not believe this scam. After you provide this information there is nothing stopping the thieves from cleaning out your bank account.  When and if you receive this type of correspondence, ask yourself- did I enter this sweepstakes? Also, be extremely cautious when dealing with international companies and people. They are not held to the same laws and it can be very difficult to recover losses from these entities.

2.    Fake IRS/ Government Notice – You receive an email saying that you have been targeted by identity theft scams and to prevent further damage they need your personal information to block the perpetrators. You provide the info and find that your accounts have been wiped out. Remember that the IRS will never send you unsolicited emails and will not ask for your private information using this method.

Source:  Watch Out For Identity Theft Scams – 2 of the Most Dangerous Ones

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Just about 5-6 years ago, credit repair scams were quite common. People were head over heels in debt and charlatans came crawling out of the woodwork to trap these desperate people into terrible fraud schemes. The Credit repair industry was held responsible as a whole and people suddenly feared this service and shunned it.

Credit repair frauds happen even today. However, people are less gullible because awareness is better today and because most respectable and legal credit repair agencies now belong to some nationally reputed regulatory bodies (such as BBB or ECRA), which ensure that ethics are applied in every dealing.

Even so, you need to be aware that scammers are still out there lying in wait for opportunities to steal your money. Their bait is always an offer too good to be true at a time when you need it the most. If you are ever offered something that does not seem possible – watch out you could become a victim of a credit repair scam.

Source:  Watch Out For Credit Repair Scams

The best way to educate yourself is through the Internet. Identify and use the various forums available on the Net on this specific topic to learn from the experience of others. There is plenty to learn from the advice, complaints and information shared by the previous victims of identity scams.

You could also read about various online and offline scams from the many dedicated blogs on this matter. There are many people out there who have made it their lives’ goal to make this information available to the general public. They seek to warn people about the various scams in order to protect people at large.

Source:   Identity theft scams – Watch Out!

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One of the easiest ways to prevent such fraud – or at least keep it to a minimum – is to have the provider send you SMS alerts on your cell phone every time your card is charged.

This has two benefits :
(1) it keeps a close tab on your balance available, and
(2) it will alert you whenever your card is used.

In case you find that your card has been used without authorization, you can immediately alert your bank and the police regarding the credit card fraud in progress. It’s possible to track the transactions made on the card, and the culprit can be nabbed and brought to justice.

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You will also find professionals of high repute who will do their very best to restore your credit to “good health.” But that leaves one with the problem of how to go about finding which companies are reputable and how to stay safe from the traps the fraudulent credit repair business agents lay for you. Contrary to common belief, picking out a deceptive credit agency isn’t so complicated. The first warning sign is when the business you are looking into purports to repair your credit “quickly.”

Because your credit history was formed over the span of many years, it’s just not possible to improve your credit score overnight. If you hear a credit repair business tells you they can perform what you know is not possible, you need to back off, because they are definitely fraudulent!

In addition there are other warning signs you should look out for as well. The deceitful “professionals”, in most cases, will require full payment upfront.

A credit repair organization, under federal law, may not charge their entire fees up front. No matter how bad your credit report is, do not pay in advance of any services being rendered.

A less-than-reputable credit repair business is more than willing to use illegal methods. They will even advise that you use illegal means and talk you into thinking it’s OK to do so, since they have somebody on the “inside” in the credit bureaus who can cover up for them and you.

Make sure you don’t fall for these kinds of lies! Do not accept any tactics in order to improve your credit unless it’s 100 percent legal. No matter how bad your credit problems, they’ll be made so much worse if you’re caught trying to amend the situation illegally. You are primarily responsible when your credit report is repaired through illegal means; therefore, you can be prosecuted if caught breaking the law. Everything considered, it just isn’t worth risking it!

Another simple way to establish whether the credit repair business you’re considering is reputable, is to ask that they help you understand more about repairing credit. A reputable agency will be happy to give you guidance and advice (and possibly some “hand holding”) in your quest to learn more about how to repair credit. A trustworthy business will work as a facilitator, while a fraudulent company will be resentful and wary about sharing information in regard to repairing your credit.

First, you can ask your friends and relatives to help you. Ensure that you give them a plan of repayment and you adhere to it. It is very easy to spoil relationships over a personal loan, so be very careful. Second, you have the choice to apply to bankruptcy specialized financial institutions who will be happy to lend you the money provided you offer collateral, a co-signee or are willing to pay a high interest rate.

You will have to choose the solution that suits you best. In case you ask a friend to co-sign the loans for you, remember that any payment deviations on your part will reflect on his/her credit report as well!

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They feel that they do “work” since hacking is indeed hard work – and justify their stealing saying that they generally “take money” only from super rich people who will not miss it. They usually latch themselves to a good account and then siphon very gradually a constant source of income. Unless you realize you are swindled and take appropriate steps to stop id theft, you can end up as a host for these parasites for years on end.

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1. You are finding small but recurring charges to your account that you cannot explain. Most people attribute these mystery charges to various bank fees. However, this is a sure sign that your account has been compromised and someone is drawing funds from your account on a regular basis.

2. Urgent sounding email messages or phone calls that inform you that your bank account or credit card account has been compromised and in order to stop the fraud they needed your name, date of birth and/or password. Never provide your user id, personal information and/or password; ask for details of the bank or credit card provider and inform them you will provide the information in person.

1. They all offer you pat solutions to your problems. All scams work on the desperation of their clients. They hook them by promising the impossible; and in their extreme anxiety the hapless clients are too relieved to see anything amiss.

2. They all ask for payment upfront – 9 out 10 credit repair scams are characterized by the charging of upfront fee. The fraudulent companies are too worried that they will be discovered, and therefore need their fees in advance.

3. They do not respect the law. All credit repair scams have no respect for the law. They do not think twice when offering solution that bend or even break the law.

The majority of credit repair scams focus on what measures will be taken to increase your credit score in an unreasonably short time span. This is because people demand this type of service.

In some cases people will be unaware of how the credit score is calculated; hence, they look and accept offers for quick-fix methods. Do they find the right solutions?

No, they do not! What they find are fraudulent credit repair companies that drain their already dwindling financial resources in return for a mirage.

Beware of fraud in credit repair. Educate yourself before asking for the impossible. Know what is realistic and what is not. The moment you start looking for answers that are not legally feasible, you are setting up an environment for scam companies to cheat you.

If you want to increase your credit score do it the right way. Do your “homework” before hiring a credit repair company – and above all, avoid unrealistic expectations. A company that refuses to promise overnight results my not seem a appealing as one that does. But you can bet they are more trustworthy!

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1. Beware of organizations that ask for all their fees upfront. Most reputable organizations will charge after the work is done. You will only have to sign a contract to this effect; your obligation to pay will come into effect only after you are satisfied with the job.

2. Beware of incredible promises. If the offer looks too good to be true – it most likely is. Do not be sucked into believing that miracles can happen when it comes to credit repair. This is a sure path to falling prey to credit repair fraud.

3. Beware of quick fix measures. If the credit repair agency offers you quick-fix methods, run away.  It’s not possible to wipe off or increase your credit score overnight. Anyone saying so will likely be using illegal means, which you would do well to avoid.

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Even though they know that credit repair takes time and effort, in most cases they will talk themselves into believing that the promises made by fraudulent companies can come true. They part with your hard-earned money knowing fully well that such services are not legally possible.

Why do they allow themselves to be scammed?

If you’re in need of the services of a credit repair agency, say “No” to false promises. Face your debt problems squarely. In most cases there are many ways that will lead you out of your financial impasse the legal way. Work together with reputable credit repair agencies so you can not only resolve your credit report problems, but also ensure that such situations do not repeat themselves in the future.

It’s up to you to steer clear of credit repair scams. Be sure you make the right decision.

When and if you find credit repair agencies promising you otherwise, please keep in mind that they are probably employing illegal means.  Don’t ever be tempted to hire the services of such credit repair agencies because you will fall into more trouble than help.

The way you can fix a credit score legally is by improving your financial transactions, and the minimum time for this to register with the bureaus is about 6 months. You can also improve your credit score by removing wrongly entered negative information. 

It will be possible to raise your credit score a few notches if there are major mistakes on your credit report. And given the fact the anywhere from 1/3 to 90% of credit reports DO contain errors!  But keep in mind that it’s not possible to “wipe” away correctly entered negative remarks.

No doubt you’ve heard a great many stories of people who have gone to credit repair agencies hoping they can improve their credit, only to be ripped off by credit repair scams!

To protect yourself from these crooks, you need to be aware of how they operate.

First of all, they are keenly aware of the desperate situation of those who have bad credit. And they know that such people are so very desperate, they are eager to believe just about anything a company tells them, if they think it will help them out of their despair.

They are often so disheartened by the system, which seems downright cruel and uncaring toward  their plight, that they’ll do anything to improve their situation. Most people who seek out help are on the verge of declaring bankruptcy. It’s these individuals who are the most likely to fall prey to credit repair scams.

Why? Because they feel a great sense of urgency. They just don’t want to believe or accept the reality that fixing their credit score can take up to 12 months. Very often, they feel they are running out of time, and that unless they take drastic steps immediately, it will be too late.

Ironically, when they sign up with such unscrupulous agencies, rather than improving their financial situation, they find themselves even worse off than ever! 

If you expect to steer clear of credit repair scams, make sure you heed these warning signs:

1. They promise the impossible

These lowlifes promise they can get EVERY negative account removed from your credit report. They’ll also guarantee that your score will increase within 2 or 3 months.

Then they dispute every adverse trade line in your report. And in fact, the credit bureaus may at first remove some (or most) of the disputed items, if they can’t verify them within the 30 day time span required by law. But some time later, those items may indeed get verified.

Then guess what happens? That’s right – they go right back on the credit report!

Credit repair companies can ofter make major improvement to you credit score – but there can never be any guarantees. The company who tells you – truthfully – that they cannot make ANY promises as far as results, may not be as appealing as those who make wild promises. But it would behoove you to trust them over those who do!

2. They urge you to take measures that are illegal

They will employ an illegal tactic – having you get a new Social Security Number that has no bad credit record associated with it – in effect, giving you a “brand new identity” who has clean credit.

If this happens, run the other way! This is most definitely illegal, and can get you in BIG trouble! You’ll wish you could go back in time to when your “only” problem was having to with your bad credit!

3. They ask for full payment up front

It’s not uncommon for a credit repair agency to charge an initial fee for a credit report analysis, credit advice, or a consultation. After all, they are providing a service and are entitled to fair compensation.

But beware of those who insist on their entire fee up front! Most all of the  credit repair scammers will do this. And for good reason – they realize that once they are “found out” you’re not about to pay them!

In conclusion, credit repair scams ARE avoidable. You need not fall prey to them if you keep a cool head, do your research, and watch out for the “warning signs.” And most of all, don’t allow your desperation cloud your judgment!

For the FREE Report “The Danger Signs to look for in a Credit Repair company” sign up for the ECRA Newsletter (Right Hand side of this Page)

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The most popular among such scams are those that promise to increase your credit score overnight. The sad thing is that they often deliver on this promise, but with illegal means; it will take you about 3-6 months to realize that this was done illegally and thereby compounded your troubles.

Be very careful whom you use when you need to increase your credit score. Always follow the legal way. That is the best and safest for you, even when it takes a little longer.

For the FREE Report “The Danger Signs to look for in a Credit Repair company” sign up for the ECRA Newsletter (Right Hand side of this Page)

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