Sometimes the best measures to prevent identity theft fail; in such cases, the next best thing is early, or rather, the earliest identity theft detection. How do you do that? How would you know when your identity has been stolen and misused? Fortunately, there are ways to do this:

-    Set up fraud alerts with the three major credit bureaus. This means that credit providers would be extra careful when opening a new line of credit in your name. Often, this is simply phone verification with the applicant before the credit is approved. However, if the thieves have enough of your information- this action may fail. Though not foolproof, it is often enough to dissuade the thief.

-    Credit caps – This is an excellent way to insure that you will never have to worry about paying for genuine or fraudulent purchases above a pre-determined amount. This action causes the credit company to freeze or suspend any further purchases once that amount has been reached.

-    Alerts for each credit and/or payment made through credit/ debit cards – Alerts are an excellent way to tell you in real time what is happening to your financial life. This is one of the easiest and most popular ways of identity theft detection. It helps you quickly identify activity which you did not initiate and allows you to take proactive measures immediately.

Source:   3 Methods for Easy Identity Theft Detection

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

Some of the best ways to protect against identity theft are by using common sense. Of course, you will also need to educate yourself on how identity theft happens and how often it happens, so you will understand what will give you the best protection.

-    Change your passwords often and never keep them written down in your wallet, handbag or stored on or near your computer.
-    When accessing your bank from internet cafes remember to clear all passwords, logins and if possible the cache in the history folder. If you cannot personally clear the history- ask an employee to do so in front of you.
-    Always watch for the little lock on websites. That lock is designed to show when you are using a secure network.
-    All bank and financial transactions should always be made only on websites that start with “https://”; the “s” is for secure. If the website address reads only “http://”, it is not secure and not safe for financial transactions. Also, ensure that the site does encryption of vital data.
-    Be very alert about messages that ask for personal information through email; be even more cautious if it uses an “emergency” as the reason for needing the information immediately.
-    Closely monitor your credit card statements for excess payments or payments or transactions that you do not remember making.
-    Shred financial documents you do not need to prevent identity theft. A decent shredder can be bought for around $20. Diamond cut shredders are best.

Source:  Identity Theft – Protect Yourself Today

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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

There is plenty that can be accomplished by merely sharing your identity theft story:

•You build awareness about the “modus operandi” (method of operation)
•Prevent the same identity theft story from happening again to others with the same vulnerabilities
•Bring your case to the attention of the authorities so they can work on finding ways to track such theft or build measures for safeguarding against future crimes
•Help in identifying the thieves and bringing such said person to  justice
•You will teach that there is no shame in being a victim and that the power can be taken back from the criminals

Besides, when you come out and share your experience with others it can help you heal. Most victims explain that they felt violated, frustrated, filled with rage, depressed among others – and sharing the identity theft story facilitates and accelerates healing.

Source:  Share Your Identity Theft Story – Save Others from a Similar Fate

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Many people justify their action by saying to themselves “what could someone do with my identity?” The thief could use the stolen information to make expensive purchases using your credit card, open a new credit card account in your name, take a major loan in your name – and even get arrested using your name. When such things happen, the “best case scenario” is that you have to pay some thousands of dollars for credit that you have never used. The worse can be anything from complete financial ruin to jail for fraud or even for a crime that you never committed.

Unfortunately, until it is proven that you are a victim of identity theft; you will be fully liable for all that the perpetrator does in your name or under your line of available credit. This is where identity theft lawyers could be priceless for you, as they would find the best ways to protect your interests when such calamity happens.

Source:  Why Identity Theft Lawyers Are Important?

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-    Look up and enroll with ProtectMyId (http://www.protectmyid.com/) which will monitor your identity on a daily basis and send you an alert if there is any suspicious activity with the sensitive information stored in your files

-    Request and check, in depth, a yearly list of your medical records. Check meticulously whether all the entries are accurate. Inquire expeditiously into any inaccuracies.

-    Keep your bank health card safer than you would keep a credit card. Medical expenses do have the potential to blow a tremendous hole in your pocket from which you may never recover

-    When medical reports/ bills come, read them. Do not simply look at the ‘amount due’ line, but check each line above it so that you are confident that all the services being billed were actually rendered to you.

Source:  Medical Identity Theft Can Be Very Traumatic – Protect Yourself

Credit fraud alert is an extra precaution added by the credit bureaus for your protection. This means that whenever there is an application made for a loan, new credit card, or any other type of credit account using your social security number-   you will be contacted by phone for a one-on-one verification that the credit application is indeed being opened by you and/ or is being completed with your knowledge.

Setting the credit fraud alert is very easy. Call each of the credit bureaus fraud departments’ at the following numbers and instruct them to have your file flagged for credit fraud.

-              Equifax Consumer Fraud Division  (https://www.alerts.equifax.com)
Phone: 800-525-6285 or: 404-885-8000
Fax: 770-375-2821

-              Experian’s National Consumer Assistance (http://www.experian.com/fraud)
Phone: 888-397-3742

-              Fraud Victim Assistance Department (no online fraud alert application available)
Phone: 800-680-7289
Fax: 714-447-6034

Your credit file will be flagged within 24 hours and you will receive a confirmation by mail within 1-2 weeks. If more than 3 weeks have passed without any such written confirmation, call again to inquire about the request you initiated for credit fraud alert.

Source:  Protect Yourself From Credit Fraud

Data theft is an easy crime to commit because most people do not stop to make a critical analysis regarding the inqueries that come from such websites because they look so real. As an educated consumer it is necessary to keep in mind that there is personal information that you should not provide over the phone or by email under any circumstances- especially if you did not initiate the contact. Here are some of the “not-for-disclosure” items:

-    SSN number
-    Customer ID and/ or password for any bank accounts, financial transactions or websites
-    Date of birth
-    Place of birth
-    Yours or your mothers’ maiden names
-    Your work place address
-    Your residential address
-    Your phone number
-    Your cell phone number
-    Your bank account number
-    The answer to secret security questions

Beware when any entity asks you for any of the above or similar types of information. Alert the bank/ email provider/ business entity etc., through a contact which you have initiated explaining that you have received such requests and verify immediately its accuracy to prevent data theft.

Source:   Is data theft easy?

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?

There is more- this identity theft insurance provider/ company/ agency will also assist you to hire, pay and consult with experts required to deal with creditors to clear and restore your good name. Identity theft can be a heavy blow to your credit report and score if not handled well and expeditiously so the damage is contained at the lowest possible casualty levels.

Check with your insurance provider today and take out this type of insurance against identity theft. With hackers getting more and more ingenious at stealing sensitive information, it is very important that you have your security net in place. Such identity theft insurance is a must if you wish to be spared of the trouble and dangers of identity theft. Your credit identity is one of the most vital aspects of your life. Your finances and sensitive information should be cared for with the same tenacity that you care for your loved ones.

Source:   Insurance Identity Theft Can Protect You

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?

1.    Never leave the ATM stubs in the ATM booth. If you do not need it, tear it into tiny pieces or run it through a shredder. Do not throw it away merely crumpling it into a ball. This can be picked up and used for identity theft by experienced criminals. If you do not plan on taking the receipt with you, there are machines that give you the option to not have the receipt printed. Check your balance and the screen and skip the printed receipt.

2.    Never give your password or any other information pertaining to your bank accounts over email or phone, especially if you have not initiated the contact. In case you are contacted by anyone (either through email or phone) ask them their name and address and offer to come in person and give the required details. If they claim the matter is urgent and they are from your financial institution, take their information and inform them that you will call or go in person to your local branch. If you are discouraged from doing so or the person insists- a red flag should go up in your mind. Immediately end the conversation and report it to your financial institution. If you feel that you may be falling victim to identity thieves- file a police report.

3.    Never throw any bills in the garbage without shredding them first. Buy a shredder that cuts paper into small diamond shapes as opposed to merely shredding them in strips.  Identity theft criminals go through the waste and can pick up valuable information from bills. They can go through great lengths to obtain your vital information. Make the process difficult. It is also a good practice to split the garbage from your shredder into two or three bags and dispose of them over several days.

4.    Request that all bills and alerts be sent by email. This way you will avoid the risk of having someone going through your mail and picking up sensitive financial information. Be aware of when bills are expected to arrive. If you find that your bills are not arriving or arrive damaged, that can be a sign that someone else is viewing your information.

Source:   4 Ways To Prevent Identity Theft

This is when you will need an identity theft lawyer. This is a professional who will be able to guide you through the required legalities to minimize your liability and salvage as much as possible of your reputation with the credit bureaus.  The best option is to retain an identity theft lawyer as soon as you realize you have fallen victim to such a crime. Doing nothing enables the criminal to further victimize you.

Source: When Do You Need To Get An Identity Theft Lawyer?

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With these simple steps you can catch identity theft crimes early:

-    Check your credit card bills carefully each month
-    Check your bank account transaction statements at least once every month and ensure that all the entries you find are transactions which you have authorized
-    Obtain your credit report every four months (you can request a free credit report from one of the three major credit bureaus  by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com ) and check for discrepancies

Each one these actions will serve as a safety net to protect against extended criminal activity to your financial life. Being vigilant and aware of the practical dangers can prove to be the best defense against identity theft crimes.

Source:   Identity theft alert – Being aware of the signs

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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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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Unfortunately, until the fraud is proven, you are directly and wholly responsible for the damage the thief has caused; and proving identity theft  is often next to impossible since the thief used your authentic information, which he/she stole.

Stay safe with the following 2 very simple methods:

1.    Never give or key in your password or any financial information unless you see the site url starts with “https://”; emphasis on the “s” which means “secure.” Also watch out for a small yellow lock on the url bar which  means the page is verified and encrypted for your safety.

2.    Never keep your passwords or details of any personal or financial data in your email account. If your email is compromised, the thief will have access to all the vital information and nothing can stop you from becoming an identity theft victim.

Source:  Do Not Be An Identity Theft Victim – Be Careful

Here are Two identities theft methods cyber criminals use most:

They send you an email that connects to a ghost website that looks identical (but is false) to that of your bank and asks you to verify your account under the ruse that there are “some major discrepancies”. Shocked and eager to handle the mater quickly you log in using that website – and the criminals copy your bank information. Once the information is in the wrong hands, there are a number of things the criminals can do to cause devastation to your financial life.

You receive an email saying that you need to key in your password in order to update your account details or your email will be blocked. You type in your email password and the next day you are locked out of it. The criminals have taken hold of your email and all the information therein. Keep in mind all of the information that is sent to your email and keep your password as secure as you do your social security number.

Source:  Identity Theft – Two Most Effective Ways Criminals Use

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Education on how identify theft takes places may be the best tool available for you to prevent this mishap. Learn how the fraud is carried out, learn when they try to scam people and then learn how to prevent it.

Be aware that every time you make a financial transaction on the Net, you have to ensure you are doing so through a secure and encrypted server. This will be indicated by htpps:// (note the ‘s’ for secure) in the url and a small gold lock on the url bar. Educate yourself and stay safe.

Source:  Are You Inviting Identity Theft?

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

1. Never give your password, personal details or SSN over the telephone or by email. One of the easiest ways to defraud people is by calling them at home saying that their bank needs their password immediately or they will block or suspend the account. Panicking at the thought, you lower you guard for a moment and blurt out the password, inviting identify theft. NEVER give such information over the phone or by email especially if the contact was unsolicited. Ask for the person’s name, bank address and offer to go in person to deliver the information.

2. Lottery/ Winnings emails. You begin receiving many emails that announce you as the winner of a lottery. Anticipating the winnings, you happily give all the financial and personal information they ask for without verifying or even considering whether the email is real or fraudulent. It is important to ask your self “Did I even enter this? “ Ask questions BEFORE divulging personal information.

Beware of such methods that lead to identify theft. Stay alert; stay safe.

Source:  2 Common Scenarios that can lead to Identify Theft?

Putting in an identity theft complaint many times will prevent other similar crimes. However, most people are so dejected by the hopelessness of their own situation post the crime, that they rarely take any serious action against the perpetrator.

Do not be one among the people who take it lying down. Fight back. It is true that it is very difficult to prove identity theft.  Many find that because of the disappointment, it is easy to lose interest in pursuing the matter. However, it is important that you file an identity theft complaint as soon as you can. Even if you may not benefit from the action, the alert may prevent other thefts in the near future.

You can send your complaint online to https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/idtheft.aspx. Your action will help prevent further thefts.  Moreover, there is a chance that the thief is caught and thereby your loss recovered.

Source:  Identity Theft Complaint – What Should You Do When You Are A Victim?

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Data loss, data theft, or sabotage of your computer or your business is very easy nowadays. All the cyber-criminal has to do is apply any of the hundreds of phishing theft methods and your data is gone and/or accessible to them.

Phishing is relatively easier than any other method because it has you cooperating with the thief – unwittingly, of course. Unless you are alert, you may not be able to recognize the phishing email. It usually comes to you as if sent from your bank, email provider, or any other such source that you would trust.

In the email there would most often be a warning that your account has been compromised. They continue by requiring you to provide details to verify you as the actual owner.  They will claim that without this information immediately they will have to delete or suspend the account. In desperation, you give these details and thereby help with the phishing theft. Before you know it the account has been taken over by the hacker. Be aware. Stay safe!

Source:  Phishing Theft – the easiest way to steal your data

While most of the hackers work with specific techniques manually, they also have a number of identity theft software that can help them gain access to other servers and private information.

Personally, it is important that you know about such possibilities and stay on guard while you are online. Beware of any extraordinary offer that requires you to allow downloading of an .exe program. Be aware of spy viruses; be aware of any intrusion or attack on your computer with the help of the latest and most effective licensed anti-virus/ anti indemnity theft software.

Forewarned is forearmed – be informed.

Source:  Identity theft software

Your vulnerability increases if you do not know what can endanger you online. The more informed you are, the better you will be equipped to fight the dangers from cyber space. Have your identity theft facts known and understood so you will be prepared to not only fight such threats but also be better equipped to prevent it.

My daughter, the other day, found that someone hacked her Facebook id and opened another mirror account in her name. She was horrified to see that this hacker was chatting online with her friends in her name, using her photographs and information. She (my daughter) did not know what to do in this case, how to warn others or how close the mirror account. What would you do in this case?

Source:  Identity Theft Facts

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There are many types of identity theft out there. It is vital to be informed of all the different types of identity theft. One of the most important types of identity crimes is .

When this happens, the thief uses your identity to obtain medical benefits that you would have otherwise been entitled to. This means that when you actually need them, these benefits may not be available to you anymore.

Be careful as to how you pay your medical insurance, and how you store insurance information. Many people send themselves an email with the major details of their bank, medical and other important information so that it is easily accessible if the hard copies are lost.

However, this is not safe. It is very easy to have your email hacked or compromised.  When this happens, the hacker gains access to all your personal information – and as you can imagine, this would be a disaster.

Source:   Medical Identity Theft – What is this?

If you do not have the answers to these questions, it is time you learn. Those who are not aware of identity theft parameters and dangers are most likely to fall prey to cyber-crime.

Take time and research possible tactics that can become a threat online. Be extra careful about the use of the Internet by your children.

Children are likely to use credit cards for shopping or obtaining access to sites that require age verification. Take precautions that credit cards are out of reach of children. It is also important to make children aware of the dangers of internet use and the importance of protecting their identities.

Source:  What do you know about identity theft?

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Never give your financial data online to anyone. Be aware that banks will never ask for your PIN and/ or passwords. If you find any email that has asked you for this information, report it to the bank immediately.

Install verified security software on your computer. In this day of technology simply having an anti-virus software will not do. Ensure that this program also has anti-phishing, anti-malware and antispyware so your computer is fully protected. It is very important to keep this software up to date and to run periodic scans.

Do not give your password to your friends or colleagues. You never know where they keep the password or how they use it. This can potentially leave you exposed to Internet identity theft.

Source: Internet Identity theft

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If you access the Net from your laptop or PC you are in danger of having your data compromised. This might not be a big danger if you have nothing to do with finances or sensitive data. However, if you have any important data on your computer, then you need to take measures to ensure that no one gains access to it. A few simple steps will go a long way to ensure that you stay safe.

Whenever you access your bank account to make transactions, ensure that you not only log out, but also close the window from where you accessed the website.

Never access your bank account from any email message you have received – no matter what the message is. The email could potentially be from hackers who would absorb your passwords when you attempt to access your account through the link in the email. Close the email and open a separate window to access the bank account directly from the financial institutions secured website.

Source: Data Theft – How Is It Done?

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What should you do? Be careful as to what information you divulge about yourself on the Net. Always ensure that website URL is on a secure server. If you were on a secure server the   URL would begin with https://. If you are not on a secure server, DO NOT DIVULGE SENSITIVE PERSONAL INFORMATION.

When typing credit card details, double check that you are on a server that encrypts the number. This will be indicated by a small lock either at the top or at the bottom of the page and the page will have an announcement with something similar to this “Verified by VeriSign and Secured using SSL.”

Source:  Identity theft

How can you avoid falling victim to such identity theft software? Always use a reputed anti-virus/ anti-spyware program. Since some of these programs gain entry to your computer as a virus. Always be careful when something pops up on your screen and asks you a question. Most of us do not bother to read, and just press ‘Yes’ to continue to the next screen. Many times this oversight is an invitation for a spyware program to download itself onto your computer and begin wreaking havoc on your financial life.

This is one of the easiest ways the identity theft software gains entry.
Be careful. Stay safe.

Source:  Identity Theft Software – Be Careful

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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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You need to stay aware about recent developments by following identity theft news on the Net and other media. Information translates into protection. In order to place adequate measures in place for your safety it is imperative to understand the determination and ingenuity of criminals seeking to prosper with your hard-earned money.

The habit of following identity theft news will also keep you abreast of the scams that have already been uncovered. Often, such information is very helpful to check whether you have been victimized in the past.

Source:  Follow Identity Theft News and Stay Safe

Have you heard about identity theft crime yet? Are you prepared for it? Yes, I know most people will groan inwardly saying, “Oh heck, I’m not living under a rock, buddy!” At the same time, you may be surprised that 7 out of 10 people today have their computers hacked, have their identity stolen, or are victims of some or other identity theft crime.

How does this happen, when you say you are aware of it? Aren’t you taking measures against it?

This happens because you let your guard down, safe in the knowledge that you know about the dangers. What happens actually is that in your belief that you are smart enough not to be trapped or victimized by identity theft crime, you allow yourself to be casual about it.

The moment you are casual about the identity theft crime  – that is the exact time when you are most vulnerable against it. Beware – and stay safe.

Criminals count on this lethargy people feel for identity theft checks. Most people do not “blow a hole in the wall” when they get access to your financial account. They rather milk your account slowly yet steadily, for a long-term residual income.

When at last you wake up to the problem, it will most likely not be due to an identity theft check, but will usually be due to some alert from a bank.

You want to reduce the risk of victimization in this matter, ensure that you carry out a regular and thorough identity theft check.

If you are looking at it carefully, all identity thefts are criminal activities; however, in this case, by criminal identity theft it’s meant more than just breaking the law. It means that this is done with criminal intent – such as planning embezzlement of money, stealing jobs or benefits, acquiring false insurance payments, and so on.

When you talk about criminal identity theft this is a serious matter than cannot be mistaken to be anything but a crime. Every person out there is vulnerable to such activity – especially if you are active on the Internet.

The best defense against criminal identity theft is presence of mind and alertness. Be always alert about any changes in your account, billing, Internet passwords, etc. Stay alert, stay safe.

Here are a few steps that will keep you safe and protected from harm:

* Verify closely all your bills (credit cards, debit cards, utility bills, etc)
* Scan your bills and keep them on your hard disk with a strong password; in this way, even if your computer is hacked, nobody will get to your financial data
* Instruct your bank to inform you if there is any unusual trend in transactions
* Keep a close watch on identity theft news, so you’ll know how what are the latest developments in the field.

There are millions of ways to pull off identity theft. However, it’s hard to list any particular identity theft steps that you could spot as a warning. The most important thing is that you be very alert when you manage your account online or whenever you use a credit or debit card for purchases online.   Among the most common identity theft steps that police constantly warn against, is attempts by these thieves to gather your personal information over the phone. They will call posing as representatives of your bank or credit card provider, and ask you questions pertaining to your personal information such as your date of birth, Social Security Number, pin number, and the like.   Beware! Such calls are fraudulent. In case you get such a call, ask them the name of the bank, address and officer details, and tell them you will go in person and provide all the information. Alternatively, call your bank manager and ask them whether such a call had been initiated from their bank.

Second, ensure that you carefully scrutinize your credit card bills; are there any entries that are unaccounted for? The same applies to credit or debits from your bank account. One of the common ways to avoid identity theft is to first deposit some money into your account and then withdraw it. So, whether your bank account shows more or shows less, you need to investigate the matter at the earliest.

Third, ensure that you do not carry sensitive personal information in your purse or handbag. This could be stolen and fall into the wrong hands.

* You get your bank to send you alerts whenever your account has been debited by any amount. This will help you keep tabs on your money pretty accurately.
* Keep a low ceiling on your credit card expenses, and require special permission to extend that ceiling
* Use only electronic statements instead of paper ones
* Ensure that you dispose of your ATM stubs safely – preferably using a shredder
* Obtain your credit report on a quarterly basis, and carefully scrutinize it for mismatches that will help you identify theft

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few steps that will protect your child’s identity from being stolen or misused:

1.Be careful about the Social Security Number. You might need to enter the child’s SSN in a health insurance form or similar

documents. Ascertain that this information is protected and not accessed without proper authorization.

2.Do not put the information on the Internet. Educate your child about the danger of child identity theft, and how using his or her

SSN on the Internet can facilitate it. Do not forbid the child to use it, but rather explain and convince your child about the

necessity of protecting such private information.

3.Keep all records and important papers locked up. It’s easy for children to spy through papers and use the information they find on

the Internet. Ensure that such information is always under lock and key to prevent children identity theft.

Another very effective identity theft protection measure to destroy (by burning or shredding) any an all bank statements as you receive them. Never throw these in the dustbin. Your identity theft protection measures should ensure that there is nothing in your garbage bin that will give away any information regarding you or your family.

One last very important identity theft protect measure is that you should always log out after you complete online transactions with your bank. Very often hackers have the ability to capture non-logged out accounts and impersonate you.

Avoiding identity theft may not always be easy; however, with a little care and alertness, you will be able to avert it to a large extent. Here are three tips that you should keep close to your heart:

1.Never put an automatic password feed into your laptop. You might have the laptop stolen and all your passwords with it. This will make it a walk in the park for a thief to access all your private and confidential information – making it easiest to take over your identity.

2.Never give any private information about yourself or anyone in your family over the phone. No matter how urgent the caller says it is – NEVER give any such information. Ask for the address and name, and offer to go there in person to give this information. Before doing so, check with the source for accuracy of the inquiry.

3.One other way to avoid identity theft is to change your credit card and utility bills to email statements. Most identity thieves look for and obtain information from the bills you receive in your mailbox.

One of the greatest and most harmful among the identity theft series is the social security identity theft. This enable the thief to impersonate you and avail for employment benefits, medical insurance, bank mortgage and other loans and many other such things that will leave you in a very precarious position with the law.

It’s very difficult if not impossible to identify and backtrack which tasks have been done by you, and which ones by the thief, for which legally, you remain responsible for everything that your impersonator does.

Beware – do not carry your SSN number in you handbag or wallet. Do not give this number or any other personal information over phone or email to anyone. In case any bank or other such authority asks this of you, reply that you will do it in person. You CAN prevent social security identity theft – and prevention is the only way you will remain safe.

Do not hide such incidents! Come online and narrate your stories. Complain to the authorities concerned. Go to the local police, find the relevant cyber police websites and report your incident. For every reported incident hundreds if not thousands will become aware of new dangers.

It’s the duty of every citizen in the world to fight identity theft as this is becoming one of the most encountered and damaging of virtual crimes. You will be surprised to learn that now you will be able to find courses that teach how to hack sites and other related software programming.

This has become a lucrative business that asks for little investment and offers great returns. Unite and fight identity theft – this is the only way we can stay protected.

You must take some measure to prevent it. The cost of identity theft is much more than the money siphoned!

It costs you your financial reputation, as your credit score will dip for non-payment of bills for loans that you never knew you had. It costs you your health due to the stress of worrying about how to improve your credit score, and how to pay back the siphoned amounts for which you are responsible unless you can prove 100% that you are a victim of identity fraud – which is often very difficult.

The cost of identity theft also involves your peace of mind. Once bitten, twice shy – you will be scared to work on the Internet for fear of becoming a victim yet again.

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There will come a day when, like the installation of anti virus software, you will have something that guards you and your computer from identity theft. Until then, you should use your common sense and stay alert. Your best identity guard theft is your own alertness!

Most identity thefts occur when the hackers send you a link that opens a cloned website that looks identical to that of your bank or email id provider, and asks you to fill in personal information for verification/ upgrading/ re-registration and so on. You need to make it a rule to NEVER give any personal information, especially passwords or ATM / debit or credit card numbers to anyone over the Internet or the telephone. While shopping online, ensure that the site is encrypted and marked so by Verisign – there will be a tiny yellow lock in the lower right hand corner of the page.

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1) Shopping online and paying by credit card, without checking for VerisSign at the bottom of the page. Always ensure that the page that asks for your credit card details is encrypted by an approved regulatory body. This is particularly important when you receive promotional stuff in your email.

2) Accepting windfalls through email – it’s lovely to win a lottery, and everybody loves that. However, if you ever receive emails saying you have won a large sum of money for which you need to give them your personal and financial details, be careful. It’s almost certainly a scam!

3) Applying for online loan approval – let’s say you have applied online for any type of loan. They get back to you asking you very personal financial and personal details. Never give any personal details online to anyone!

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Have you ever experienced ID theft? How do you prevent it?

Here are a few steps that will be of immense help:

* Always have the ID laminated in a hard transparent cover, so it cannot be easily tampered with
* Always ensure that your ID has a recent photograph of you
* Never leave your ID lying around in the office or at home
* Immediately inform the respective authorities about the loss of the ID card, as this will track the person using your identity

The risk is often dependent and proportional with how sensitive your work is and where your ID is used; if you work in any type of high security area, never let your ID out of your sight, no matter what!

I use the Internet to check my bank account a couple of time every now and then. Since my husband and I have a joint account, it’s often necessary to check the balance before we issue any checks. Therefore, for convenience sake we both have access to our account through the Internet.

The other day, while shuffling through my emails I found an email from the bank with “Very Important” in the subject line. Curious, I clicked to see what it said and found that it asked me to revalidate my personal data because changes in rules and an upgrade in technology made it necessary.

I was about to enter the date when I realized there was no VeriSign at the bottom of the page. Suspicious, I sought other signs of ID theft and found that even the link was incorrect. I immediately called the bank and they denied having sent any such letter or fax.

This is how my identity theft story ended with a positive note.

Did you know that when you send a forward to your contacts, you are actually making it easy for some hackers out there to perpetrate data theft? Each name in your contact list becomes an auction object. There are people who siphon these names and email IDs, package them, and sell them to the highest bidder. They make a pretty buck while you start wondering where such a deluge of spam emails are coming from.

Stop data theft – don’t help data thieves! Ensure that you do not send these chain letters, no matter what. In case you like a particular email and wish to forward it, make sure that you delete all the forwarded email IDs that are imprinted in your email, so as to safeguard yourself and your friends.

There are plenty of ways to gather identity theft information and with the Net it’s very easy to impersonate you without raising any doubt. Computers do not recognize faces or understand words. They only react to the information you feed in. If the thieves lay their hands on enough data to make the computer think he or she is you – the computer will give this person access to your life. Scary!

You might not be able to stop it, but you can prevent it to a large extent and you can spread awareness about it so others too can stay alert. Awareness and over caution is the answer to countering identity theft. Most online fraud coould have been circumvented if only a little more caution had been exercised.

A word of advice to you – when you are online, do not hurry. Pay attention to what you do and what you type. Caution, awareness and alertness – these is how to stop identity step or at least reduce it to a large extent.

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Answer the following questions with “Yes” or “No.”

1. Do you receive your credit card/ bank statement by snail mail?
2. Do you keep your ATM, debit and/ or credit card PIN number along with the cards?
3. Do you dispose of your ATM/ Credit Card slips in your dustbin at home?
4. Do you carry your personal information in your wallet/ purse?
5. Do you check and re-check any website that requires you to give your credit card number?
6. Do you know what to look for to assure yourself that the web page you are using is secure?

If you answered Yes to 3 or more questions you are excellent material for identity theft. Think about it.

A majority of the people who were listed in her email contacts were sent a letter in her name saying that she was stuck in London (she is a PhD from London) and she needed about $2,000 to pay her hotel bills. Most of her close friends, who knew her whereabouts, realized that this email was a fake. However, there will be a good number of these people who will want to send her the money so she will be bailed out from her troubles. She will then be responsible for the repayment.

Beware of any such emails that ask you personal information or your user id and password.  You might be the next victim.

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.

I was re-directed to a page that looked identical to the page of my bank. Through that page they asked me my account id, transaction id number, debit card number, the debit card (ATM) pin and lastly my date of birth.

I was about to enter the details when I noticed the address of the URL which was completely different from that of my bank. Alerted, I closed the site and called my bank. They denied sending such a mail. This is how I was saved from data theft – a very close shave indeed.

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Never leave your ATM stubs in the ATM cubicle. Carry them with you and shred these or tear them into small pieces.

Do not answer any personal questions such as “what is your birthday”, “what is your mother’s maiden name”, “where were you born”, etc on the phone. Most identity theft cases happen with the help of information gathered in this manner. If the voice on the phone says it’s from a bank, lottery, or credit card provider – ask them their name and address and say you will give them the information in person after you are sure of their identity.

1) Never enter your financial data unless you are 100 percent sure it’s encrypted. The easiest way to steal vital information is setting up a false website that will sell you something where you need to pay with your credit card.

2) Do not give your password for your email or pin number of your debit/ credit card to anyone over email or phone. Banks will never ask you this information.

3) Ask for e-statements instead of printed ones that are sent to your mail box. Avoid printing it; and if you do shred it before throwing it away. Most data theft is done through disposed financial and credit card statements.

May 2, 2009
- Identity theft doesn’t happen only to adults: children are even easier targets for those who would steal identity. And worst of all, sometimes the “thief” is one who’s duty it is to act in the child’s best interest.

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 Good Advice – Take It

 I know there would be enough skeptics who would deny the need for such services. However, let me give you one typical scenario (and there are many more) and we will reserve the decision until you read it all.

 Tom Walters is a successful IT professional drawing a comfortable salary, savvy about the use of the Internet. He supports his wife and two teenage children aged 15 and 17 respectively. The children, like all teenagers, love surfing and shopping on the Net. Come recession, and Tom’s company announces major layoffs. Though his job is secure, Tom decides to launch his own software company from home just to avoid in the future the tension that the recession had built in his mind.

 When he checks his credit, he is shocked to find that he has a number of negative remarks and his credit score has plummeted to dangerous levels. On checking, he finds that there are outstanding loans in his name that he never availed. What happened? The answer is simple – identity theft. It is to guess how – the children stumbled upon false websites which phished the details of credit card of Tom and voila – he got loans in his name, which were enjoyed by someone else.

 The Solution

 Credit repair companies here work like lawyers. One you put them on a standard retainer, they will keep a tab on every remark that goes into your credit report and warn you about any such scenario that looks suspicious. Identify theft is very difficult to prove or stop one it starts, but once discovered you can check the damage that is done by closing the account and raising the alarm to prevent further siphoning of your funds and damage to you reputation.

 There are plenty of other similar scenarios – misused credit cards, late submission of payment checks, and the like which not only trash your credit record and score, but also damage your credibility in the market.

 Do you still maintain that this is a laughing matter?

Everyone needs to fight identity theft by whatever means they can. Unfortunately most people become so upset and depressed when they are victimized that they shut down completely.

Do not hide such incidents! Come online and narrate your stories. Complain to the authorities concerned. Go to the local police, find the relevant cyber police websites and report your incident. For every reported incident hundreds if not thousands will become aware of new dangers.

It’s the duty of every citizen in the world to fight identity theft as this is becoming one of the most encountered and damaging of virtual crimes. You will be surprised to learn that now you will be able to find courses that teach how to hack sites and other related software programming.

This has become a lucrative business that asks for little investment and offers great returns. Unite and fight identity theft – this is the only way we can stay protected.

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Everyone needs to fight identity theft by whatever means they can. Unfortunately most people become so upset and depressed when they are victimized that they shut down completely.

Do not hide such incidents! Come online and narrate your stories. Complain to the authorities concerned. Go to the local police, find the relevant cyber police websites and report your incident. For every reported incident hundreds if not thousands will become aware of new dangers.

It’s the duty of every citizen in the world to fight identity theft as this is becoming one of the most encountered and damaging of virtual crimes. You will be surprised to learn that now you will be able to find courses that teach how to hack sites and other related software programming.

This has become a lucrative business that asks for little investment and offers great returns. Unite and fight identity theft – this is the only way we can stay protected.

It’s very difficult if not impossible to identify and backtrack which tasks have been done by you, and which ones by the thief, for which legally, you remain responsible for everything that your impersonator does.

Beware – do not carry your SSN number in you handbag or wallet. Do not give this number or any other personal information over phone or email to anyone. In case any bank or other such authority asks this of you, reply that you will do it in person. You CAN prevent social security identity theft – and prevention is the only way you will remain safe.

Do not hide such incidents! Come online and narrate your stories. Complain to the authorities concerned. Go to the local police, find the relevant cyber police websites and report your incident. For every reported incident hundreds if not thousands will become aware of new dangers.

It’s the duty of every citizen in the world to fight identity theft as this is becoming one of the most encountered and damaging of virtual crimes. You will be surprised to learn that now you will be able to find courses that teach how to hack sites and other related software programming.

This has become a lucrative business that asks for little investment and offers great returns. Unite and fight identity theft – this is the only way we can stay protected.