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10 Ways To Protect Your Financial Identity Being Used For
Someone Else's Shopping Spree
Someone impersonating you could be spending your hard-earned
money.
Impossible! Not really, check, loan, and identity fraud are a
real problem. In 2002, the federal trade commission estimated
that identity fraud affected and estimated 3.3 million Americans;
costing consumers $3.8 billion and business $32.9 billion.
Here are 10 ways to protect yourself from having your
financial identity used for someone else's shopping spree:
1. Order your credit report once a year from each of the three
credit bureaus to make sure that you are familiar with all of the
reported transactions and that there isn't any unusual activity.
Call (888) 5OPT-OUT to request to have your name removed from
their marketing lists.
2. Cancel all unused credit card accounts, and make sure to
keep a copy of your credit cards and the toll free contact
numbers so you can report the card number immediately if it is
lost or stolen.
3. Don't carry extra credit cards, your social security card
or passports in the same wallet except when completely
unavoidable.
4. Install a locked mailbox at your office or home to keep
people from snatching your mail. Don't drop paid bills in the
mailbox; take them to the post office to be mailed.
5. Ask your bank about its privacy policies and information
practices. Find out the circumstances under which your bank would
provide your account information to a third party.
6. Always save your credit card receipts to match against your
monthly statement. Keep track of when your cards expire to make
sure your new card arrives in the mail.
7. Never have your social Security number printed on your
checks. Never put your account information on the outside of an
envelope or on a postcard. Give your Social Security number only
when absolutely necessary. Ask if you can use another type of
identifying number whenever possible.
8. Review your phone bills and cellular phone bills each moth
for any unauthorized use. And compare your ATM receipts and
cashed checks with your periodic bank statements to check for
unauthorized transfers or charges.
9. When filling out a loan or credit application, ask how the
company disposes of them. When you receive one of those pre
approved credit card offers in the mail make sure to cut it in
small pieces before throwing it away.
10. When creating passwords or Personal Identification Numbers
(PIN) choose something different from your address, telephone
number, middle name, the last four digits of your Social Security
number, your birth date or any other information that could be
easily discovered by thieves.
Bonus- Always write checks using a fine point permanent marker
and put a line before the written amount so that no one can add
something in once you've written the check.
Resources:
Credit reporting bureaus:
Eqifax- P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta GA 30374-0241.
To report fraud 800-525-6285
To order a credit report 800-685-1111
To opt out of pre-approved credit offers 888-567-8688
Experian- P.O. Box 2104 Allen TX 75013-2104
To report fraud or to order a credit report 888-397-3742.
To opt out of pre-approved credit offers 888-567-8688
Trans Union- P.O. Box 390 Springfield PA 19064-0390.
To report fraud 800-680-7289.
To order a credit report 800-888-4213
To opt out of pre-approved credit offers 888-567-8688
Check verification companies: To verify if there are any
activities on your account from fraud contact these verification
companies.
CheckRite- 800-766-2748
Chexsystems- 800-428-9623
National Processing Co. -800-526-5380
Telecheck- 800-710-9898
Social Security Administration-
To report fraud 800-269-0271
To order your earnings and benefits statement
800-772-1213
About The Author
©BZ Riger-Hull. www.in-spiros.com. For valuable free articles,
assessments, & practical success tools mailto:A1@smartautoresponder.com Certified as a
Success Coach, "Four Agreements" Facilitator, & Tele-Course
leader We help you communicate powerfully, reduce stress,
Strategically Attract success, & increase your financial
well-being. bz@in-spiros.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Credit - Google News
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