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How You Can Help Prevent Identity Theft
How can I prevent Identity theft from happening to me? Never
leave your receipt or slip in the ATM or gas pump. Pay attention
to your habits, lock up or organize and file your bills, and bank
statements. Shred them using a cross shredder before throwing
them away.
In a recent article in MSN Money their research showed that
32% of people said they had been a victim of identity fraud by a
friend or family, and 13% were victimized by a co-worker. Beware!
These people know your patterns and habits.
Some steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of Identity
theft are:
Get a copy of your credit report from all three credit
bureaus. (FREE as of 9/1/05!)
Experian, PO Box 2002, Allen TX 75013 www.experian.com
888-397-3742 Equifax, PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30348
www.equifax.com 800-685-1111 Trans Union, PO Box 4000, Chester,
PA 19016 www.transunion.com 866-887-2673
Opt out of mailing lists by contacting the credit bureaus
above.
Opt out by reading the privacy notice that comes with your
credit card and following the instructions.
Call the national Do Not Call Registry at 1-888-382-1222 or
visit www.donotcall.gov be sure to call from the number you want
to register
Do not carry your Social Security Card in your wallet
Do not print your Social security number on your checks
Do not get your social security number printed on your
drivers' license
Do not carry your Medicade card with you, Medicade #'s are
your Social security number
Delete any emails from Nigeria, or lottery or prize
notifications before opening
Stop credit card offers 888-5-OPT-OUT
Remove your name from national mailing lists by visiting
www.the-dma.org or write to:
Mail Preference Service
PO Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512
Install firewall and virus protection software on your
computer
Password protect your computer and private personal files
Format your hard drive or physically destroy when disposing of
your old computer
When you order new checks, get your first initial printed on
them instead of your first name
Use a cross shredder to shred your bills and bank statements
or any junk mail
Bring your mail to the post office or secure mail box rather
than leaving it in a rural box.
Use only one designated credit card for online purchases
Be sure all online purchases are made through a secure server
- notice the "lock" icon and how the URL address changes from
http to https. The S means SECURE.
Do not carry your PIN # in your wallet
Do not use your date of birth as a password or PIN.
Do not give out personal or financial information over the
phone.
Grind up or shred back up CD's you are throwing away.
Check your online banking account at least 3 times a week and
change your password often.
If you feel you have been a victim of identity fraud, contact
the Department of Justice, consumer protection division. They
offer mediation with identity theft; they also have a hot line
for consumers that is available 8-5 Monday - Friday. They
maintain a database of written complaints that goes back to 1998.
They offer seminars to school, seniors or your group.
Be aware that 40 million crooks obtained credit card numbers
this past year, "Be Suspicious". Also be aware that most identify
theft is not reported, especially when it involves family
members, so the statistics are off. These statistics show that
consumers lost $5 billion last year when in actuality it is
closer to $50 billion. There have been an estimated 9.9 million
victims in America.
Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in credit and debt
collection. She is the founder of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is
a writer, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial
Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter. Michelle started
M.A.D. Collection Agency and ran is successfully for 7 years. She
owns and runs Credit & Collections.com a free online
community for credit and business professionals.
She has written 5 books in her Collecting Money Series and is
currently writing a book for the Streetwise Series, part of the
Adams Media Corporation. For more information on Michelle's
services or to order any of her books please email her at
michelle@michelledunn.com
or visit http://www.michelledunn.com
& http://www.credit-and-collections.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Credit - Google News
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