Simple possible ways to prevent online offline identity theft

Great Ways To Prevent Identity Theft
By Abhishek Agarwal

Identity theft is an increasingly bothersome and dangerous crime. Victims of identity theft suffer tremendous financial vulnerability that may take years to clear up. Follow this advice.

Identity theft has become the crime of the 21st Century. Criminals steal personal information from others and then "pose" as their victim to secure mortgages and loans, open new credit or make purchases on existing accounts, or even access their victim's bank accounts to steal their money.

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It's difficult to control identity theft. First, it's hard to know when it's happening. Second, because the thief is using a false identity, it's hard to catch and prosecute them.

Federal and state governments are doing what they can to prevent identity theft by passing new legislation identifying it as a crime worthy of prison time and then trying to enforce the laws. Businesses are developing and installing better security on their computer systems and trying harder to protect their customers' personal information from hackers.


But, at least in today's world, preventing identity theft falls largely upon us, the individual consumer. Here are some tips to help you protect yourself from this malicious, damaging crime:
Here are some ways to prevent identity theft:

1. Protect your mail with a lock

Whether using your residential mail box or renting a box at the Post Office or postal service, be sure your mail is protected from the eyes and hands of greedy criminals. Stealing mail that contains personal information is perhaps the biggest source of identity theft today.

2. Rent a box from your Post Office or a postal service

Especially if you're frequently away from home, you'll enjoy better personal security if you keep your mail where others have their eyes on it when you're away. And you can let the service know who is authorized to open your mailbox if necessary. Keep the key with you, and don't lend it to people you're not sure about. Use this service for posting your outgoing mail as well. Don't leave it attached to your residential mailbox where anyone can pick it up. Finally, ask the Post Office to hold your mail while you're gone on long trips. It will be much more secure at the post office than in your mailbox.

3. NEVER give out personal information over the phone.

Some identity thieves pose as representatives for a charity or a telemarketing or polling firm to fool you into trusting them enough to get your personal information. Don't even give your birth date to them! Ask if you can call them back. Better yet, simply hang up. You don't owe these callers a thing!

4. Have a private, unlisted phone number

You'll be more secure if the only people who know your number got it directly from you. And give your phone number to those people you trust. Ask them not to share it with others unless they ask you first. You have a right to your privacy. Don't use the unlisted number on internet or printed forms either. And if you do get calls from telemarketers, tell them to "Take my name off your list." By law, they can't call you again for a year when you make this request.

5. Keep your PINs and passwords in a safe place

If you don't feel comfortable memorizing your PINs and passwords and feel you must write them down. Be sure you store your lists in a locked, secure location. Don't let anyone else know where you keep the information, and don't lend the key to anyone. Also, store your PINs in a different location as your plastic cards. A thief who can't guess your PIN will end up getting locked out of the system. This will be a good warning sign for you, and it will protect your money! Also, if don't intend to use a credit or debit card, don't carry it with you. Not only will this protect it from being stolen, it'll help you stay within your personal budget!

6. Keep a photocopy of your wallet's contents in a safe, locked place

Make sure you have a record of the contents of your wallet or purse. That way, you can easily report to each company if and when your belongings are lost or stolen. In case of loss, immediately notify every company involved and ask them to freeze your account.

7. Be smart when you choose your passwords

Avoid using common passwords based on your birth date, an anniversary, your phone number, or your pet's name. Mix letters with numbers and symbols. Avoid using the same password for all your accounts, but be sure each of your accounts is password protected. Finally, change your passwords at least twice a year.

8. Get regular credit reports

Request your one-time-a-year free credit report. You have a right to it. And if you can afford the additional cost, it would be better to get regular updates throughout the year. Intervals of 3 to 6 months will help you keep close track on your accounts and allow you to catch suspicious activity sooner. Call the three major agencies to get your report:

Equifax: P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
          For emergencies, call 1-800-525-6285

Experian: P.O. Box 2002 Allen TX 75013
          For emergencies, call 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
Trans Union: P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022
          For emergencies, call 1-800-680-7289

9. Review your bills when you receive them, and keep them in a locked safe place

Be sure to note all purchases and transactions on your monthly statements to be sure you are familiar with them. If you find a transaction you did not authorize, act on it immediately. Notify the company of your suspicions and submit a dispute with the vendor. Save your old statements for at least a year in case a problem arises. And keep your personal papers under lock and key. This would include birth certificates and social security cards; applications for mortgages, loans, and credit cards; and bills, invoices, and monthly statements. These documents are rich with personal information that will be a goldmine to an identity thief. If you can, keep these papers in a safe deposit box where only you and one other trusted person know the location and/or have a key.

10. Invest in a good paper shredder

The best way to protect personal information on papers you don't want to keep is to use a cross-cut paper shredder to destroy them before you throw them away. This should include outdated credit receipts, credit application copies, insurance forms you don't need anymore, physician invoices and reports, old checks and bank statements, and expired credit cards you don't intend to renew or use again. Do yourself a favor and immediately shred pre-approved credit applications.

11.  Be careful with your credit cards

If at all possible, ask for a photo ID type credit card. And when you use it, note whether the clerk checks your signature against the one on the card. If they don't, you might want to avoid that store in the future. Don't let a waitress or waiter walk away with your credit card. Better to pay cash at restaurants than to risk the copy-it-while-I-have-it scam.


12. Use common sense online

Use encrypted or secure servers when you sign into financial accounts or make online purchases. Do not do business with websites you haven't heard of before. Don't open files sent to you by people you don't know. For that matter, don't open e-mails from strangers. Delete them immediately. Install and maintain current anti-virus, firewall, and adware software to block and delete malicious cookies and spyware before it does any damage. Set your browser to refuse to open pop-ups without your approval. Be careful and suspicious online. You can't see the person or people at the other end, and you don't know what their intentions are. Limit your online purchases to well known businesses and places where you already have an account.

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Abhishek is a Personal Security expert and he has got some great Identity Theft Prevention Secrets [http://www.Survival-Today.com/14/index.htm] up his sleeves! Download his FREE 136 Pages Ebook, "Identity Theft - Don't Be The Next Victim!" from his website [http://www.Survival-Today.com/14/index.htm]. Only limited Free Copies available.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?12-Great-Ways-To-Prevent-Identity-Theft&id=1659750] 12 Great Ways To Prevent Identity Theft

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Identity theft is a very scary thing and identity theft prevention is you're the only protection. If you're wondering what can I do, you'll find several different ways that you can prevent and protect yourself from identity theft and fraud. By creating a few proactive identity theft habits you will be able to protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft.

How to Be Secured Online Here: CyberSecurity and CyberSafety Guide

Everyone should be thinking about how they can prevent identity theft. There are various habits that can help you be proactive so you can help in the prevention of identity theft from occurring to you. It can be extremely frustrating and scary to have your identity stolen, but it can happen to almost anyone. There are many people that think identity theft is a result of the Internet; however, it has been around even before the Internet was in existence.

How to Be Secured Online Here: CyberSecurity and CyberSafety Guide

Many people who never use the internet for purchases suddenly find that they have become a victim of identity theft. The only defense that you have to combat this type of identity fraud is identity theft prevention. It is imperative that you try to prevent identity theft because you may not even find out that you have become a victim until months after the crime has happened. Identity thieves can open credit cards in your name, wrack up big bills, and they may even sell off your personal information as well. Once you become a identity theft victim it can take a great deal of time to repair your credit, and there is a big chance that the problem will follow you for years to come.

Tips and Ideas for Identity Theft Prevention

There are a variety of ways that you can prevent identity theft. If you feel this is a task you cannot undertake yourself you may want to hire a monitoring service to help you. Many of these services even have special services that can help you take the right actions if identity theft does occur and they can also help you begin repairing your credit as well. Having a service like this may help you find out about identity theft before it gets to bad. There are also a variety of things that you can do on your own to help prevent identity theft as well.

One important thing you should do is to copy everything that you have in your wallet. This will enable you to give authorities a quick report of what was in your wallet if it is stolen. Carrying your social security card or number in your wallet is something you want to avoid as well. The best way that you can get identity theft protection is to hire a company that will help you prevent fraud and protect your information. You can find some of these services for as low as $100 a year, and they can provide you with a safe and secure feeling.

Tips for Preventing Identity Theft

Tip 1 - Keep personal information secure and avoid giving it out.

Tip 2 - Keep you name off the marketing lists of the various credit bureaus.

Tip 3- Check your mail often and never let it sit around in your box or it may be stolen.

Tip 4 - Do not throw away your credit card receipts in a public trashcan.

Tip 5 - Make sure you check your credit report periodically.

Tip 6 - Buy encryption software to protect your emails.

Tip 7 - Review credit card bills and look for any charges you do not remember.

Tip 8- Shred paperwork that may contain your personal information.

It is important that you understand that identity theft can occur in various ways, and understanding these ways can help you be more aware of how important it is to protect your identity. If a thief is able to get a hold of your personal information, within a few hours they can rack up big bills on your credit cards and even take all the money out of your bank accounts. They may also be able to use your personal information to open up new credit accounts as well. Cell phones may also be purchased under your name and big bills racked up quickly in your name. They may also be able to have utilities set up under your name and even an apartment.

Checking and money market accounts could be set up in your name and then the thief could start to write bad checks as well. Worst of all, if you do not work at preventing identity theft, a thief can actually change the billing address on your accounts, and you may never realize that this is occurring before it is too late. If you are going to prevent identity theft, you need to be sure that you take proactive measure to protect your personal information. Criminals involved in identity theft are working all the time, so protect yourself and use identity theft protection to avoid being the next victim.

Daryl Plaza is a regular contributor to IdentityTheftFraudProtection.com an informational website created to help and educate you on how you can protect yourself and prevent identity theft from happening and you becoming a victim.

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Prevent Identity Theft - Tips To Avoid Becoming A Victim
By Abhishek Agarwal

Being a victim of identity theft is a traumatic, heart-breaking experience. No one wants to go through it. Here is some advice that may help you protect your personal financial information and your credit rating.

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In a 2004 study, the Ways and Means Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives reported that, in 2003 alone, almost 10 million Americans had become victims of identity theft. The crime cost consumers about $5 billion out-of-pocket and costs American business around $50 billion. As increasing news reports indicate, identity theft is the crime of the era. It's increasing rapidly. Unfortunately, it's also a difficult crime to catch and prosecute.

In 2003, victims of identity theft spent anywhere from $500 to $1200 and from 30 to 60 hours of their personal time trying to resolve the financial problems created by identity theft. Further, the crime itself occurred over a three- to six-month period in each known case.

We all hope we never become victims of identity theft. For one thing, you usually don't learn you're a victim until some debt collector calls you about a bill or a loan application is denied because of your poor credit history or low credit score. This news comes as a shocking surprise to most victims of identity theft, and the personal agony of financial loss and effort needed to resolve the problem take a huge toll. Identity theft victims often report they feel as violated as they would if they had been mugged or their house had been burglarized.

Today, prevention and early detection are best solutions to the identity theft problem. These criminals have a variety of ways to get your personal financial information. They may steal it from your garbage in the form of old bills or pre-approved credit offers. They may trick you on the phone or by e-mail into giving out your personal information. Someone you know and trust may have access to your personal information. Or perhaps someone with good eyesight is standing behind you, watching you enter your PIN at the ATM machine or grocery counter. These things are within your control, but there are other tactics outside your control. Identity thieves also trick the information out of banks and businesses, claiming they are research for a non-existent company or using false identities to secure the information. Hackers may sneak into the databases of large companies and download the information they keep for their clientele.

Once they have your personal information, they can submit false address change reports to your bank or creditors. They can apply for mortgages or loans or make purchases against your credit cards. You won't know about it until the *#(& hits the fan, and your credit history is ruined.

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1. How Can I Tell if Someone is using my Personal Financial Information Illegally?

So how do you know that an identity thief may be targeting your personal information?  What are the signs to look for? And what do you do if you think you are a victim of identity theft? Here are a few of the things you can watch for to protect your personal financial information and your identity:

1. Order a credit report, at the very least, once a year. If a close review of your credit report reveals accounts you've never heard of or loans you did not make, you may be a victim. The report could also contain inquiries about your credit from merchants and vendors you didn't apply to. These are all important red flags, and you should follow-up on the information immediately.

2. You receive a bill or statement from a company you didn't open an account with.

3. You notice unauthorized or incorrect changes on your credit card or bank statement.

4. You get calls from business owners or debt collectors who claim you have a bill that is overdue for a product or service you never ordered or received.

5. You are denied approval of a loan or credit card application, even when you know your credit is good.


If you've noticed any of these warning signs, follow up immediately by contacting the credit card company, bank, or credit report agency with questions. Don't accept inadequate answers to your questions. And continue to follow-up until all your questions have been answered and your credit account or report is accurate and up-to-date.

If you find you can't resolve issues easily, you may be an identity theft victim already. Report this problem to law enforcement authorities immediately. Contact your bank, your creditors, and the credit report agencies to let them know the problem is occurring and ask them to freeze your accounts. Add special passwords that anyone inquiring about our using your accounts must know to get a transaction approved. Do what you can to find out what the identity thief has done. For example, where have they opened accounts or where have the applied for loans. Can you find another address associated with your name that is not familiar to you? If you identify the identity thief, do not contact them directly. Rather provide that information to law enforcement.


2. What Can I do to Prevent Identity Theft Before it Happens?

To avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, follow these guidelines:

1. Keep a very close eye on your credit card activities. Check statements closely as soon as you receive them, and confirm that you made or approved all of the purchases. If there are questionable charges on your statement, contact the company immediately to find out when and where the purchase was made and to formally dispute the charge. You might be surprised to know how many people fail to review their statements carefully each month. Failure to attend to your accounts could leave you thousands, even hundreds of thousands, in debt with no products or services to show for it.

2. Request credit report updates at least twice a year. Look for a lower-than-expected credit score, unfamiliar accounts, or credit inquiries from companies you don't do business with.

3. Be careful to protect your personal financial papers. Keep them in a secure location, preferably under lock and key. And don't allow other people to access them without your express permission.

4. Be alert when you're writing checks or using your ATM card. Is there anyone near enough who could read and steal personal information or your PIN number? Be careful to protect these items from view.

5. Deliver your bill payments directly to the post office, and don't let your mail sit in your mail box too long. This is an open invitation to the ever-vigilant identity thief.

6. Use unexpected and unique passwords on all your internet accounts, mixing letters with numbers and symbols. And change your passwords at least every six months.

Keep up on the news about new identity theft strategies and scams. Read the paper and surf the internet to find out who's doing what these days. Make sure you know what your creditors do with their customers' personal information and demand they protect it. 

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Avoid becoming a victim of identity theft by applying common sense and careful thought to your everyday transactions. Question people who ask for inappropriate information and feel empowered to refuse to answer. Remember that you may not know your co-workers and acquaintances very well. Do not share your information with anyone you don't trust 100%.

Abhishek is a Personal Security expert and he has got some great Identity Theft Prevention Secrets [http://www.Survival-Today.com/14/index.htm] up his sleeves! Download his FREE 136 Page Ebook, "Identity Theft - Don't Be The Next Victim!" from his website [http://www.Survival-Today.com/14/index.htm]. Only limited Free Copies available.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Prevent-Identity-Theft---Tips-To-Avoid-Becoming-A-Victim&id=1659748] Prevent Identity Theft - Tips To Avoid Becoming A Victim

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