how best to avoid being victim of identity theft

Prevent Identity Theft From Happening to You
By Jennifer Tarzian

What is Identity Theft? It is the theft of your personal information, such as social security number, driver's license number, credit card and bank account numbers, mother's maiden name, and more, with the intent to obtain credit and credit cards from banks and retailers, steal money from the victim's existing accounts, apply for loans, establish accounts with utility companies, rent an apartment, file bankruptcy or obtain a job using the victim's name.

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Did you know that in some states Identity Theft is not even against the law? The victim has to prove their innocence. This shocks most Identity Theft Victims, as it should. It shocks me. Law Enforcement and Credit Card Services should be there to help, but in many cases they don't.

Being prepared, just in case someone steals your identity is a must. It may be inconvenient, but unless you want to go out and try to use your credit card one day, just to find that someone else has been using your identity to make purchases and your card is no longer accepted, then you need to take steps to prevent your identity from being stolen. It can take years to clear this up if it happens to you, so a little prevention now is the answer.

Facts about Identity Theft;

o It is considered by law enforcement to be an absolute epidemic, the fastest growing crime in the United States at this time.

o For the criminal, identity theft is a relatively low-risk, high-reward endeavor. Credit card issuers often don't prosecute thieves who are apprehended. Why? The firms figure it's not cost efficient. They can afford to write off a certain amount of fraud as a cost of doing business.

o Recently criminals have been using the victim's identity to commit crimes ranging form traffic infractions to felonies. How would you like to find out you are wanted for a crime you know nothing about? It has happened.

o All that is needed is your social security number, your birth date and other identifying information such as your address and phone number and whatever else they can find out about you. With this information, and a false driver's license with their own picture, they can begin the crime.

o If you wait until it happens to you, it's a nightmare. You won't know until you are denied credit or a creditor contacts you about a charge you know nothing about.

How do I prevent Identity Theft?

At Home;

o If you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your home, make sure your personal information is not readily available to them.

o Deposit your outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office, rather than in an unsecured mailbox. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox. If you're planning to be away from home and can't pick up your mail, call the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 to request a vacation hold. The Postal Service will hold your mail at your local post office until you can pick it up or are home to receive it.

o Tear or shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance forms, physician statements, checks and bank statements, expired charge cards that you're discarding, and credit offers you get in the mail. To opt out of receiving offers of credit in the mail, call: 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688).

o Give your Social Security number only when absolutely necessary, and ask to use other types of identifiers. If your state uses your Social Security number as your driver's license number, ask to substitute another number. Do the same if your health insurance company uses your Social Security number as your policy number.

At Work;

o Ask about information security procedures in your workplace or at businesses, doctor's offices or other institutions that collect your personally identifying information. Find out who has access to your personal information and verify that it is handled securely. Ask about the disposal procedures for those records as well. Find out if your information will be shared with anyone else. If so, ask how your information can be kept confidential. Keep your purse or wallet in a safe place at work; do the same with copies of administrative forms that have your sensitive personal information.

Online;

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o If you do financial transactions over the Internet, read their privacy and or security statements. You want to know who they share your personal information with. You want to know they use a "secure server" for transactions. You want to know how they store your personal information. If you don't like what you hear, don't do your business at that website. There are always alternatives.

o Use PayPal. You can transfer a limited number of funds into your paypal account and use it to buy merchandise online instead of your credit card.

o  Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or on the Internet unless you've initiated the contact or are sure you know who you're dealing with.

o Before you share any personal information, confirm that you are dealing with a legitimate organization. Check an organization's website by typing its URL in the address line, rather than cutting and pasting it. Be cautious when responding to promotions. Identity thieves may create phony promotional offers to get you to give them your personal information.

Going Out;

o Carry only the identification information and the credit and debit cards that you'll actually need when you go out. Don't carry your social security card with you unless you expect to need it.

Should I buy identity theft insurance?

Some companies offer insurance or similar products that claim to give you protection against the costs associated with resolving an identity theft case. Be aware that most creditors will only deal with you to resolve problems, so the insurance company in most cases will not be able to reduce that burden. As with any product or service, make sure you understand what you're getting before you buy. If you decide to buy an identity theft insurance product, check out the company with your local Better Business Bureau, consumer protection agency and state Attorney General to see if they have any complaints on file.

Conclusion: Be smart. If someone is asking for your personal information, anyone, including friends, acquaintances, companies, stores, websites, or anyone else, ask questions. Find out why they need this information, what they are going to do with it, how long do they keep it stored, who they share it with, and how can you be sure it is going to be kept secure.

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For more information about how to obtain credit cards, get credit reports, reduce credit card debt, or prevent Identity Theft, go to [http://creditcards.youngparentsmagazine.com]. Jennifer Tarzian also has a lot of other important information at http://www.youngparentsmagazine.com for young parents. Chris McElroy has been an advocate for consumer rights on the Internet since 1995 and also runs a missing children's organization at [http://www.kidsearchnetwork.org]

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Prevent-Identity-Theft-From-Happening-to-You&id=124487] Prevent Identity Theft From Happening to You

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Preventing Identity Theft - What You Need to Know
By Colin McDougall

Identity theft is one of the fast growing crimes in America today. It is difficult to catch identity thieves since they are lurking everywhere. You must take action to protect yourself on a daily basis from this crime. Here we have provided you with tips to prevent yourself from becoming a victim.

The following scenerio happens to millions every year. You have built up years worth of good credit history and you are shocked when you receive a call from a credit card company demanding that you pay past due accounts for purchases you didn't make.

You argue that it wasn't you but to no avail, your credit rating is damaged and it can take you years to get it back into good standing. This is the reality of the victims of identity theft.

Identity theft is a growing problem for both financial institutions and consumers alike. There are two types of identity theft; the first type occurs when a thief manages to acquire your SSN number and other pertinent information and actually opens up new accounts registered in your name. This type of theft is the more difficult one to detect as statements from the fraudulent accounts are mailed to the impostor and not you.

The second type of theft occurs when a thief gets a hold of you account information and empties as much of your money from your bank accounts as they can and rack up your credit cards as fast as they can before you find out. This type of theft is usually detected by the victim when they receive and review their monthly bank and credit card statements.

Although there is no way to prevent identity theft there are steps that you can take to make yourself less vulnerable to such attacks.

Protect access to personal Information

1. Do not carry your SSN card in your wallet unless you need it that day.

2. Do not carry any ID such as your birth certificate or passport unless it is required to do so that day.

3. Do not carry extra credit cards that you rarely use.

4. Contact credit-reporting bureaus and remove your name from their marking call lists. This will reduce the number of pre approved credit offerings that you will receive. Thieves intercept these cards in the mail, and activate them.

Restrict The Use of Your Social Security Number

Your Social Security number (SSN) should be guarded at all times. If a thief obtains this number they would gain access to all of your banking and credit card information.

1. Be wary of application forms that require your SSN. Ask if you can provide alternate information such as your driver's licence number. Find out what their policy is on guarding the information that they are requesting. If possible ask to speak with someone in charge and discuss your concerns with releasing your SSN. If they don't answer your questions to your satisfaction then avoid doing business with them.

2. Avoid carrying your SSN card with you in your wallet. Take it out of safe keeping only when you know that you are going to need it that day.

3. When using checks to make a purchase or when cashing a check do let the merchant write your SSN on the check. Once the check is out of your site anyone can copy it.

4. If possible it is best that you commit your SSN to memory.

5. Do not have your driver licence number or SSN printed on your checks.

Creating and Protecting Pins and Passwords

1. Most people use their mother's maiden name a pet's name their birth date or consecutive numbers when creating personal identification numbers (PINS). This is a common mistake as thieves are schooled in the art of finding out such information about their victims.

2. Use the first letters of the names of your favorite songs or the first initials of your favorite high school teachers, something that is easy to remember but difficult for someone to anticipate.

3. Commit your PIN number to memory. If your purse or wallet is stolen thieves are sure to find it if you have it written down inside somewhere.

4. Be sure to cover the ATM keypad with your hand to prevent someone from looking over your shoulder and prevent video cameras from being able to record your PIN.

Protecting your Credit Card Numbers

1. Never leave your credit card receipts at a business, always take them with you. Be sure to place them in your pocket or in your purse or wallet. Don't leave them in the bag and make sure they don't go into a public garbage container.

2. Keep a watchful eye on how a teller swipes your credit card. Be sure that it isn't swipe on two separate processing machines. Thieves pay dishonest store clerks to record customer credit card information on skimming machines.

3. Don't carry more credit cards than you require for that day's worth of transactions.

4. Make photocopies of you credit cards in a safe place in your home. If your credit cards are stolen you can quickly and report the numbers to the credit card companies.

5. If you are expecting a new credit card in the mail be sure to notify the credit card company if it is late arriving to you.

6. Monitor your monthly statements for any unrecognized purchases.

7. At least once year obtain a copy of your credit report.

8. Shred all credit card statements before disposing of them in your household garbage. Thieves can gain access to your garbage at the curb or at the dump.

Internet Safety

1. Only use websites that provide secure transaction protection.

2. Beware of phoney websites also known as "phishing sites" they will look as if they are from your bank or other legitimate sites such as ebay. They will send you an email requesting that you respond to them.

3. Make sure that you install a firewall to prevent intruders from entering your hard drive and stealing your credit information.

4. Make sure that you have virus protection and keep it updated to keep your information safe from be sent out in a corrupt email program.

5. When disposing of an old computer use a program specifically designed to remove all of your old files. Deleting them will not be good enough to remove them from your hard drive.

Colin McDougall is the editor in chief for the website [http://www.crediteria.com/]Crediteria.com. The site is devoted to helping consumers with all financial matters including the prevention of identity theft. Idenitity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the country and you need to ensure you protect yourself starting today.

Read our review of an identity theft prevention service, Lifelock [http://www.crediteria.com/IdentityTheft/LifeLock.htm], that millions of Americans use everyday to protect their good name.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Preventing-Identity-Theft---What-You-Need-to-Know&id=957540] Preventing Identity Theft - What You Need to Know

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