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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Can national identity card help prevent identity theft

Will a National ID Card Prevent Identity Theft?
By Robert Siciliano

In a word, no. By itself, a national ID card will not prevent all forms of identity theft. However, if a number of other factors come into play that will effectively associate the credited with credit...
In a word, no. By itself, a national ID card will not prevent all forms of identity theft. However, if a number of other factors come into play that will effectively associate the credited with credit, meaning there is a factual amount of accountability through identity proofing, then yes, new account fraud as it relates to identity theft can be averted.

The same can be said to prevent medical identity theft and criminal identity theft, but again there needs to be effective identity proofing. Identity proofing means proving identity, that someone is who they say they are.  There are few ways to do this and much of identity proofing begins with knowledge based authenticating questions coupled with documentation that may work towards verifying who is who. Once a person is proofed, a biometric feature such as a finger print or iris scan may be captured. Effectively authenticating.

For example; when in the process of proofing numerous questions may be answered that only the actual person would know, like the name of a first grade teacher or the make and model of a first vehicle. This is not fool proof, and with the internet and information being so readily available, knowledge based authentication may be extinct in less than 5 years. Next would be a copy of a utility bill or mortgage statement. While these can certainly be extracted from the trash, the combination of a knowledge based question along with proving documents begin to proof who is who. Once this process is complete, then a biometric is captured.

There is also identity scoring which is a very effective identity proofing method.

An identity score is a system for tagging and verifying the legitimacy of an individual's public identity. Identity scores are increasingly being adopted as a means to prevent fraud in business and as a tool to verify and correct public records.

Identity scores incorporate a broad set of consumer data that gauges a person's legitimacy. Identity score components can include (but are not limited to) personal Identifiers , public records, Internet data, government records, corporatedata, predicted behavior patterns based on empiric data, self-assessed behavior patterns, and credit records.

USA Today reports Four years have passed since Congress enacted a national ID law, the Real ID Act, which will make it tougher to obtain a driver's license fraudulently. Real ID has languished due to states fighting the Act for various reasons including its too expensive.  Proponents of Real ID say it will not only to deter terrorism but also to reduce identity theft, curb illegal immigration and reduce underage drinking, all by making the nation's identification-of-choice more secure.

Former Dept of , Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff stated; "I'm going to submit to you that in the 21st Century, the most important asset that we have to protect as individuals and as part of our nation is the control of our identity, who we are, how we identify ourselves, whether other people are permitted to masquerade and pretend to be us, and thereby damage our livelihood, damage our assets, damage our reputation, damage our standing in our community."

Now, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who previously was governor of Arizona, is proposing to junk Real ID.

Real ID has many provisions that are forms of identity proofing along with the potential for biometrics across the board. When the state of Indiana checked its 6 million drivers against a Social Security database, it ended up invalidating 19,000 licenses that didn't match. When it began using "facial recognition" technology to make its photos secure, the state caught a man who had 149 licenses with the same photo but different names.

Is Napolitano moving backwards or forwards? Do your research and decide for yourself.

Protect yourself from identity theft;

1. Get a credit freeze. Go online now and search "credit freeze" or "security freeze" and go to consumersunion.org and follow the steps for the state you live in. This is an absolutely necessary tool to secure your credit. In most cases it prevents new accounts from being opened in your name.

2. Invest in Identity Protection. While not all forms of identity theft can be prevented, you can effectively manage your personal identifying information by knowing what's buzzing out there in regards to YOU.

Includes;

Personal Identity Profile - Find out if you're at risk for identity theft with a detailed report of your identity information, including a current credit report, address history, aliases, and more.

24/7 Identity Monitoring and Alerts - Prevent identity theft with automatic monitoring that scans billions of public records daily and alerts you to suspicious activity.

Identity Recovery Assistance - Let professionals help you recover your identity if you ever become a victim of identity theft.

Robert Siciliano [http://IDTheftSecurity.com]http://IDTheftSecurity.com.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Will-a-National-ID-Card-Prevent-Identity-Theft?&id=2850645] Will a National ID Card Prevent Identity Theft?

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prevent online identity information theft

Preventing Identity Theft
By Joseph L Ryan

The best protection against identity theft, without doubt, is identity theft prevention. A recent article in USA Today shows how identity theft can happen. An identity theft ring hacked into Marshall Department Store's main computer and stole thousands of credit card numbers. The ring members then traveled throughout Florida using these stolen credit card numbers to charge high-value merchandise at stores like WalMart.

They then sold the merchandise to "fences," or even more brazenly, returned the merchandise to WalMart stores for a cash refund. A WalMart clerk got suspicious and called store security, which contacted police. The ring members are now all serving long sentences in the slammer.

But the more important point is, if you've ever shopped at Marshall's you could have found yourself with credit card bills for many thousands of dollars of merchandise you never purchased. What a gigantic headache! True, you wouldn't be legally responsible for those fraudulent purchases. Nevertheless, your credit record would be quite a mess for a long time.

Clearly - notwithstanding some recent legislation - identity theft is the crime that's probably most likely to happen to you. It's simply too easy for crooks to get hold of credit card numbers and social security numbers these days. In this report I'll briefly discuss how identity theft happens, what to do if it happens to you, and also mention a few important self-protection measures.

Identity Theft Defined

Identity theft doesn't usually mean somebody steals your identity and then goes off to a faraway place and lives his/her life impersonating you and running up bills in your name. It could mean that, but that is extremely rare. Most commonly, it just means somebody runs up bills using your credit card or credit rating. Sometimes a lot of bills. There have even been cases of identity thieves taking out house mortgages under somebody else's name, and then flipping (re-selling) the house.

Two Types of Identity Thieves

There are two main types of identity thieves, namely identity theft rings and individual identity thieves.

Identity theft rings resemble little Mafias with a boss and a group of underlings who do the more risky tasks, such as setting up credit accounts and going into retail stores to purchase merchandise using fake credit cards. (Many rings actually manufacture valid-appearing credit cards, or hire specialists to do it for them.)

Typically identity theft rings use hit-and-run tactics, working in a fixed location for a few months then disappearing.

The other type of identity thief is the lone individual who is trying to upgrade his/her standard of living by credit card fraud. Usually, this type of identity thief will not make quite as much of a train-wreck of your credit standing as the identity theft ring. Even so you may find yourself spending many hours trying to fix it.

Needless to say, both types of identity thieves - the rings and the individuals - usually target high-income individuals. Anyone with an expensive car, home, or high-paying job is a more-likely target. Unfortunately, your social security number can be just about as easy to get these days as your phone number. All a crook needs is an account with an information broker online and your name and address. Then, given your social security number and a little additional information like your date of birth (which is also pretty easy to find online), the identity thief can set up all kinds of charge accounts in your name, arranging to have the bills sent to a phony address so that it will take longer for you to catch on to what's happening.

But not all identity theft stems from online information brokers giving out social security numbers. In fact experts say only a very small fraction of it does. Most often, thieves directly steal credit card numbers, like the ring that I mentioned above which operated in Florida. On a smaller scale, a thief working as a waiter or clerk may steal your credit card number or possibly your whole purse or wallet.

In any case, it can escalate from a major nuisance to a major crisis if the identity thief commits a crime while impersonating you, possibly by means of a fake driver's license or other forged document. Should he/she be charged and then fail to appear in court, you could find yourself under arrest and charged with the crime or other offense.

If It Happens To You

If you receive bills for merchandise/services you didn't buy, or get a call from a merchant complaining about a bill you didn't pay for something you didn't order, you're very probably facing identity theft. Here's the process you should follow. Note: You might also wish to read the FTC's webpage (ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft) on this topic.

First, get as much information as you can from the merchant, such as when the purchase took place, type of credit used (credit line or credit card), account number, monetary amount, where the bills were sent, and if a credit application was filled out (if so, get a copy of it). Explain to the merchant that you've been a victim of identity theft - always use that term, "identity theft" - and request that he not report the bill to the credit bureau in your name.

Second, contact one of the three major credit bureaus and tell them to put a fraud alert on your credit reports. This prevents the identity thief from opening more accounts in your name. You only need to contact one of the three credit bureaus to place the alert, since whichever one you notify will then alert the other two as well. The credit bureaus are:

Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian: 1-888-387-3742

Have the credit bureau representative send you a copy of your credit report (this should be free). Then study it carefully and look for fraudulent charges. Close all accounts you think have been tampered with and write a letter to those merchants explaining that you have been a victim of identity theft. (Note: don't mail the letters yet. You should enclose a copy of your police report; see below.)

Third, take your credit report to your local police department and file a formal police report. Always keep this report with you in the event you ever find yourself charged with a crime committed by the identity thief. Incidentally, your local police department tells you they don't accept reports for identity theft tell them you wish to file a "Miscellaneous Incidents" report. As an alternative you can file your report with the State Police.

Fourth, visit your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and inform them that you have been a victim of identity theft. Request a new drivers license with a new drivers license number.

Fifth, try to find out if there are any currently pending criminal or civil actions against you. I suggest using online service US Search.com as a quick, reliable source for this type of information. If you do find court judgments against you should then write a letter to the court explaining that you have been a victim of an identity thief (enclosing a copy of your police report) and ask that the judgment be vacated.

Sixth, contact the U.S. Department of State (again, including a copy of your police report) and ask that they confirm that a passport has not been recently issued in your name. If one has, ask that it be canceled immediately. The address to write to is:

U.S. State Department Attn: Passport Services
1111 19th St., NW, Suite. 500
Washington DC 20522

Preventing Identity Theft

A hundred percent identity theft prevention doesn't exist. There's no surefire way to completely protect yourself against identity theft - but there are some things you can do to make it less likely you'll be targeted.

1. Take steps to make your social security number a little harder for identity thieves to obtain. As said, identity thieves can easily obtain your SSN if they know your name and address. So why not make it harder for them to get your address in the first place? You can do this by using a post office box number on all credit applications and other types of forms which will become public information, such as registration records.

2. Try to keep your telephone number out of general circulation. Why? Because once somebody knows your telephone number, they can use a "reverse directory" on the Internet to easily obtain your home address.

3. Always use personal checks only for by-mail bill paying, never for day-to-day, in-person purchases. Your personal checks contain identifying information about your bank account plus your personal signature. So it's much safer to use a credit card or debit card.

4. Get your name removed from "pre-screening" programs (marketing services offered by the three credit bureaus). Whenever you get a credit card offer in the mail, it's because your name and address appeared on a pre-screening list, which contains only credit-worthy individuals. But these lists are commonly used by identity theft rings to target potential victims. To get removed from such lists of all major credit bureaus, call 888-567-8688 and inform the clerk that you wish to be removed from all pre-screening programs.

Joseph Ryan is editor of Web Search Guides ([http://www.websearchguides.com])

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Preventing-Identity-Theft&id=1512031] Preventing Identity Theft

identity theft, business, finance, women, society

simple steps you can take to prevent online identity theft

What You Can Do To Prevent Identity Theft
By Jon Arnold

The small steps you need to take to make yourself a less likely target for identity theft are a no-brainer tradeoff to the amount of personal time it will take you to straighten out the mess that will be present if you are a victim.  Follow these steps starting today and don't make yourself an easy target.
 

A one hundred percent foolproof method of preventing identity theft does not exist and probably never will.  But you absolutely need to take some safeguards that if nothing else, will not make you an easy target to becoming a victim of identity theft.  ID theft is not pleasant, and if it occurs to you, you will end up spending countless hours of time for months to get it corrected, possibly also including some respectable legal fees, not to mention the damage to your reputation and credit report, so while the safeguards may be inconvenient, they are well worth your time to implement.

Many people would think that some sort of email or computer-based solution is the best place to start, but in reality, a large percentage of identity theft is accomplished with nothing more than a watchful eye and some sticky fingers.  Identity theft has become an all too common problem in the last couple of years, and is said by multiple studies to be one of the fastest growing crimes of this decade. 

Be fully aware that identity theft is not limited to your Internet or surfing activities.  In fact, studies have shown that people who routinely use services like online banking and online bill paying services (from reputable sites) are actually found to be LESS likely targets for this, since people who use such services are more careful with their personal identification information than Joe Average.

Basically what happens is simply that someone gets some of your personal information, enough so that they can open accounts, get credit cards or loans, and open those accounts in your name, obviously without your knowledge of it.  Think about it, what information is required to open a department store credit card or apply for a Visa or Mastercard?  Name, address, phone number, social security number or drivers license number.  With people moving around today, with other information intact, many credit issuers will not have a problem with a new account application showing a different address and different phone number than what the credit bureau reports.  This is especially true because it is well known that credit bureau information is not very accurate, and in fact, the majority of consumers have ERRORS in their credit reports.

Keeping a close eye on your credit report should also be a part of your routine, making sure the information there is accurate, especially knowing that it probably is NOT accurate and will not get changed unless you initiate the change.  For more information about winning your disputes with the credit bureaus and improving your credit score, you may wish to visit [http://www.credit-help-center.com]Improving Your Credit Score for more detailed information.

So you only find out that you have become a victim of identity theft because some creditor that you have never heard of is calling you at work to ask when you intend to start making payments on your account.  What a rude surprise!

The moral of the story is to be extremely careful with your personal information.  This is particularly true of government issued identification numbers such as your driver's license number and your social security number.  How frequently do you get offers in the mail about being pre-approved for a new credit card?  If you are like most people, you probably get several of these every month.  What do you do with them?  Do you simply throw them in the trash, perhaps ripping them in half first?  Most people do exactly that, but the information is still very readily available to anyone who has the inclination to go through people's trash looking for exactly this type of information.  You will probably never get away from the junk mail, but for under $50, you can get a paper shredder at virtually any office supply store, and then put those offers through that shredder.

Anything you can do to safeguard your personal information makes it far less likely that you will become a target for identity theft.  When you think of the small investment in a shredder and the bit of extra time to ensure that you properly dispose of such information, compared against the MONTHS of personal time required to straighten out a mess if you are a victim, the tradeoff is more than worth it.

Jon is a computer engineer who maintains web sites on a variety of topics based on his knowledge and experience. You can read more about Preventing Identity Theft at his web site at Prevent Identity Theft [http://www.identity-theft-info.com/].

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