Americans are more concerned about identity theft than unemployment or corporate fraud, according to a survey of 2,000 people conducted by Star Systems.
Nine out of ten Americans demand new federal legislation, while two-thirds say the financial services industry needs to do a better job of verifying the identity of customers who open bank accounts (66 percent) and credit card accounts (72 percent).
Some 5.6 percent of respondents reported being victims of identity theft, which translates to 12 million people. When debit and credit card fraud and identity theft were combined, close to 15.9 percent of consumers say they have been the victim of one of these crimes. (Source: Star Systems, 2003)
For most of us, using your debit or credit card to make a purchase has become an every day aspect of life. Many of us do it every day and feel safe in doing so.
But it is far from safe. People with your debit or credit card information may make purchases with your card information over the telephone, via the Internet, or at a local retail store.
As we moved to a cashless system of transactions by debit or credit card, a relatively simple crime niche has grown ? identity theft and fraud.
Some law enforcement authorities are not pursuing the crime in a coordinated and cooperative fashion. Thus, a situation has grown that affords the people who perpetrate such acts of theft and fraud, act with a degree of confidents that they will not get caught.
What can you do to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of identity theft or fraud?
Here is a list of actions that you can take to avoid becoming a victim of identity crimes.
1. Never throw receipts or statements away that have personal information on them. The trash is the greatest repository of information for the identity thief. Even better, shred everything that has identifying information on it (transaction receipts, etc.).
2. Pay to have an unlisted telephone number in your local telephone directory.
3. Take as much identification off of your personal checks and driver's license as possible. Thus, no home addresses, phone numbers, or social security numbers on personal checks. Last only your last name and first initial rather than your full name. You want a retail clerk to check your ID when you are cashing a check.
Most states now provide a photo ID on all new automobile drivers licenses issued. If you do not have one, conceder getting your licenses renewed now to get a photo ID for identification purposes. Do not put your social security number on your driver's license.
4. Check your bank accounts for suspicious activity everyday, this can be done online via the Internet.
5. Have your middle initial removed from all public documentation if possible. Middle initials help identity thieves narrow down their searches for victims.
6. If someone calls you asking for your personal information on the telephone ? do not provide any personal information to anyone over the phone.
7. Don't leave your mail out overnight. If you will be away from home for any period of time: have your home mail delivery stopped. If possible, secure a locked mail box at your local post office or a retail store mail box service for your home mail delivery.
If you go on vacation, have your mail and newspaper delivery stopped and arrange to have your yard maintained. Include the post office, newspaper service, and your friends or neighbors to insure that your home looks as if it is occupied while you are gone.
For a checklist for your home security while you are away see ? www.ProtectionConnect.com/homesecuritychecklist.html or www.ProtectionConnect.com/sitemap.html#home
8. Write "Check ID" on the back of your debit or credit cards next to your signature. In that way, when a retail store checks your signature on your card, they will verify that the card is being used by the proper individual.
9. Be aware of people standing too close to you and "shoulder surfing" you while you conduct your ATM transactions.
If you do become a victim of an identity crime ? do the following:
1. Demand to file a police report no matter how unwilling the law enforcement office may be. Make sure to get a copy or at least the report number.
2. In the case of card fraud, make sure to cancel your card and report it as stolen to your credit card company as soon as you find out.
Immediately, fill out affidavits with the appropriate financial institution denying that you were the one who made the relevant purchases. In most cases, the banks will respond with up to a 30-day process that requires the businesses that accepted the fraudulent transactions to repay the banks.
3. Report the fraud to the three major credit bureaus:
* TransUnion
Post Office Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022
* Equifax
Equifax Equifax Credit Information Services, Inc
Post Office Box 740241
Atlanta, GA 30374
1.888.766.0008
* Experian
Consumer Information
Post Office Box 1909
Orange, CA 92865
4. The U.S. Secret Service handles fraud cases that cross state borders. If you know that your case applies, contact their local office to make them aware of your case. If it is part of a broader fraud case, you may be contacted by an agent.
5. You can also fill out a complaint form with the Federal Trade Commission, although this is strictly used to track national identity theft statistics.
Copyright Steven Presar
About The Author
Steven Presar is a recognized small business technology coach, Internet publisher, author, speaker, and trainer. He provides personal, home, and computer security solutions at www.ProtectionConnect.com. He provides business software reviews at www.OnlineSoftwareGuide.com. In addition, he publishes articles for starting and running a small business at www.abcResults.com. Be sure to sign-up for the SOHO newsletter.
Having a damaging credit record can hurt you in many... Read More
There are a couple of reasons for this. You can... Read More
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. According... Read More
You can stop receiving credit card offers in the mail!... Read More
This summary of the Fair Credit Reporting Act will explain... Read More
For those of us who know how to use them... Read More
Credit counseling is an option you might want to consider... Read More
Most of us get a credit card on our name... Read More
Bad Debt IdentificationIdentifying bad debt is not as easy as... Read More
Online credit reports are easily accessible to those interested in... Read More
I AM THE CONSUMER. AND I HAVE LOW-RATE SUPER-POWERS!Note: The... Read More
Just when most people finish with school and can stop... Read More
Make Money from StoozingStoozing, this is a sophisticated method of... Read More
As a young student I feared getting bad grades because... Read More
Credit needed for real estate mortgage financing differs from credit... Read More
You've decided to apply for a Citi MasterCard, but with... Read More
Credit is currently and has been historically an integral component... Read More
Establishing credit is one of the most important things you... Read More
In my previous article "Establishing Credit ? What You Need... Read More
There are many of us that have been badly stung... Read More
Credit Counseling and bankruptcy are both ways to relieve the... Read More
Credit and charge card fraud costs cardholders and issuers hundreds... Read More
It wasn't all that long ago that lenders blatantly discriminated... Read More
The first time I heard the term credit history was... Read More
It is estimated that billions of dollars in delinquent commercial... Read More
A "rate tart" is someone who switches from one zero... Read More
Paying a credit card late fee is the same as... Read More
Help! I've Been Turned DownYou received an envelope in the... Read More
"I think money was stolen from my card" or "I... Read More
One of the great mysteries of life is how the... Read More
It's the number one source of consumer complaints at the... Read More
Whether you are aware of it or not, credit bureaus... Read More
Having a better credit score not only represents easier access... Read More
With interest rates rising, low or zero percent credit cards... Read More
Credit score is one of the most basic, determining factor... Read More
Here's a dirty secret, today's "non profit credit counselors" are... Read More
The recent security breach at credit card processor CardSystems Solutions... Read More
When you are deciding what type of credit card to... Read More
A recent amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act... Read More
Building a good credit history is important. If you have... Read More
Your credit file may not reflect all your credit accounts.... Read More
If you're like most people, you probably own at least... Read More
Secured and unsecured debt - what's the difference?It's easy to... Read More
Credit cards can be a very quick way of getting... Read More
These five debt negotiation facts along with a few debt... Read More
According to the September 2004 issue of the Nilson Report,... Read More
"Erase Bad Debt !""Remove Negative Items From Your Credit Report"You've... Read More
With identity theft statistics currently at an all time high,... Read More
You might not know it, but every time you take... Read More
The credit industry if rife with pitfalls. If you have... Read More
If you are married, establish separate credit accounts.Try to finance... Read More
If you were to tell someone that they can have... Read More
The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and Trans Union... Read More
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, collectors are not... Read More
There is no end to the amount of pain that... Read More
Because most of us have one or two credit cards... Read More
No doubt, you've probably gotten literally hundreds of credit card... Read More
A consumer credit report is a factual record of an... Read More
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, according... Read More
There's only one way to discover the "health" of your... Read More
If you opened a credit card statement recently and were... Read More
You probably don't need me to tell you credit cards... Read More
FREE credit checks or free credit reports. What are they... Read More
A credit card allows you to buy things even though... Read More
What is a balance transfer?A balance transfer can be explained... Read More
About Search Entries:Every time a lender checks your credit history... Read More
Credit |