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

---

Do You Know The Top Five Credit Card Mistakes?

When you're dealing with credit cards, you're playing with fire.... Read More

Common Credit Score Myths

A lot of credit score myths about fico score ratings... Read More

Free Credit Reports Now Available From the FTC

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has set up a new... Read More

Give Yourself Credit

The Beginning of the Credit Card EraIn 1951, Diners Club... Read More

Know Your Credit Card Rights

When you apply for a credit card, the application that... Read More

Top 5 Reasons To Check Your Credit Report Regularly

#1 Make sure mistakes aren't hurting your credit.Reviewing your credit... Read More

Sound Advice For First Time Credit Card Users

If you are just entering the world of credit cards,... Read More

Credit Reports ? Why Your Credit Score is Important

If you have never heard of a FICO score before,... Read More

4 Steps to Creating Good Credit

As a consumer you've learned the importance of establishing a... Read More

Convenience Can Be Costly

You've just opened your credit card bill and attached to... Read More

Finding Reputable Credit Card Companies

You're interested in getting the best credit cards for your... Read More

Student Credit Cards 101

If you're a college student, you probably already have a... Read More

Dont Trade Your Future for Todays DooDads

"Easy Low Down Monthly Payment," "Buy Now Pay Later," "You... Read More

Good Credit Is Not A Good Reason To Borrow More Money After Youve Achieved Financial Freedom

The most important thing for you to remember is that... Read More

What Are The Most Common Credit Card Mistakes?

Now in a world with so many easy to get... Read More

Are 0% Credit Cards Reaching Their End?

Are Credit Card companies starting to feel the pinch? We... Read More

Why Consumers Need a Nationwide Credit Freeze NOW

What do a shoe retailer, an online discount broker, and... Read More

Discover the Parts of a Credit Report and What They Mean

So you ordered a copy of your credit report to... Read More

Credit and Banking Money Saving Services

The first rule when applying for banking and credit services... Read More

Credit Traps Snag Consumers

Nearly 20 years ago I worked for a small consumer... Read More

Understanding Credit Card Penalties

Because most of us have one or two credit cards... Read More

Identity Theft : They Got Him

His hard earned money? Gone. Creditors on his back everyday.... Read More

5 Ways To Prevent Credit Card Late Fees

Paying a credit card late fee is the same as... Read More

Establishing Credit ? What You Need To Know Part 1

Establishing credit is one of the most important things you... Read More

Identity Theft ? Monitor Your Credit Report

The recent security breach at credit card processor CardSystems Solutions... Read More

Credit Repair Services vs. Do-It-Yourself Credit Repair

Millions of Americans suffer because of bad credit these days,... Read More

Looking for that Low interest Credit Card?

If you have been shopping around for a Low Interest... Read More

Like It Or Not, You Have A Score To Settle! Part 1

Just when most people finish with school and can stop... Read More

Keep Your Credit History Clean - Remove A Negative Credit Record From Credit Report

The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and Trans Union... Read More

Building A Credit Report Lenders Will Love You For

Will lenders really love you for having a good credit... Read More

All You Wanted to Know of Bad Credit

Martin Henderson is in a fix these days. Because of... Read More

Credit cards

If gold medals were awarded for marketing consistency, the credit... Read More

Like It Or Not, You Have A Score To Settle!

Like It Or Not, You Have A Score To Settle!... Read More