Identity Theft: The G.I. Blues

Tom Nelson retired from the military almost twenty years ago. In that time, Nelson has spent many years living and working overseas. ?If my VA ID is fraudulently used by someone in the States, one: it could take me months to find out the theft has occurred and two: if it did happen God knows how long it would require to fix it from overseas?, Nelson told the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

On May 22 Nelson and 26.5 million U.S. veterans awoke to the news their personal information including name, address and social security number had been stolen from the home of a Department of Veteran Affairs? employee.

Why the employee took this highly sensitive information home is anyone?s guess and according to the FBI the computer disc containing this information was subsequently recovered. What infuriated veterans however wasn?t the actual theft but that the theft went unreported for two weeks.

The news is shocking yet many veterans groups are not surprised. They point to Congress? Computer Security Report Card which year after year has given the VA a failing grade. Government auditors also warned of possible security breaches at the agency. Through all of this the VA took no action.

VA Secretary Jim Nicholson?s recent proposal of free credit monitoring for veterans up to one year was shot down by the Bush Administration. According to the Washington Post the decision is based on the opinion of the FBI which stated it had a "high degree of confidence" that thieves had not accessed the files containing the names, Social Security numbers and birth dates of millions of veterans and active-duty military personnel. Hopefully they?re right but for many veterans its now a time of wait and see.

Veterans can however request a credit freeze. Yes it stops the victim from easily opening a new account but a credit freeze is the most effective weapon against identity theft. Checking your account every other day isn?t a bad idea either. For further information and assistance veterans can call 1-800-333-4636 (1-800-FED-INFO).

Peggy Foster, a veteran and VA services asst at the University of Colorado-Boulder, told the Colorado Daily,? It happened to me before and everything was stolen. Now I?m very cautious about giving my information out.?

?The government bombards us with so much in the military. It?s important when you?re a veteran to pay more attention.?

With the glut of information in our 24 /7 world, Ms Foster?s advice applies not only to military personnel but the rest of us as well.

Daryl Campbell?s website http://fightidtheft.winthemarket.com provides free tips,resources, featured articles from experts and up to the minute news concerning identity theft and fraud.

Identity Theft Awareness - Getting to Know This crime

Identity theft is on the rise. The starting point in the fight against identity theft is prevention. Major corporations are just starting to incorporate identity theft awareness into their overall security awareness programs to educate their employees, clients and vendors on the minimum security measures that must be and are expected to be taken. Like I always say, it is your information and only you can initiate the efforts and take the steps to protect them. Whether you are an individual concerned with the security and privacy of your own personal information or that of your family, or, a company concerned with the personal information of your clients and employees, you must have identity theft awareness and take the steps to educate yourself first, and then others who also handle your information. This could include your kids, your accountant, attorney, vendor, and a bunch of others.

Contrary to all beliefs, the information security and protection business is not an old profession. Information privacy is even in its infancy in my opinion. Take a look around; social security numbers are floating around every where from the doctor's office to the internet like they're piece of worthless junk, while the same social security numbers are heavily relied on to identify us. Businesses ask for our social security numbers, names, phone numbers, addresses, zip codes (interestingly enough, zip codes are used to validate our identity and ownership of the credit card we use at the gas pump), and other piece of information in public and expect us to respond back with the information while surrounded by other people.

Do we really believe that identity theft can be fought while we continue to treat and handle our personal and most valuable information in such manners? One of the information security principles is that, all information is not born equally. As a society, we need to determine what information is critical to us, and apply more stringent security measures to protect them.

If we rely on social security numbers as a main source of identity validation, then we must treat it differently than our home phone numbers. I have further described this philosophy in my identity protection system, KAOS?.

In a lot of the identity theft cases, the responsibility is shifted to the consumers for the time being. Besides a few laws that make identity theft a crime, or limit the credit card liability to $50 if discovered and reported timely, consumers are left in the dark. For one thing, they don't know what piece of their personal information is really important and how to protect them; second, if they get hit with identity theft, they are on their own and at the mercy of the financial institutions to solve their problem, the same institutions that are not held responsible for luring consumers into buying their products or falsely handing money to thieves who claimed to be you. People are lured into getting a bunch of credit cards or other credit accounts, forced to reveal their personal information in public, or enticed to apply for multiple mortgages or Home Equity Line of Credits (or HELOC) and left alone when hit with identity theft because businesses who lured the consumers into sharing their personal information with them in the first place, did not tell them that there is an increased and proportional risk with the number of times they share their information with others, or won't take responsibility when the crime occurs.

It all starts with identity theft awareness. Be aware of what's at stake, what needs to be protected, why and how. Take responsibility in case no one else does. Educate your family and friends about the risks of identity theft. Inquire and monitor the security practices of those whom you share your information with. Businesses are forced to share their privacy policies with you. Read them carefully and don't do business with those who do not make you comfortable with the way they intend to protect and share the information you entrust them with. Please visit www.identity-theft-awareness.com for free identity theft solutions.

Henry Bagdasarian is a certified information security, privacy and audit expert with many years of experience with major international companies. Nominated for Security Executive of The Year Award (2006). Created the identity protection and theft prevention KAOS system available free of charge on his identity theft web site, www.identity-theft-awareness.com.

Identity Theft Protection and Identity Theft Prevention

Identity theft is the growing national epidemic. There are literally hundreds of ways you can loose your all important credit ratings through identity theft, as it happens with a hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. There are more numbers of identity theft cases reported than there are robberies filed. Preventing identity theft is a simple matter of playing it safe. Identity theft protection relies on the old adverb better safe than sorry. Preventing identity theft is the key to identity theft protection. Here are certain guidelines for preventing identity theft and the 3 identity theft protection laws:

Identity theft protection Law # 1:

1. Protect your Social Security number and never say it aloud in a public place.

2. Never give out your SSN, credit or debit card number or other personal information over the phone, by mail, or on the Internet.

3. Never carry any card in your wallet that contains the Social Security number (SSN), unless required.

4. Always, take credit card receipts with you. Never toss them in a public trash container.

5. If the state of your residence uses the SSN as the driver's license number, it is strongly recommended that you contact your Department of Motor Vehicles and request a different number.

6. Never permit your SSN or driver's license number credit card number to be written onto your checks.

7. Do not have your SSN or driver's license number printed on your checks.

8. Ask your financial institutions to add extra identity theft protection to your account.

9. Shield your hand when using a bank ATM machine.

10. Always use a gel pen for issuing checks.

11. Never have new checks mailed to you.

12. Never leave envelopes containing your checks anywhere, when you pay bills.

13. When creating passwords and PINs, do not use any characters that relate to personnel information.

14. Never record anything in your wallet. Memorize all your passwords.

15. Carry minimum number of credit cards, debit cards and avoid carrying your birth certificate, Social Security card or passport in your wallet except when needed.

Identity theft protection Law # 2:

16. Be proactive and shield all your data in a safe place. Maintain a list and photocopies of all your credit cards, debit cards, bank accounts, and investments and telephone numbers of the customer services and fraud departments, in a locking cabinet or safe along with all your personal information and canceled checks.

17. Use credit cards instead of debit cards to shop online and automate as much bill-paying as possible from your checking account.

18. It is important that you install a locked mailbox at your residence for enhanced identity theft protection.

Identity theft protection Law # 3:

19. Review all your financial data as often as possible. Federal law entitles you the right to one free credit report each year from the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion; use it. If you are a victim of identity theft, your credit report will indicate that.

20. Look at your Social Security Personal Wages and Benefits, Approximate Statement each year to check for deception.

21. Review credit card, bank and phone statements, including cellular phone bills every month.

22. Maintain services of Identity Theft Protection and Recovery Company. Better safe than sorry.

23. Identity theft protection includes protecting your PC from hackers. Load some sort of blocking software on your home systems for preventing hackers to obtain personal confidential and financial data from your hard drive.

24. Update your anti-virus product, everyday.

25. Always protect your files through passwords that contain sensitive personal data.

26. If doing online transactions for shopping, only trust on companies that provide transaction security protection.

27. Never just delete files that contain personnel information, make sure to remove this data by using a strong "wipe" utility program.

28. Never respond to spam email messages.

With the emergence of new technologies, new markets and new jobs; thieves have found a new commodity to steal. Your identity is worth a lot of credit. Victims of identity theft have found it the hard way. Identity theft protection is the only means to be safe from the pain and anguish of having loans accredited to your name. Preventing identity theft requires a proactive approach. Better safe than sorry.

I have been writing for a long time but now i have started submitting it online.

Identity Theft - When It Happens To You

So, you've just realized that someone has stolen your identity and is racking up debt left and right, and you want to put a stop to it, but you don't know what to do. Well, keep reading, because in this article you will learn exactly what to do when you are a victim of identity theft. Once you have absorbed this information, act quickly, because the sooner you start fighting for your identity, the sooner you will win.

You will probably receive a phone call from a creditor stating "you" just either made a large purchase and they suspect fraud or you open your credit card bill as you do every month and be amazed at some extra charges that are on there. Call your credit card company immediately. Rarely, will you be liable for charges over $50, and many credit card companies wave the first $50 in the case of fraud. Check with your bank, you will usually be given a choice to close your account and reopen a new one or some banks will put a "watch" on your account and you will have to log into your account and manually approve every charge and check before it is cleared. This usually goes on for a period of 30-60 days. The latter isn't the best choice as it is labor intensive to do and your account isn't protected from fraud as it would be if you simply closed it out and reopened a new account.

After you have done all the initial damage control. The next thing to do when you realize that you are a victim of identity theft is to notify the credit bureaus. Report the situation to the three major credit reporting companies- Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You can do it online or in writing, and you must tell these companies that your identifying information has been stolen and is being used by another person fraudulently in your name. Ask them to flag your file with a fraud alert, and ask that all creditors call you before extending credit in your name. A consumer statement will be put on your file and it will alleviate your fears of bogus accounts being opened for about 3 months.

Due to provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you can only place an initial fraud alert for 90 days. The credit bureaus will then send you a notice displaying your rights as an identity theft victim. As soon you receive this, write to each of the three credit bureaus to request two things; An extension of the fraud alert to seven years, and a free copy of your credit report. Remember to include an identity theft report when you send your letter in order to authorize the seven year alert. Whenever you communicate with the credit companies, you should refer to the number given to your credit report and always use verified return receipt mail. Also, make sure you save all credit reports and related information for your records.

As soon as you get your three credit reports, carefully examine each one. Report all fraudulent and inaccurate information in writing to the credit bureaus, as well as to the credit issuers, following the instructions that are provided with the credit reports. As soon as you notify the credit bureaus about the fraudulent information, the bureau is required to strike that information from future reports. The bureau will also notify the credit grantor of the fraudulent account(s). If it isn't included in the report, ask the credit bureaus for the contact information of the credit grantors.

Also, tell the credit bureaus in writing that you want them to remove all inquiries that have been created due to fraudulent access. You should also ask the bureaus to contact anyone who has received your credit report in the last six months so they can be informed about the fraudulent and inaccurate information. Numerous inquiries can lower your credit score, so work diligently on getting those inquiries removed from your personal credit report.

Though these measures should set you back on track and protect your credit from the fraudulent information, they may not completely stop it from happening again. Because of this, be sure to monitor your credit reports, there are many online services that will help you monitor your credit report. We recommend Experian Triple Advantage. Along with getting your credit report online with credit score, you also get 30 days free credit monitoring service. With this service you can start the dispute process online! Often times, once you have started the process you will be able to obtain a second free report from the credit bureaus, and in many states you will be able to access your credit report more frequently. If you notice that the fraudulent information is still happening, notify the proper bureaus instantly. If the problem persists for very long, you may want to consider freezing your accounts for awhile if possible to prevent any more damage.

Identity theft is an unfortunate event when it occurs, but you can fight back and get your life back quickly!
Liz Roberts is a loan consultant with New Horizon and has been providing consumers and business owners with loans since 1989. Visit this site for a list of bad credit credit cards

Identity Theft On The Rise

North America?s fastest growing crime does not involve guns, or even physical violence. Today?s criminals have a new weapon of choice: your personal information. Committing identity theft is as easy as obtaining the right information and fraudulently using the data for personal advantage. It is a simple but personally and financially devastating process.

Identity theft occurs when a person obtains and uses another?s personal data for purposes of fraud or deception. In most cases, identity theft allows the perpetrator to benefit financially through gain of money, goods or services. Names, birth dates, social security numbers and driver?s license numbers are the most frequents types of stolen data. In extreme and cruel cases, financial identities are taken via credit card, bank accounts and telephone cards.

It is important to note the contrast of identity theft to more traditional fraudulent activities. Unlike fingerprints that cannot be easily copied or stolen, thieves can easily obtain and profit from your personal information. In many cases, victims are not aware that their identity has been stolen until months or even years later.

The consequences faced by identity theft victims can be quite devastating. Those who have fallen victim to identity theft may have to close or repair bad credit accounts, or open new accounts. In addition to the time required to repair your damaged credit, you may also need to obtain the funds to pay accumulated debts.

Until the debts are paid and your name is cleared, you may be denied jobs, loans, education, housing and transportation. In worst-case scenarios, victims of identity theft have been arrested for crimes they were not aware of, and certainly did not commit. Identity theft leaves another long lasting, more personal affect. Thousands of identity theft victims have found that it can take years to recover from the trauma.

More and more people are reporting cases of identity theft and providing details of how they have fallen victim. These increased reports have caused the Federal Bureau of Investigation to conclude that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States alone. In 2002, 10 million people reported cases of identity theft. Over the past five years, an estimated 27.3 million Americans have been reported to be victims of this crime in its varying forms.

The federal government reports that identity theft is the second most reported crime. The staggering number of identity theft cases classifies it as a serious crime that is getting more and more rampant everyday. Counteractions have been in effect since the crime first became prevalent in the early 1970s. Thieves continue to commit this crime however, regardless of the severity of the consequences.

In addition to personal accounts, financial and business institutions have also been affected. Billions of dollars in losses have been attributed to identity theft.

There are two basic forms of identity theft. The most common form is when someone obtains and uses credit card information. The credit data may be initially lost or stolen, or the identity theft may occur due to the careless handling by an employee of a company where you made a credit card purchase. The second and more dangerous form of identity theft is when someone steals your identity, and opens credit card or cell phone accounts in your name. The criminal can also use your social security number when getting a job, or your driver?s license to obtain a duplicate copy.

Today?s ever advancing technology simplifies the act of committing identity fraud.

Internet communication tools allow criminals to devise new schemes and strategies. Additionally, identity theft can be planned and executed more easily online. To obtain a Social Security Number, thieves simply pay a fee to an information broker. Further, online databases hold address details, and an individual's mother's maiden name can be easily obtained through obituaries or public documents. Once the data has been collected and the identity theft occurs, any bills incurred by the criminal are sent to a different address. The victim will not be aware that the crime has occurred.

Your best defense against identity theft is having a clear understanding of the crime, and knowing how to prevent it. By staying alert and aware, you will decrease your chances of being among the millions of people who have suffered the consequences of identity theft.

Robert Johnson writes for several web sites, on family and family finance topics.

The Rise Of Credit Card Identity Theft

Personal identity theft is a huge runaway business made even easier with advances in computer technology. So far as credit cards are concerned, personal identity theft is now costing card issuer billions of dollars a year. To try and recoup some of these losses, card providers and now telling their customers that if they were in any way at fault in the theft of their identity, they could be comparable and liable for at least part of these losses. So, what exactly is credit card identity theft and how can you minimize it happening to you? Credit card identity theft

In short, credit card identity theft is when someone else manages to get access to your account. This can be done in one of three ways:

* firstly, and most obviously, they steal your actual card and use this card before you have had a chance to inform the provider. * second, the copy the details from your card and use the details to either make a new card to purchase items in shops or purchase items on the Internet. As you don't believe that the card has been stolen, you are not aware that the card is being used illegally and it may not be till your card is denied that you notice something is wrong * lastly, they neither steal the card, nor the details of your card but steal your Personal Identification Number (PIN) and then use that get access to large sums of cash. This rather clever method is used by way of copying your PIN details when you use an ATM to withdraw cash on your credit card. Again, as you are unaware that anything has happened, it takes sometime for the illicit use to come to your attention.

How to protect your identity

Basically, the only 100% way to protect your identity is to only use your credit card with people you know and trust. Unfortunately, that is not a realistic solution. Some of the following safety precautions, however, should be adopted:

* when you use you credit card in a shop, never agree to let the card go out of your sight; for example, if the attendant tells you they have to make a phone call in he backroom, tell then you are going with them * if the shop you use your card in uses the old carbon-copy paper system, never allow the shop to retain the carbon-copy. Take it with you and destroy it at a later date * never use your credit card on an unsecured website. At best the website should have an encrypted safety system, without which you should give serious thought to whether you should be using the services of another site * never use your credit card to withdraw money in an ATM you have not used previously. If you really need to withdraw money on your credit card, do so at the counter using the teller and not the ATM

If you adopt these minimal safety precautions you should be on your way to protecting your identity - and be less liable for any identity theft. One final consideration, given the choice between the Internet and shop, where would you think most identity theft occurs? If you choose the Internet you could be (currently) wrong - so be careful using your credit card in shops you don't know!

Joseph Kenny writes for the Loans Store and offer more information on personal loans and other loan topics available on site.
Visit today: http://www.ukpersonalloanstore.co.uk/

Selecting a Strong Password to prevent Identity Theft

Maintaining a secure computer is a good defense against becoming a victim of Identity Theft. Use a secure password. By secure, I mean a password that is not easily guessable, such as a word you may find in the dictionary. These types of passwords can ve found by someone using what is known as a "dictionary attack" This type of attack involves using the words that are found in the dictionary and comparing those to a hash that has been generated by the Operating System. If the attack matches the hashes, then the password has been compromised. Don't use birthdays or Social Security Numbers as well. It has been recommended that your password be at least 8 characters long, including small and capital letters, numbers, and special characters.

A password like "alphabet" can easily be compromised. If you were to change it up a little by making every other letter a capital, "AlPhAbEt", this will improve the security. You can then take it a step further and replace the "E" with the number "3", so then your password looks like "AlPhAb3t". Then take the "l" and change it to the number "1" or even the "!". So now the password looks like "A!PhAb3t". It will take a super computer an extremely long time to break this password. At this point the attacker would have to use a method known as "brute force". That means the attacker is taking every possible combination of numbers and letters and special characters and creating a hash to try and match the hash stored by the computer.

To prevent yourself from being subjected to a "brute force" attack, you can set up a security policy that will disable the account after a certain number of unsuccessful attempts.

To further prevent yourself from being compromised since there are programs that can download the hashes stored in your computer, you may want to set some kind of time limit for your passwords. A good example would be that the password would have to be changed every 90 days, and the same password can't be used within a 180 period. This will help ensure that if someone did get the hash of your password, that by the time it is compromised, it would be an obsolete password.

Try to check your logs to see if there have been any attempts on the password. This will certainly let you know if someone is looking at your computer in order to compromise the data that is stored on it.

By maintaining a secure password, you are ensuring that your private information will remain private.

For further information and tips, visit our site at www.whoelseisme.com

Founder of www.whoelseisme.com, we established a site to help those recover from Identity Theft and also how to prevent it from happening.

Think Twice About Identity Theft

If you think identity theft happens only to other people, think twice.

I woke up to that the reality that anyone could be a victim of identity theft when my son called and told me he was notified of suspicious activity on his credit card. He lives in California and the charges occurred in Washington, a state he had never visited before.

Identity theft happens when someone uses your personal information without your permission to commit a fraud crime. An identity thief needs only a small amount of personal information to make the crime happen. Often your first hint that your identity was stolen is when you start to get calls about overdue bills. When the calls stop that does not mean your identity has been restored. The thief may just be changing the address to where the bills are sent when he uses your credit card.

Identity theft refers to the theft of name badges, driver's licenses, social security numbers and other financial information.

If your social security number is stolen, you can place a "initial fraud alert" by calling one of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies:

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com; P.O. Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

If the theft involves your driver's license or other government ID, call the agency immediately to cancel the document and get a new one issued.

To help thwart identity theft use internet passwords with random letters and numbers. Using your mother's maiden name or even a pet's name is insecure.If you discover that you are an identity theft victim, call your credit card companies and cancel your credit cards immediately. Call your bank and discuss whether you should close any accounts there as well.

You can also monitor your personal credit report to spot incorrect information. Remember that fraudulent activity may not show up right away so it is good to monitor often. Here is one website where you can obtain a free credit report: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

Keep an eye out for missing bills and be suspicious if you receive a credit card you did not apply for. Another warning sign of identity theft is denial of a new credit card you applied for or more stringent terms on a new card.

Check out the Federal Trade Commission's ID Theft website for valuable information: http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/

Identity theft is definitely on the rise. In 2003 over 198,000 identity fraud complaints were issued. According to the latest government report in December 2005, identity theft complaints rose almost 30% to 255,000 complaints were made. In fact, identity theft complaints represented 37 percent of the 686,683 complaints filed.

Identity theft will probably never go away. Be smart and take precautions now to avoid a horrible experience in the future.

Greg Cryns is the founder of McHenry Online, http://www.mchenryonline.com , a website focused on information about McHenry County, Illinois. He is also the owner of http://www.getshredders.info where you can get information about paper shredders.

Greg Cryns is the founder of McHenry Online, http://www.mchenryonline.com , a website focused on information about McHenry County, Illinois. He is also the owner of http://www.getshredders.info where you can get information about paper shredders.

Credit Report and Identity Theft

Time to check your credit reports? Check your credit reports from the three main consumer credit reporting agencies.

A lot of people don???t understand the seriousness of taking the necessary precautions to prevent identity theft or fraudulent charges on their credit report,

The federal government passed a law that all credit reporting agencies provide one free credit report per year, per person. So it won???t cost a thing to access your credit report./
Once you receive your report, you can check for I.D. theft as well as bills that aren't yours.. So, if they have suspicious charges on their report they can take appropriate action as soon as possible.

Obtaining and carefully checking your credit report with safeguard you from identity theft .

You should obtain a credit report once a year to check for possible identity theftt and accuracy of your purchases. Your credit score will effect interest rates and even qualifying for loans, so don't be embaressed by a faulty score when obtaining a loan.

The three national credit bureaus are Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. Each produce the same numerical credit report score.

To obtain a copy of your credit report, you must provide the following in writing:
1) Full name, including any previous names
2) Current address
3) Previous address (if needed for five-year credit history)
4) Social Security number
5) Date of birth
6) Signature.




Remember, you are entitled to a free credit report once a year. Be vigilient, check for identity theft and inaccurate reporting.

Your credit report effects you in many ways, don't become an identity theft statistic.

 

Tips to Avoid Identity Theft

What is rampant, spreading like wildfire and can kill life as you know it? No, not a deadly virus (but close). Answer: Identity theft. My stepson, Aaron, was a victim of identity theft recently. Someone stole his bank cards, deposited fake checks into his account, then withdrew cash. The deposited fraudulent checks and overdraft charges hurt his credit, and he's slowly recovering and rebuilding his score.

Tips to avoid identity theft: 1. Buy a shredder. Aggressively protect your social security, credit card or bank numbers. 2. Use a lock-in mailbox. This isn't 100% safe, but it's much safer than one without a lock. 3. Protect your out-going mail. Get it into the box or the hands of a postal clerk. Heavily trafficked offices often have out-going mail in the entryway. While this may save time, it's not safe. 4. Keep receipts and compare to your statements when they come once a month. Banks make mistakes all the time. 5. Keep financial documents under lock and key (at the bank or in a home safe). 6. Don't give out your social security card--ever. 7. Know what's in your wallet. Do you know how many credit cards are in your wallet? 8. Don't discuss detailed financial information on a cordless or cell phone. That information can be intercepted. 9. Monitor your credit reports. You can sign up for a monitoring service or do it yourself periodically. Your credit is one of your assets, so protect it.

If someone steals your credit card information, get help from these reputable resources-- Federal Trade Commission www.consumer.gov/idtheft or 877-382-4357 Identity Theft Resource Center at www.idtheftcenter.org 858-693-7935 Privacy Rights Clearinghouse www.privacyrights.org or 619-298-3396

Protect Your Self Now from Identity Theft

Protect Your Self Now from Identity Theft

Protecting your self now from identity theft is the best thing you will ever do in your lifetime. Companies are now working to fight identity theft by adding new software programs that supposedly adds additional protect, however when you give out your information over the World Wide Web you are always at risk. Thus, in this article we will inform you of the steps you will need to take to protect your self from identity theft.

Steps Never give your personal information out on the World Wide Net, unless you know the company is trustworthy and has encryptions to secure the site. Still, you may want to consider ordering products or paying bills by use of Money Orders, rather than checks. Recently, I learned from a friend living in England that UK postal workers were caught selling personal information to immigrants so that these people can remain living in the UK. Thus, I have not received a steady collection of information as of yet, still, it is something to consider, since thieves come in all forms. The Criminal Justice Departments try to blame the crimes on the poor, however, most crimes committed are acted out by less suspicious people, such as lawyers, doctors, postal workers, et cetera. Continuing the steps you should NEVER respond to Phishing or Spam Mails, since the mails often have potential thieves sending them. Phishing Mails slightly differ from Spam mail, in that the sender will send out an email claiming that your accounts are frozen or pending stop. Some of the mails have links, which direct the receiver to a site that appears to be a legitimate account site. Thus, banks, creditors and lenders already have your information, thus giving information to these mails will only land you in a whirl of problems in most instance. Spam mails or other types of Phishing Mails may propose winnings. NEVER open or give personal information to anyone via email. It is important to change your PIN numbers and Passwords randomly. Changing the codes will confuse the server, thus it will help prevent identity theft. Few people claim that changing your Password and Pin Numbers every six months will help; however, I recommend random changing of the codes for additional protection.

As a victim of identity theft, I learned the hard way of how to protect, prevent further activities and so forth. Restoring trust after your identity is stolen is next to impossible. Still, I do not set my self up by allowing my lack of trust to control my life.

If you are ordering online make sure you know the companies worth. Conducting a background check of any company online is easy and only takes a few minutes. To conduct a background check, visit the Better Business Bureau Site by typing in the search engine BBB.

When making purchases with credit/debit cards, checks or other types of cards make sure no one is watching you when you type in your PIN numbers or Passwords. If someone is standing over you when you are making a purchase, I recommend changing your Pin number and/or Password right away. I become suspicious when at a store using my debit cards to make purchases. Often the customer standing behind me is watching and it annoys me, and sometimes the clerk watches the transaction. I immediately alert them, letting them know that this is a personal transaction and no one has the right to watch me type in my PIN number. Thus, I change my passwords and PIN numbers randomly to prevent identity theft.

It is important to conceal your personal information at all times. If you carry a wallet and/or purse make, sure you know where your valuables are at all time. Personally, recalling numbers in your mind rather than carrying them in your material possessions is safer. In other words, remember your Social Security Number at least and store the card in a safe place. You should never give your Social Security Number over the phone lines, however when contacting the Social Security Administration you will have no choice.

Finally, taking all the steps to prevent identity theft includes learning all the details as possible about the crime.

Tony Robinson is an International Author, Webmaster and Security Guru. Check out his Identity Theft Protection Tips at http://www.officialidentitytheft.com/

Phishing Email Identity Theft Alert

Phishing mails are similar to Spam Mails; however, the modus operandi is different all together. The similarity is that Spam and Phishing Mails are both annoying and hold potential threats of stealing identities. The characteristics of the mails are what separate Phishing and Spam mails.

Phishing is fraudulent mail that attempts to swindle identities, by gaining confidence of the receiver. The "Department of Justice" has put up alerts on such mails that inform the consumers to pay attention to the mails. The mails are sent to nearly every email box in the world, and the soul purpose is to steal. The emails may include luring information however; the information is fraudulent and should be ignored. The sender wants the receivers to respond to the mails and may include links to click where the receiver will provide his/her personal or confidential information. The mail may have information that upsets the reader, thus it is another type of strategy, which the sender utilizes to force the receiver to respond.

The mail may state "your account is being suspended," or it may claim "you have won x amount of cash, please respond now.'

Knowing which company is legit is important and learning how they make offers to consumers is just as important to help you avoid identity theft. Companies that claim you have won prizes will not ask for extensive information, rather they only ask for minimal information. Thus, when you receive Phishing Mails or Spam Mails the sender already has a degree of information on you from random selections, and when you answer the mails, you are only giving the sender the information he/she needs to claim your identity.

Always know your credit card lenders phone numbers and bank numbers, thus when you receive one of these mails call the company immediately at the original phone number and ask if they have sent you mail. Personally, I delete any mail that comes to my box, regardless of who the sender is, unless I know it is from my business or school. As a student, most of my work is done online, thus this too opens doors for perpetrators, since payments to the school are often required at the school. However, I disregard any commands to send payments online and send my payments through postal mail. Still, this is scary.

In the UK, a friend informed me that postal workers are stealing identities and selling the information to thieves so that they can stay in England. I do not know the level of truth in this allegation at this point; however, anything is possible when it comes to identity theft. I am ready to instruct anyone paying bills to pay a low cost for Money Orders and submit your bill payments, since your check has enough information available that anyone can gain control of your accounts.

Thieves come in all forms, including postal workers, utility clerks, court clerks, judges, lawyers, doctors, mothers, fathers, spouses, et cetera. Likewise, victims come in the same form.

Few samples of Phishing Mails include information such as "Closed Account." The email address may appear to come from genuine banks. Recently, phishing mails came from "FDIC" claiming that the account holder's 'account has been frozen." The receiver was asked to click on the link provided in the body of the email and provide pertinent information now. Thus, the email continued to threaten the emotions of the receiver by claiming that the head nacho man has instructed the bank to discontinue any activity by you, under a particular Act.

Few Phishing Mails request the receiver to download attachments with claims to store "Internet Billing Notice" and once the receiver downloads, they find them self in a whirl of problems, since Viruses, Trojans, or other nasty contaminates are attached to the mail. The contaminate in turn redirects to the receivers "email contact list."

EBay is another area where perpetrators frequent and have even put forth the effort to steal identities or gain from the auction provider's clientele. The Internet unfortunately, is the single most dangerous area where identity thieves frequent. Therefore, protect your self by learning more about identity theft and how to protect your self from the crime that is claiming millions of identities each year.

Tony Robinson is an International Author, Webmaster and Security Guru. Check out his Identity Theft Protection Tips at http://www.officialidentitytheft.com/

Internet Mail Identity Theft

Internet mail is one of the main sources that perpetrators of identity theft utilize to gain access to personal information. The perpetrator may send threatening mails, or mails that seem appealing. Spam or Phishing emails are linked to identity thieves and arrive in millions of mailboxes worldwide. Not one of us is singled out to become the next victim. Rather, identity thieves focus on getting identities to gain, instead of worrying about whom they are stealing the identity from.

Few thieves will target a specific company or person, especially if they are aware of the worth of the accounts. Thus, these thieves are acting on greed and intend to get rich by stealing someone else's identity. The dispatcher of such mails are challenging the receiver by deception hoping the receiver will give out personal information, such as banking routing numbers, bank numbers, PIN and passwords, Social Security Numbers and other precious information that the thief can utilize to gain control over your identity.

Added emails that you may want to bear in mind are Spam mails that often assert that you have won x amount of cash, please act now to receive your prize. Logic should tell you that if you have not joined a contest or gave your information over the phone lines or internet, then chances are you have not won a prize. Recently, I received various mails claiming that I have won $32,000 and is requested to pay the tax on the winning, and to please respond now to receive your prize. DELETE. Other mails followed claiming that I could receive scholars or grants to attend such and such college, to earn my degree act now by providing my personal information. NOT!

After my identity has been stolen, unless your name is GOD you are not getting any personal information from me. My bank already has my personal information, thus there is no reason for them to email me asking for my personal information. Banks clearly state in the Terms & Conditions that they will "Never" send electronic mail requesting information from the recipient at any time, thus giving your information to an electronic email with your bank name listed in the header is only asking for trouble.

Identity thieves think of everything when it comes to stealing identities, including sending emails in respected names. FDIC was targeted by thieves, thus the sender sent mails to recipients of the bank requesting that they provide personal information now to avoid closure of their accounts. Microsoft was also targeted by thieves when mails were sent to various boxes requesting the receiver to download patches to protect their computers. Once the receiver downloaded, the attachment a dangerous Virus quickly took control of their computer, leaving the computer bleeding and leaking with empty spaces that would direct anyone to the information stored on the computer.

EBay is a target for thieves. Few thieves purchase items on EBay claiming to send the owner a check that amounts to more than the purchase price and that the owner should send the remaining amount back to the purchaser by electronic form, or else through "Western Union." The checks were found to be copycats and were attempts to steal. Thus, the Internet is not a safe environment; therefore, I will provide helpful tips to help you prevent identity theft.

Steps to protecting your identity:

Never open emails that you do not trust.

Never give out personal information abroad the internet, unless you know the company is trusted and has encryptions to secure the site. Still, you may want to reconsider and order directly via postal mail from the company.

Do a background check on any site you are thinking of giving your information to.

If possible, send Money Orders to pay bills or else pay for products online and offline.

Never give our personal information over the phone lines.

Do not post personal information on forums, bulletin boards or discussion boards online.

Conceal your personal information at all times, including at home.

When using ATM or other machines to make deposits, withdrawals or purchases make sure no one sees, you type in your PIN number.

Change your Pin numbers and passwords randomly.

Tony Robinson is an International Author, Webmaster and Security Guru. Check out his Identity Theft Protection Tips at http://www.officialidentitytheft.com/

WILL THE REAL YOU PLEASE STAND UP?

How To Prevent Identity Theft

Every day, nearly 1,400 Americans are victims of identity theft. It can take anywhere from two to four years to straighten out the nightmare, and the average victim will invest approximately 175 hours and over $800 of their own money trying to get their situation resolved. Here are five steps you can take to protect yourself, safeguard your identity, and ensure that your credit remains sound.

1.Guard your Social Security number. If you have the number printed on your checks, cross it off manually and reorder new checks without it. If you have your SSN as your driver?s license number, request a new one with a different number.

2.Check your bank and credit card statements every month for unusual activity. You only have sixty days to report identity theft, or you become liable for the damages yourself.

3.Mail your bills from the Post Office or a public mailbox to deter thieves from stealing your outgoing checks and erasing the ink to use them later.

4.Shred any receipts and documents containing account numbers, policy numbers, or other personal information that could aid a thief in taking your identity. Trash diggers are known to target dumpsters for personal financial information.

5.Opt out of pre-approved credit card offers. You can opt out of receiving these annoying and potentially dangerous offers simply by calling toll-free at 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688). You will be mailed a form asking for your Social Security Number, however, in this case, it?s safe to give it to them so they can remove you from their database.

Don't let someone else live a life of leisure at your expense. Taking these simple steps to protect your identity will pay off for you long term by saving you countless hours of time and aggravation trying to restore your credit and your good name.
How To Prevent Identity Theft

Every day, nearly 1,400 Americans are victims of identity theft. It can take anywhere from two to four years to straighten out the nightmare, and the average victim will invest approximately 175 hours and over $800 of their own money trying to get their situation resolved. Here are five steps you can take to protect yourself, safeguard your identity, and ensure that your credit remains sound.

1.Guard your Social Security number. If you have the number printed on your checks, cross it off manually and reorder new checks without it. If you have your SSN as your driver?s license number, request a new one with a different number.

2.Check your bank and credit card statements every month for unusual activity. You only have sixty days to report identity theft, or you become liable for the damages yourself.

3.Mail your bills from the Post Office or a public mailbox to deter thieves from stealing your outgoing checks and erasing the ink to use them later.

4.Shred any receipts and documents containing account numbers, policy numbers, or other personal information that could aid a thief in taking your identity. Trash diggers are known to target dumpsters for personal financial information.

5.Opt out of pre-approved credit card offers. You can opt out of receiving these annoying and potentially dangerous offers simply by calling toll-free at 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688). You will be mailed a form asking for your Social Security Number, however, in this case, it?s safe to give it to them so they can remove you from their database.

Don't let someone else live a life of leisure at your expense. Taking these simple steps to protect your identity will pay off for you long term by saving you countless hours of time and aggravation trying to restore your credit and your good name.

Monica Ricci has been an organizing specialist since 1999, and her motivational presentations teach effective organizing and simplifying techniques for home and work. She also offers free email tips and ideas on how to make life simpler and more organized. Her topics include clutter control, paper management, time management, organizing space and procrastination.Contact Monica at 770-569-2642 or Monica@CatalystOrganizing.com.

Identity Theft: It Can Happen to You!

Permission is granted for the below article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and the resource box below is included. Identity Theft: It Can Happen to You!

By Stephen Bucaro

You step outside to find your car has been repossessed and a foreclosure notice posted on the front door of your house. All because of delinquent loans "you" made. Or the police come to make an arrest because "you" used a fake prescription. Can't happen to you?

Think again. All an identity thief needs is a copy of your credit report. This document contains your birth date, Social Security number, place of employment, salary, credit card numbers, and details about all of your financial transactions, savings and investments.

Using your identity, the thief can take your assets, leave you in debt, and commit crimes in your name. After the damage is done, it may take years, if ever, to clean up your records. Credit companies like to hang on to information like glue, they won't just delete it.

Lenders are not interested in your identity theft claim. They want to protect their own interests first. They would rather clear up the identity theft question after they take your assets. And everybody the police arrest claim they didn't do it. Someone else who stole their identity committed that crime. They would rather close the case quickly than get involved in a complicated identity theft case.

How to Protect Yourself

1. Guard your personal information. Don't provide your Social Security number, or any financial information, to anyone without knowing why they need it.

2. Don't throw away any financial documents without shredding them first. That includes those credit card linked blank checks that your bank keeps sending you, and unsolicited credit card offers.

3. Close any accounts that you don't use. Keep the number of credit card accounts and lines of credit you use to a minimum.

4. Once a year request a copy of your credit report and check it for accuracy. You can get your credit report from Equifax for $9.00 www.equifax.com

5. Carefully examine your monthly financial statements for unusual activity and examine your credit card bills for charges you can't identify.

If You Become a Victim

1. Immediately contact the creditors where fraudulent charges were made and request that a fraud alert be placed on your file.

2. Under the Truth in Lending Act, you can be held liable for a maximum of $50.00 in unauthorized charges per credit card.

3. Download an identity theft affidavit from the Federal Trade Commission Web site. http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/affidavit.htm

4. File a report with your local police department.

5. Keep a complete record of the identity theft and your efforts to clear your records. Send all letters related to the theft by certified mail. Keep a record of all telephone calls you made and received, with dates and the names of the individuals you spoke to.

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the U.S. It can happen to you. Protect yourself by guarding your private information and carefully examining your financial statements. If you become a victim, take the steps outlined above, and keep a complete record of your efforts to repair the damage caused by this crime. Resource Box:
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