Identity theft basics

Identity theft is one of the latest buzzword within our society in recent times. Identity theft refers to hiding one's original identity and illegally misusing someone else's identity. The person pretending to be someone else tries to make money at the cost of others and makes an abusive use of fake identity. The occurrence of this form of crime has increased partly due to the expansion in our communication network where people interact or know about only the existence of other person but have not met them person. Since one does not recognize the other person by physical appearance it is easier for identity thieves to step into others shoe and gather vital information for their own selfish motives. Identity theft can also occur from distance when someone may call or communicate with any other person just to gather some confidential information and then misuse the data provided.

Emergence of Internet apart from providing many facilities and being a blessing for people has also added a lot to this already existing crime. With more and more business houses using Internet and computerized networks for their official workings increased amount of significant data are now found on web. Apart from the obtaining vital statistics of any corporate house or any important individual information, identity thieves do disguise to fool others and obtain some critical information like the credit card number or the social security number. Theft of credit card number and social security number can result in a great loss and trauma for the victim. As the culprit could use the credit card for withdrawing money from others account and also the crimes committed by the thief can be attributed to the victim since the thief was using a fake identity of other person.

This increasing form of crime has raised concern of many and people are now finding ways to combat such malicious actions that cause loss to innocent citizens. Apart from following the general instructions and relying on social systems to prevent such crimes certain individual effort is also required to protect one from identity thieves. One must be cautious not to provide any confidential information on Internet or any other public communication systems that can be accessed by anyone. Only after perfectly confirmed verification some information may be shared if it's very urgent. Also one should not rely on anyone else without careful verification of the identity of the other person.

It's a matter of great regret that such identity thieves many a times bank upon the sentiments of good citizens and fool them to make some easy money. Many such cases of false identity have been reported in recent past where people pretend to be someone in great need of help and when some virtuous person comes forward to help them they just breach others and make personal profits at the expense of others.

Recently when the world was struck by an unfortunate natural disaster of tsunami help from entire world poured in through all means. Government organizations of countries struck by this calamity had set websites to make people aware of the damages incurred and collect help from them if they could contribute to the well-being of victims. Following the genuine websites many fraudulent websites were also hosted at the same time to bank upon people's sentiments for personal interests. Such incidents and many others make it a moral responsibility of every citizen to come forward and assist in curbing this social crime.

Mansi gupta writes about identity theft .

Identity Theft - Red Flags That May Indicate You're a Victim

You've heard the "buzz" about identity theft, but what exactly is identity theft? According to Wikipedia, identity theft (or identity fraud) is the deliberate assumption of another person's identity, usually to gain access to their finances or frame them for a crime. "Dumpster diving" (someone going through your trash), "shoulder surfing" (someone watching from a nearby location as you punch in your credit card number or ATM PIN # or eavesdropping as you give your personal information over the phone) and "phishing" (someone sending an email that appears to be from a legitimate business) are only a few ways of obtaining your personal information. Once they have obtained your personal information, identity thieves often change the address on your bills, keeping you unaware that your identity has been stolen unless you are aware of when your bills normally arrive in the mail, keep track of what you charge and check your credit reports annually.

Here are several red flags that indicate you may be a victim of identity theft:

1. You check your credit reports annually and find there are new charge cards showing with companies you don't know.

2. You receive a bill for a credit card account you didn't open.

3. You notice charges on your credit card statement you did not authorize.

4. You haven't received your bills or credit card statements when they normally arrive.

5. Your bank statements show unauthorized transfers or withdrawals.

6. You receive a call from a collection agency about an account you never opened.

7. You receive calls from businesses about merchandise you didn't buy.

8. You're denied credit because debts show up on your credit reports that don't belong to you.

If you notice any of these red flags, don't panic - there may be a logical explanation. But DO follow up on it right away. If it appears you may be a victim of identity theft, go to http://understandingidentitytheft.com/articles/article-67.html for a list of steps you should take immediately to rectify the situation.

Debbie Pettitt is the webmaster of two web sites designed to provide you the latest news and information on identity theft and credit scores. For further information on identity theft, visit http://understandingidentitytheft.com. For information on how to check and/or correct your credit score, go to http://yourcreditscoreranking.com.

How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft With Your Purse

Identity theft is the fastest growing criminal activity in the 20th Century, replacing illegal drug sales.

How BIG is this Problem?

Banks, credit card companies and businesses that house servers storing passwords or other sensitive information all report ?break-ins?through Trojan viruses or other online hacking methods ? resulting in the loss of millions of pieces of information. Instances of lost information are employees selling it and other lax security measures resulting in thieves having access to your identity.

Thieves Want

- Your Name
- Date of Birth
- Home Address
- Phone Numbers
- Social Security Number
- Driver?s License Number
- Credit Card Numbers
- CW2 Security Code (the number on the back of your credit card)
- Your Credit Report
- ATM Cards
- Telephone Calling Cards
- Mortgage Details

Where Are They Getting Your Information?

- Banks
- Credit-Reference Agencies
- Retailers
- Credit Card Networks
- Data-Brokerage Companies
- Payment Processing Companies
- Phone Companies
- Schools
- Your Employer
- Doctors, Clinics and Health Departments
- Government Agencies

There are other effective methods:

- Dumpster Diving
- Mail Theft
- Retail Theft
- ?Phishing?/pretexting/pretending
- Purse/Wallet Theft

What are Thieves Using Your Information For?

- Making charges to your existing credit cards
- Opening new credit cards in your name
- Having phone or utilities turned on
- Withdrawing money from your existing bank accounts
- Employment purposes
- Driver?s Licenses
- Tax Fraud
- Social Service benefits
- Student loans
- Business or Personal loans
- Health care
- Mortgage loans/leases
- Auto loans
- Using your ID when caught committing a crime

How Can You Protect Yourself?

- Keep a photocopy of your credit cards, bank account numbers and investment account numbers in a safe
place
- Keep your credit card receipts
- Put a ?fraud alert? on all your credit reports
- If you apply for credit and the card doesn?t arrive on time, call the card issuer
- Choose difficult PIN numbers or passwords. (Don?t use birth dates, your mother?s maiden name, etc.)
- Never give personal information to anyone who sends you an email, a letter or calls you asking for it
- Shred personal information
- Don?t use the ATM machine if someone is watching you
- Pay attention to what?s going on around you ? cell phones often have cameras in them. If someone is standing by you with a cell phone while you're entering a PIN number, block their view
- Review your bills each month. If there?s something you don?t remember, call the creditor.
- Check your credit report at least once a year
- Store your cancelled checks safely.
- Don?t leave your purse in plain sight when driving
- Keep your valuables locked in the trunk or glove box when driving
- Make all personal information on your computer password protected
- Don?t carry information about your PIN numbers, passwords and account numbers in your purse or wallet

Warning Signs that Your Identity Has Been Stolen:

- A loan application is denied, or you?re refused extended credit requests
- You are contacted by a debt-collection agency
- Your purse or wallet has been stolen, or your house broken into
- Unfamiliar activity on your credit report

What to do if it Happens to You:

- If your purse or wallet is stolen, call the police
- Contact your bank, credit card and other credit extending companies and report the theft
- Close accounts
- Contact the credit-reporting companies
- Have fraudulent activity removed immediately and monitor your credit report every 90 days for the next year
- Put everything in writing
- File a report with the Federal Trade Commission
- Change passwords on your existing accounts and create new ones for new accounts

Identity theft is real. There are no guarantees you can keep your information safe, by taking proactive steps to protect yourself, you can minimize your chances of having an ?identity crisis?. Host, Sintilia Miecevole offers resources for purses with designs influenced by the latest trends at http://www.trendipurses.com. Be sure to visit http://www.trendipurses.com to find information from designer handbags, fashion, trends and accessories to vintage, replica, wholesale and much more.

Own your own online business? You might be a Target for Identity Theft

Own your own online business? You may be a target for ID Theft.

QUESTION: What day of the week do you put your garbage can out on the
street?

ANSWER: That is the day you are MOST vulnerable to Identity Theft.

Why?

Think about what you put into your garbage can.

If you are like most people, you have tossed a lot of "junk mail" into
the garbage (usually tied up in a neat plastic bag). Things like
"pre-approved" credit card applications, just waiting for a signature
and returning them back to the bankwith your NAME on the application
form.

Other items include canceled checks, medical bills (usually with your
social security number), phone bills utility bills, and charge card
account information.

Armed with the critical few bits of information you provided in your
garbage can, criminals can hijack your credit reputation and go on
hundred-thousand-dollar shopping sprees using new credit cards issued
in your name.

They can run up large phone charges to 900 numbers, make long distance
phone calls, and using your cancelled checks, make Automatic Check
Transactions on-line to buy what ever their heart desires.

Do you want some more bad news? The government can't stop them.

The U.S. Supreme Court, in effect overturning the 1974 Privacy Act,
stated that: "garbage left at a curb for pick-up is public domain and
subject to inspection and seizure by anyone".

This means "anyone" including criminals and your corporate competitors
are free to check your garbage can or dumpster, anytime they are so
inclined.

So what is a person supposed to do to protect themselves and their
family?

The simple answer is to buy a paper shredder and use it every day.

"Shredding makes your personal information unavailable for the taking"
states Tony Storrie, director of marketing for Fellowes, the world's
leading manufacturer of shredders. "Shredding junk mail, credit card
receipts and any other form of personal information means it is
thoroughly destroyed, useless to criminals looking to profit at the
expense of unsuspecting people."

The Privacy Rights Clearing-house (PRC), a non-profit education and
research program administered by the University of San Diego's Center
for Public Interest Law, also suggests shredding, claiming it can
protect citizens against having their sensitive information stolen
by Identity Thieves.

Start Shredding TODAY!

Merritt Tumanis
Permission is granted to reprint the following article as long as no
changes are made and the byline, copyright information, and the
resource box is included. Please let me know if you use this article
by sending an email to mailto:mtumanis@iserv.net

"Credit Alert, Learn how to reduce your risks for Identity Theft"
found at http://www.wmce.net/idtheft/sales.html

P R O F O U N D K N O W L E D G EPeter Andersen

Profound Knowledge by FocusedImpact.com

We all are on a quest for knowledge. Whether it is information that will make our lives easier or just small packets of data that in a trivial way allows us to sort out "why things are the way they are on this planet." As intelligent beings we are constantly receiving and sorting information, in most instances, we are overwhelmed. Therefore, when relevant information arrives that is meaningful, concise and thought provoking, we have a tendency to reflect on this data for the principles and guidance that it offers. Here are seven insights that are worthy of the title Profound Knowledge.

1. LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES: R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Respect is essential for effective leadership. Lack of respect will require a leader to work twice as hard to realize their objectives. Furthermore, leaders can't be successful as disconnected individuals, no matter how great their individual expertise or potential is. To be an effective leader, you must have the support and respect of those you lead.

2. PARADIGMS: BREAKING THE MOLD
Paradigms are sets of rules and regs that establish the boundaries of what is currently believed to be possible within a given field. Therefore, our perceptions of reality, based on our paradigms, dramatically effect our business decisions. Likewise, we try to make future decisions by basing them on our current paradigms. Case in point, in 1968 Swiss watch makers had over 60% of the world's marketshare. By 1978, their dominance shrank to a mere 10%. What happened? The current paradigm had shifted and a new paradigm was born... It was the Swiss that first developed the quartz watch however they did nothing to protect their ideas and freely displayed the new quartz at world watch conferences. Seiko quickly capitalized on this new method of watch design and significantly enhanced their marketshare to become a world leader.

3. THE NEED FOR LONG-TERM VISION: THE PELICAN BRIEF
The pelican catches fish by flying high over their unsuspecting victims then diving at a high rate of speed into the water to forcefully overcome their prey. Although a successful method, this process eventually leads to their demise. You see, diving from high altitudes damages their eyes and slowly breaks down other vital functions that allow for their success. Eventually, the pelican goes blind and is unable to fish at all.

4. WORD OF MOUTH MARKETING
Businesses have used word of mouth marketing for years. In the case of the liquor industry, it was not uncommon to have paid agents visit trendy bars, order the brand of choice (normally an unknown import) and strike up conversations with both barkeeps and customers in order to establish or talk up a cool image. In many cases it worked!

5. SUCCESS
Studies by Harvard, Stanford and the Carnegie Foundation suggest that success on the job depends 85 percent on people skills and only 15 percent on technical knowledge.

6. ORGANIZATIONS AND GEESE
Geese fly in a V-formation where each bird must take a turn at fighting the wind and being the leader. Each must know the common destination and choose the right course and speed. At any given moment each bird must be capable of leading all the others.

7. CREATIVITY
Creativity does not come from inspiration. Creativity comes from knowledge.

Focused Impact Media specializes in strategic and tactical marketing through brand development, positioning and new media communications. Discover more Profound Knowledge at http://www.focusedimpact.com

The Identity Theft Epidemic : What The "

Jonathan Kraft Picture yourself walking down the street, all alone. It's late at night. It's a bit brisk, and the wind is blowing through the tall buildings on both sides of you. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, someone runs by you, knocks you over, grabs your wallet, and takes off.

It sounds like a scene from a movie, and there may come a time in the future where this type of person-to-person crime is only found in movies. Why would anyone rob a bank, or rob an individual, when they could simply use a person's information to obtain employment, credit cards, and lines of credit?

By now, everyone knows what Identity Theft is. Identity Theft has been showing up in the news for several years, and there has been a large public awareness campaign since the FTC Report in September 2003.

In their report, the FTC shared that the average Identity Theft victim spends over $1,400.00, and more than 200 hours, just to clear their good name. Reports now are saying that victims can end up spending much, much more in terms of time, money, and frustration.

Other people may be willing to spend that kind of time and money, but if you don't have an extra $1400 or 200 hours, read on!

What is Identity Theft?

Identity Theft couldn't happen to me, right?

What can I do to protect myself?

There is good news.

Identity Theft Insurance?

What is Identity Theft?

ID Theft happens when someone takes any piece of your personal information, and fraudulently uses it to obtain access to your credit, bank accounts, or to obtain employment.

How can it happen?

There are literally thousands of ways your information can be stolen, and, as Harris County district attorney Chuck Rosenthal knows, if it can happen to him, it is proof that identity theft and fraud can happen to anyone. "Rosenthal said nearly $8,000 was stolen from his account before it was discovered [] He said that he still has problems because of the crime -- his check was refused when he tried to buy supplies for his daughter."

There are thousands of stories like this one, which you have already been hearing about in your local or national news.

What can you do to protect yourself?

To be proactive, here are what the "experts" are telling you to do. Read this list carefully, and while you do, think about what it would mean in added time and frustration for your life:

Avoid giving out your Social Security numberShred or destroy bank and/or credit card informationShred or destroy any credit card or other direct mail offersCreate passwords containing numbers and lettersAvoid buying or making donations via the phoneBuy goods online only from a reputable Web siteInstall a computer firewall at home Read the privacy statements for all your accounts and your bank's liability clausesCheck your credit report more frequently Use only one credit card for purchases Avoid shopping online Update your computer virus protection daily Install Spyware software on your computer to be sure that you're not accidentally having your keystrokes recorded Drop your mail in the blue post boxes, not in your mailbox Don't leave mail in your mailbox overnight or on weekends... While you're at it, sign up for a locked mailbox, because you can't trust that your mail will stay in your mailbox The list goes on...and on...and on...

The "experts" are telling you to rearrange your entire life to proactively defend yourself against Identity Theft. However, what no one is telling you is this:

There is no 100% guarantee that your information won't be used. No matter what you do, you are as likely a target for Identity Theft as any other person you know.

Approximately 2,500 Washington County (Maryland) Board of Education employees discovered this when their Social Security numbers, names, birth dates and other private information were accidentally posted on the school system's web site for up to 45 days during 2004.

Consumer Reports states, "It is an equal-opportunity crime, affecting victims of all races, incomes, and ages. Overall, more than 33 million Americans, about 1 in 6 adults, say they have had their identities used by someone else sometime since 1990."

There is good news

If you become a victim of Identity Theft, you basically have two choices. You can try to handle it on your own, or you can let a professional help you.

If you try to handle it on your own, you might try to contact the Better Business Bureau (BBB). A visit to the BBB's web site reveals this statement:

"If your complaint is against the identity thief, it is unlikely that the BBB can assist you. We urge you to report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission.

So you visit the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) web site, where you read the statement: "The FTC serves as the federal clearinghouse for complaints by victims of Identity Theft. While the FTC does not resolve individual consumer problems, your complaint helps us investigate fraud, and can lead to law enforcement action."

In other words, the BBB and FTC will give you information on how to spend 200 hours and $1400, and will let you report information to them which can "lead to law enforcement action."

Beyond that, you're on your own, because they will not work to restore your individual credit. But they will send you a 25 page book with some very helpful information. Good luck.

This is not to fault the BBB or FTC. It's only to say that they do not have the resources to, on a daily basis, help over 27,000 people restore their good name and credit. Clearly, Americans need a different kind of help to resolve this issue.

Identity Theft Insurance?

Several companies, including Citibank and the three credit repositories, are offering different kinds of credit monitoring services. You have probably seen the very funny Citibank ads, promoting the protection of your information from thieves, and as a result of the ID Theft epidemic, Citibank now offers protection for their credit cards. This is an excellent idea, but credit card fraud only accounts for approximately 40% of Identity Theft cases.

What about the other 60% of identity theft cases? Well, most often, they happen when someone is using your name to obtain credit or employment. The three credit bureaus have stepped in to offer you credit monitoring services, which will let you track what is going on with your credit on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. This way, if your information is being used by someone you don't know, you will know about it the day it happens and, ideally, you'll be able to do something about it. The cost ranges from $4.95/month to $19.95/month. With these services, you're generally still on your own to get the issue resolved, but hopefully the early detection will help you be able to resolve the issue in less than 200 hours, and with less than $1,400.00.

Another company has stepped in, because they have seen this trend, and the need that consumers have for protection from identity theft. Kroll Worldwide is the world's foremost risk consulting company. They've been responsible for things like:

Tracking Saddam Hussein's money after the first Gulf War, creating an evacuation plan for the Sears Tower and many of the world's tallest buildings, and handling high profile cases such as the Enron debacle.

Kroll has created a product which not only monitors credit on a daily basis, and (like the credit repositories) gives you credit reports in a way that you can understand them, but they also assign a personal licensed investigator to you, who will do the work along side of you, to get your credit and identity restored and to track down the thief who committed the crime. This saves you time and money

Identity Theft shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, many state and federal law enforcement agencies are predicting that the problem will get worse before it gets better. Other companies are sure to follow the lead of Kroll in providing Identity Theft solutions. Probably no other company will be able to match the background and experience of a company like Kroll, but they will create similar products to help consumers, and within the next 3-5 years, Identity Theft protection will become an important part of the insurance-type products we use to protect ourselves on a daily basis.

In short, what the experts aren't telling you is this:

There is no guaranteed way to protect your information,

In an advanced age of rapid and electronic banking and communication, your information is publicly available to anyone who wants to find it,

If you've been a victim before, you're more likely to become a victim again, and

Identity Theft, as a crime, is here to stay.

Changing the way that you do things reduces the likelihood that you will become a victim, but you have no way of being sure that your information will stay your information.

The real state of affairs today is that you are walking down that dark street on a windy night, and someone robs you, but you don't know it, or feel it, for days, weeks, or months.

Having Identity Theft protection with highly qualified companies like Kroll is like walking down that street, knowing that you have a highly trained personal bodyguard watching your back and walking by your side.

Jonathan Kraft is a specialist in computer-related Identity Theft and options within the legal system. For more information on how you can protect yourself and make sure that your information stays your information, visit www.consumerfairplay.com/idtheft.html