An Explosion of Identity Theft: How to Prevent Being a Victim

An Explosion of Identity Theft: How to Prevent Being a Victim

Based on a Star Systems survey of 2,000 respondents, identity theft is the top fear among Americans, ahead of unemployment and corporate fraud.
Nine out of ten Americans want additional federal laws, and two thirds believe the financial services sector should improve the way it verifies the identities of those opening credit card and bank accounts (66 and 72 percent, respectively).

Twelve million people, or 5.6% of the respondents, said they had been the victims of identity theft. When identity theft and debit and credit card fraud are combined, over 15.9% of customers claim to have been the victim of one of these crimes. Star Systems, 2003 is the source.
For the majority of us, making purchases using a debit or credit card has become a daily occurrence. A lot of us feel secure doing it on a daily basis.
It's not safe at all, though. Your debit or credit card information may be used by someone else to make transactions at a nearby retail establishment, online, or over the phone.
A very straightforward crime niche has evolved as we have transitioned to a cashless system of transactions via debit or credit card: identity theft and fraud.
A few law enforcement agencies are not actively and cooperatively pursuing the crime. As a result, circumstances have developed where those who commit such theft and fraud can act quite confidently that they won't be discovered.
What steps can you take to lessen the likelihood that you will fall victim to fraud or identity theft?
The following is a list of steps you can take to protect yourself from identity theft.
1. Never discard statements or receipts that contain personal data. The best source of information for an identity thief is the trash. Better yet, shred any document that contains personal information, such as transaction receipts.
2. You can pay to have your local phone directory display an unlisted number.
3. Remove as much information as you can from your driver's license and personal checks. Therefore, personal checks should not include home addresses, phone numbers, or social security numbers. Instead of using your entire name, just use your last name and first initial. When you are cashing a check, you want the retail clerk to verify your identity.
Nowadays, the majority of states require a photo ID to be included on newly issued driver's licenses. Concede renewing your licenses right away if you don't already have one in order to obtain a photo ID for identification. Your driver's license should not have your social security number on it.
4. Use the Internet to check your bank accounts every day for any unusual activity.
5. If at all feasible, have your middle initial deleted from all official records. Identity thieves can more effectively target their victims by using victims' middle initials.
6. Never give out any personal information to anyone over the phone, even if they ask for it when they call you.
7. Avoid leaving your mail outside all night. Have your mail delivered to your home halted if you will be gone for any length of time. For residential mail delivery, try to secure a closed mail box from your neighborhood post office or a mail box service offered by a retail company.
Make arrangements to have your yard maintained and to have your mail and newspaper deliveries stopped if you are going on vacation. Make sure your home appears occupied while you are away by including your friends, neighbors, the post office, and the newspaper service.
Visit www.ProtectionConnect.com/homesecuritychecklist.html or www.ProtectionConnect.com/sitemap.html#home for a checklist on home security while you are gone.
8. Next to your signature, write "Check ID" on the back of your credit or debit cards. 9. Watch out for persons who are too close to you and who try to "shoulder surf" you while you use the ATM. By doing this, a retail store can confirm that the right person is using the card when they check your signature on it.
In the event that you fall prey to identity theft, take these actions:
1. Regardless of how reluctant the law enforcement agency may be, insist on filing a police report. Ensure that you obtain a copy, or at minimum, the report number.
2. As soon as you become aware of credit card fraud, deactivate your card and report it as stolen to your credit card company.
As soon as possible, submit affidavits to the relevant financial institution disputing your involvement in the relevant acquisitions. The majority of the time, the banks will react by requiring the companies that received the fraudulent transactions to reimburse them over the course of up to thirty days.
3. Notify the three main credit bureaus of the fraud:
~ 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 ~ TransUnion Post Office Box 2000 Chester, PA 19022
4. Cases involving fraud that span state lines are handled by the US Secret Service. Make contact with their local office to inform them of your situation if you are aware that it qualifies. If it's a part of a larger fraud investigation, an agent might get in touch with you.
5. The Federal Trade Commission also has a complaint form that you can fill out, but it is only used to track national identity theft statistics.
Copyright ZZZZZZ Steven Presar

Location:

Share :