Chuck
July 31st, 2005, 01:01 PM
This topic has been over talked the last few years but Identity Theft is getting worse. I have been preaching concerns over Internet Identity Theft, Adware and Spyware for many years now. Others have stated I was over reacting. Now it is a common topic locally and on the Internet.
Identity Theft is grown to a ½ million people a year. It has become big business for small time criminals. There are step you really need to know and follow to protect yourself. If you choose not to protect your Identity it can cost you hundreds of dollars to correct and hundreds of hours of your time to fix.
Yes Identity theft is illegal but as we know just because it’s illegal doesn’t mean people won’t do it. Rarely do you hear of someone being arrested for Identity Theft. It is much more common to hear someone has had their Identity stolen.
The easiest way for some one to steal your Identity is the same as it has always been. A clerk or cashier at a local establishment reuses your Credit or Debit Card Number. The internet has made this way to steal easier with all the online shopping.
Throwing away mail at the Post Office is another way locally. This makes it easy for someone else to grab you Credit Card offers and find a way to activate them for their use.
Another way that might seem easy and harmless is all the Free Credit Report Checks. While this seem nice and convenient over traditional methods this require your submit them you valued and personal information.
Here are Steps you can follow to help protect your Identity:
1. Guard your Social Security number and your Date of Birth. It is the key to your credit report, banking accounts and other personal information. It is the prime target of criminals.
2. Watch your credit report. It contains your key information like SSN, Credit History, Employers and you address. After applying for a loan, credit card, rental or anything else that requires a credit report, ask that your SSN on the application be completely removed and your original credit report be shredded once a decision has been made. A lender or rental manager needs to retain only your name and credit score to justify a decision.
3. Shred all old bank and credit statements and "junk mail" credit card offers and any important documents before throwing them away.
4. Don’t carry extra credit cards or other important documents except when needed. Photocopy Copy both sides of your license and credit cards so you have all the account numbers, expiration dates and phone numbers if your wallet or purse is stolen.
5. Don’t mail your bill and checks from home. They can be stolen from your mailbox Take them to the post office.
6. Never put your Social Security number on your checks.
7. Examine the charges on your credit card statements before paying them and Cancel unused credit card accounts.
8. Never give your credit card number or personal information over the phone unless you have initiated the call and trust that business.
9. Subscribe to a credit report monitoring service that will notify you whenever someone applies for credit in your name.
If someone steals your Identity you have to work twice as hard to support their habits. These steps are so easy to follow and can be found on many different web sites.
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/idtheft.htm
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/idtheft.htm
I know of 10 different people in our area that have been victims of Identity Theft. One victim is a member of the Maysville Fire Dept. This type theft is non-discriminating and very expensive to everyone.
Be Safe not Sorry
Chuck
TCS Service
Identity Theft is grown to a ½ million people a year. It has become big business for small time criminals. There are step you really need to know and follow to protect yourself. If you choose not to protect your Identity it can cost you hundreds of dollars to correct and hundreds of hours of your time to fix.
Yes Identity theft is illegal but as we know just because it’s illegal doesn’t mean people won’t do it. Rarely do you hear of someone being arrested for Identity Theft. It is much more common to hear someone has had their Identity stolen.
The easiest way for some one to steal your Identity is the same as it has always been. A clerk or cashier at a local establishment reuses your Credit or Debit Card Number. The internet has made this way to steal easier with all the online shopping.
Throwing away mail at the Post Office is another way locally. This makes it easy for someone else to grab you Credit Card offers and find a way to activate them for their use.
Another way that might seem easy and harmless is all the Free Credit Report Checks. While this seem nice and convenient over traditional methods this require your submit them you valued and personal information.
Here are Steps you can follow to help protect your Identity:
1. Guard your Social Security number and your Date of Birth. It is the key to your credit report, banking accounts and other personal information. It is the prime target of criminals.
2. Watch your credit report. It contains your key information like SSN, Credit History, Employers and you address. After applying for a loan, credit card, rental or anything else that requires a credit report, ask that your SSN on the application be completely removed and your original credit report be shredded once a decision has been made. A lender or rental manager needs to retain only your name and credit score to justify a decision.
3. Shred all old bank and credit statements and "junk mail" credit card offers and any important documents before throwing them away.
4. Don’t carry extra credit cards or other important documents except when needed. Photocopy Copy both sides of your license and credit cards so you have all the account numbers, expiration dates and phone numbers if your wallet or purse is stolen.
5. Don’t mail your bill and checks from home. They can be stolen from your mailbox Take them to the post office.
6. Never put your Social Security number on your checks.
7. Examine the charges on your credit card statements before paying them and Cancel unused credit card accounts.
8. Never give your credit card number or personal information over the phone unless you have initiated the call and trust that business.
9. Subscribe to a credit report monitoring service that will notify you whenever someone applies for credit in your name.
If someone steals your Identity you have to work twice as hard to support their habits. These steps are so easy to follow and can be found on many different web sites.
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/idtheft.htm
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/idtheft.htm
I know of 10 different people in our area that have been victims of Identity Theft. One victim is a member of the Maysville Fire Dept. This type theft is non-discriminating and very expensive to everyone.
Be Safe not Sorry
Chuck
TCS Service