Identity Theft Crisis

You might know that during the last year there were nearly 10 million Americans held victims for identity theft which is a crime which is spreading like wild fire. When you find yourself a victim of this crime you can actually end up in a lot of financial and credit problems.

Furthermore, the thieves can also use your personal information to commit crimes apart from just spending your hard earned money. When they have access to your persona data they might even create new accounts on your name and ruin your credit ratings. The cleaning up of this mess up can be really tough and might also cost you a lot. Therefore preventing identity theft is the best way you can stay away from these issues while protecting your identity.

Personal information

Firstly you must know hat personal information must be kept private. Even though your personal info will unavoidably be made public there are still some items which are highly sensitive and must never be made general. These include right from your full name and address to your social security number, back account and credit card info including passwords you use. Therefore identity theft protection is nothing more than safeguarding this sensitive information. The prevention of id theft also includes gaining knowledge about how this information can be stolen and accordingly taking steps.

How your identity can be stolen?

Your mail: It has been reported by the FTC that millions of people suffered under this crime due to robbed mails. Therefore be careful when dealing with your mails as it can contains a lot of personal information. You should not leave your mail in unsecured location, don?t leave mails more than a night and even get mailbox locks. Your computer: Most people aren?t aware of how risky internet can be and so without proper knowledge and safety you could be very close to being a id theft victim. Therefore make sure you use antivirus and antispyware software, carefully use online shopping sites or use only the trusted ones, don?t be tempted by phishers and ease your PC hard drive even when you sell your computer. Your trash: Your trash box can be treasure of the other. Therefore you should be very careful about the personal documents you discard. In case your social security number, credit card, bank account or any other number is on the sheet make sure it is shred before it is thrown.

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Identity theft is one of the most dangerous things that can happen to your personal and financial data. There are millions of people affected by identity theft crimes almost every year. Those people who are affected by this crime on an average spend thousands of dollars from their pockets along with several hours in bring the theft and cleaning up their credit.

Therefore one of the best ways to keep away from identity theft costing you money and time is to learn how you can avoid identity theft and stay safe from the crime. Identity theft basically occurs when the thieves get hold of any of your personal information. This can often be as little as compromising your date of birth and social security number.

There are different types of scams taking place which these thieves would make and through your information and these scams are generally called as phishing as the thief would be tossing their lure out while phishing around in hopes to reel you.

How does identity theft start?

Phishing scams generally start with just an email in your mailbox. It may seem just like an ordinary mail or from your credit card issuer. This might generally warn you of some kind of weird activity or say that your account would be cancelled just become your information needs verification or is out of date. You would surely want to do that and just follow the link that is provided in the mail to provide your information.

However the website you offer your information to might probably seem exactly like the real website of the bank. Unfortunately, this dummy website is owned by the thief and when you provide your bank account number with the password, you soon discover that you have been the next id theft victim.

Avoiding id theft

The federal trade commission has maintained identity theft awareness website which outlines three major steps to avoid id theft which are detect identity theft, dater id theft and defend id theft. Therefore with these three methods you can easily save you from all the damages and expenses.

Dater identity theft: first and foremost thing to avoid id theft is to deter the thieves. Do not offer the thieves a change to get your financial or personal information. This also includes being watchful with your financial and personal data. Therefore,

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Identity theft monitoring is a program which help in effectively preventing an incident of identity theft. This monitoring services plays a major role in preventing internet fraud and safeguarding your credit so that you don?t become the next id theft victim. You might know that identity theft has become a huge criminal issue in the world and especially in United States and the need for identity theft protection has become a huge concerning factor.

Therefore there are id theft monitoring services that would keep a watch over your credit. Identity theft mostly occurs when your personal information has been compromised with someone else. In fact this crime generally involves using personal information of the victim to commit frauds and criminal activities.

Protect yourself from id theft

The growing number of identity theft reported every year might no reduce anytime sooner. However there are some useful guidelines which can help you minimize the possible damage through the monitoring services which might occur due to id theft.

Blocking all your disclosed credit cards is the first part of identity theft monitoring services The services monitor your credit report which is necessary to prevent id theft The monitoring services would contact the government agencies which can place a fraud alert on your credit so that no further damage is done.

The id theft monitoring process

Identity theft monitoring services include a particular mechanism which ensures your identity is well protected and away from id theft frauds. There are several measures which can help prevent id theft such as securing your credit card numbers, social security number, bank account information and other personal information. These prevention measures can easily handle fraud and other id theft crimes.

Additionally identity theft monitoring services also includes a careful verification of all your personal accounts which includes all your credit card accounts. However in case id theft occurs it is important all your credit accounts are closed immediately.

Consulting banks and financial institutions is one of the best ways to prevent being an id theft victim. Additionally changing passwords of ATM cards and credit cards would also be another best way to stay away from identity thieves. You should avoid date of birth, parents name and last digit of social security number in your passwords and this can help the monitoring services to safeguard your identity.

Identity theft might also happen for varied reasons and to detect the types of id theft crimes during the initial states and lessen the damages you must be a part of identity theft monitoring services which offers services from all 3 credit bureaus. It might just take a small monthly fee for their services but the id theft monitoring agency would notify you through mail in case of any unusual activity in your credit report. The good thing is that most of these services also come with insurance as the report while some other agencies might offer three in one identity monitoring services which alerts you to any changes in your identity.

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Okay so you’re feeling smug and savvy because you know all about Fraud Alerts. Despite the fact you accomplished it for free and only had to actually contact one of the major credit reporting agencies you want everyone to know who to call. You tell them the following places need to be called to put a Fraud Alert on your credit report; Equifax at number 1-800-525-6285, Experian at their number 1-888-397-3742 and the final place, TransUnion at number 1-800-680-7289. You further explain that these initial 90 day fraud alerts entitle them to free copies of their credit reports. All your friends should be sure to check those credit reports for debts on their accounts that are unexplainable, company inquiries from businesses they haven’t actually contacted and/or accounts they haven’t actually opened. That’s good proactive initiative.

Did you happen to mention that fraud alerts aren’t actually the solution to every possible means of identity theft? Did you know that a Fraud Alert does nothing to detour an identity thief from opening new credit accounts in someone else’s name that don’t require a credit check? You know, things like a wireless telephone account, wall mounted phone or even a bank account! Are you beginning to realize that too little information can be dangerous? Additionally, an ID Thief can still use someone’s existing credit cards or other accounts. Not only that, if there is an identity crime already happening when a fraud alert is placed, this alert alone does nothing to stop the crime. You can however take solace in the fact that you were partially correct as fraud alerts are in fact useful in thwarting the thief in opening a new line of credit.

The initial fraud alert stays on a credit report for only 90 days and if someone remembers, they have to renew this alert every three months. It is good to place this type of alert on one’s credit if they suspect they are (or are about to be) a victim of identity theft. These alerts are a good course of action should one say, realize they are a victim of a “Phishing” scam or their wallet or purse has been stolen. This is basically an alert to creditors while considering someone for credit for the business to enforce reasonably policies that implement procedures that require identity verification prior to issuing credit in a person’s name. Businesses may make an effort to verify however, their reports aren’t always a guarantee that applicant sitting before them is who they say they are.

A person has the option as well to place an extended fraud alert of their credit report that actually remains in place for a period of seven years. This can be done if you are a victim of identity theft. You must however supply the consumer reporting agency an identity theft report. The report procedure is the subject of another article as it is a lengthy process. Anyway, this extended alert requires potential or pending creditors to actually contact you or, meet with you face-to-face before they actually approve the credit request. Yes, this can cause delays when you are trying to get credit but to enhance the processing requirements one can simply provide a current and viable cell phone number to be reached at easily in their efforts to have their identity verified.

When a person undertakes the initiation of an extended fraud alert, they are entitled to two free credit reports annually from each of the three national consumer credit reporting agencies. These companies will at the same time remove a person’s name from pre-screened credit offers that marketing lists maintain. The credit reporting agencies will make sure a name stays off marketing lists for a period not less than five years unless, a person specifically requests to be put back onto marketing offer listings.

I’d just like to say initial or extended fraud alerts are great measures in anyone’s effort to wage war against the identity thief but, are just the tip of an iceberg when it comes to efforts needed to combat this ever increasing crime. Don’t get over confident with too little information. Consider looking into the professional services of a credit watch service. A credit watch service has the whole picture of what it takes to catch a thief and protect your good name and/or credit. Some are better than others so do what the Federal Trade Commission recommends on all contracts for a service or product: read the small print. If you’d like to enlist a highly proficient credit watch service used and trusted by the author check out his resource bio following this article. This service offers more then all others and stands behind their professionalism with a million dollar per individual guarantee.

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Many people seeking to avoid the saddening effects of ID theft are in search of ways of minimizing such losses. Apart from enrolling in a credit card protection program, you can opt for identity card insurance, an insurance package tailored to meet the specific needs of potential ID theft victims.

Identity theft insurance, just like any other insurance is meant to cover for costs or losses incurred in the event of you becoming an identity theft victim. With cases on ID theft on the rise, it has become normal if not a prerequisite for one to have identity theft insurance. The many insurance companies marketing this service offer various policies depending on what your specific needs are, or what you risk looing in the event of ID theft.

The amount of coverage given for ID theft protection will largely depend on the type of policy you choose. The amount you will need to contribute will also depend on specific factors which will be inclusive in your policy.

Some companies offering credit service provide these policies as part of their plan or a form of endorsement to other forms of insurance policies. In such occasions the amount charged is often less. You can ask your creditor if such services exist in their products.

The most important thing to know before you take an insurance policy is its terms and conditions. This may be same across many insurance agencies but when it comes to what is covered in your policy, the list may vary sharply across the board.

Most insurers will cover legal costs incurred when you get an advocate to look into your case. Some will compensate for wages lost during the time you will spend dealing with the ID theft case. The loan re-application fees may also be covered by your agent. The mailing charges and other notary fees will also be inclusive in most policies. You may also send while notarizing various important documents to the relevant authorities.

Before going for an ID theft insurance policy, be informed of the above and such factors from the insurance agency in order to ensure the policy you get will provide you the maximum protection available. Identify theft insurance policies are a great way to protect you and your family against the growing threat of identity theft.

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Attorney General John Ashcroft called identity theft as “one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States”. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the leading governmental agency which keeps records on identity theft, estimates that over 9 million Americans (or 4.25% of all adults) are victims of ID theft on an annual basis, resulting in $52.6 billion losses to businesses and financial institutions. Even the 9/11 or September 11th hijackers were believed to have been identity thieves, using stolen passports and Social Security numbers to obscure their trail. Beyond doubt, identity theft crimes have reached epidemic proportions with subsequent catastrophic consequences.

Identity theft crimes are not new, but they have become more persuasive in the past decade. Advances in computer hardware and software along with the growth of the Internet have significantly increased the role that identity theft plays in crime. Individuals can hire credit-monitoring services that alert them when there are changes in their credit report. One such company, Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. in conjunction with Kroll, Inc. has developed a unique solution for victims of identity theft. This service referred to as the “Identity Theft Shield” is available to Pre-Paid Legal Services members. With the Identity Theft Shield, you have the added security of knowing that experienced professionals from the world’s leading risk consulting company are there to fight for you.

To prevent identity fraud, experts recommend that you review your credit report regularly. The ID Theft Shield makes this task easier. You receive prompt notices if any new accounts are opened in your name or if derogatory notations are added to your credit report. On an average, ID theft victims spend more than 250 hours and $2000 to clear their names. With Identity Theft Shield available at just $9.95/month, the cost of combating ID fraud crimes is much less. This monthly fee provides benefits to you, the member, and your spouse. At this cost, it is well worth the time and money to keep your affairs private.

Truly, Identity Theft Shield is the most factual and comprehensive solution to ID theft restoration. However, at times, even the best backup plans Fail. Therefore, you must learn to depend on yourself to set up your own identity theft shield and minimize your risk. Some things to do would be to shred all paperwork with important account information on it, don’t just throw it away in the trash because one of the simplest methods of Identity theft is for the theif to go through trash cans and dumpsters. Memorize pin numbers, do not carry them with your credit cards; Just to mention a couple thoughts.

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You heard right. Identity Theft is THE fastest growing crime wave in America. Why? Because it?s easy and doesn?t require someone to break into your home to make off with the goods. They can get them right out of your trash!

According to the U.S. Postal Service, one reason is the carelessness of how many of us handle sensitive documents. One of the best investments you can make for your home or office is a paper shredder. There are people who make a living out of looking for a copy of someone?s un-shredded bank statement, credit card bill, tax return or any number of documents with sensitive account numbers!

This article is an attempt to educate you of those dangers and give you some genuine facts and a solution or two. If you have ever known someone who had their identity stolen then you know what we are about to tell you is true.

Last year alone, more than 9.9 million Americans were victims of identity theft, a five billion dollar crime wave!

The number of id theft victims and their total losses are probably much higher. It’s hard to pin down, because law enforcement agencies may classify id theft differently – it can involve credit card fraud, Internet fraud, or mail theft, among other crimes. It can even involve your credit report because when you order a copy of yours unless you request that only the last 4 digits be listed, the entire number is there just waiting to be stolen! I know this myself because I recently ordered my credit report be mailed to me and there was my entire social security number on EVERY page for all to see!

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) reported that only four percent of victims cited stolen mail as the source of personal information. Even so, U.S. Postal Inspectors, charged with protecting the nation?s mail system from criminal misuse, are leaders in the fight against identity theft.

What Should I Do If I Am A Victim of Identity Theft?

According to the FTC, if you are a victim of identity theft there are four steps you should take as soon as possible, and keep a record with the details of your conversations and copies of all correspondence.

Place a fraud alert on your credit reports, and review your credit reports.

Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. But one is too many.

One of the best favors you can do for yourself is order LifeLock the guaranteed Identity Theft program. When we set our site up we decided to only recommend vendors that we had confidence in personally.

What sold us on LifeLock? The fact that their founder and CEO Todd Davis does their advertising and gives his Social Security number in all their ads. When I first heard this I figured it had to be an advertising ploy. After further checking them out both my daughter and I both signed up. They have lived up to everything they said and as a bonus we stopped getting those pre-approved credit card offers and the majority of our junk mail also stopped.

Here is what LifeLock says about themselves:

Stop Identity Theft. Guaranteed.

By now you’ve heard the stories about individuals whose identities have been stolen by identity thieves. They’re not pretty stories . . . people working for hundreds of hours over many years to get their lives back in order, even innocent individuals ending up in jail! We can protect against this ever happening to you. Guaranteed. Up to $1 million.

LifeLock doesn’t just report unauthorized use of your credit information, we prevent it by working with the credit bureaus to make sure you’re contacted to approve any credit transaction before it takes place. We also remove your name from pre-approved credit card offers and junk-mail lists, where identity theft often gets started.

We’re the leaders in proactive identity theft protection as you’ve probably seen in coverage in The Wall Street Journal and Chicago Tribune, and on MSNBC, CNN, and many other national news outlets. We’re so sure of our system our CEO confidently publishes his own Social Security number in all our ads.

Is this fraud alert something you can do yourself? Yes however since this is not a priority with most people it will get put off until it?s too late. Then you have to un-do what could have been prevented in the first place for approximately 33 cents a day. That?s pretty cheap insurance. This is an investment in protecting your peace of mind and your good name as well.

If you’ve already become the victim of id theft you can contact them for help on getting your good name back!

With the increase of identity theft, I wouldn?t put it off another day. Once your identity is compromised it can take months or years to get it fixed. Contact LifeLock today.

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“Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws.” Plato.

Identity theft, one of the fastest growing crimes in America, is a federal crime under the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act. Bad people or con men usually find ways to get around this law. Identity fraud occurs when a con artist illegitimately uses your identity to make a frightening number of financial and personal transactions in your name, leaving you – the ID theft victim, responsible for what might turn out to be a mind-boggling turmoil in your life. Last year ID fraud crimes topped the list of complaints reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the governmental agency addressing the problem of identity fraud, for the fourth consecutive year.

The FTC estimates that ten million people are victims of ID theft each year. Perhaps the only people minting money are the conmen and identity theft lawyers! Determining the exact scope and financial impact of id theft on people and businesses is difficult. According to a survey conducted by Privacy Right Clearing Group, victims spend from $50 to $2000 on costs related to ID theft, not including identity theft lawyers’ fees. Since ID fraud is a complex crime you may not be able to clear your name as fast as you would like. Bureaucratic financial institutions move slowly, partly to protect you. But if ID theft recovery procedures fail to resolve the problem, you should get in touch with identity theft lawyers. Credit issuers and reporting agencies are sometimes slow in responding to complaints from consumers. The threat of lawsuits can provide some impetus.

If you believe you have been a victim of identity fraud and all steps to restore your name and credit fail, contact top identity theft lawyers in your area immediately, to minimize the damage to your personal and financial accounts, as well as your credit report and reputation. Thanks to the nature of the crime, most identity thieves are never found. So, in order to clear your name, you patiently need to work with the law enforcement agencies and identity theft lawyers, assisting them when you can. Remember, justice moves slowly, and ultimately you will be proven on the side of right, and your life can go return to normal. This is usually a slow process, but it is a necessary evil we all live with.

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Its an unfortunate fact but identity theft is on the rise.

ID theft is a crime that can be committed in many different ways – in a department store, at your local ATM, on the internet and even via phone.

One small slip-up from yourself and you could find yourself paying the cost for years to come as identity theft is a crime that has far-reaching and long-lasting effects.

For that reason you’ll want to avoid it like the plague so here are some tips on how to minimise the chances of you becoming the next id theft victim :

BUY A SHREDDER

Shred every document that you have that contains personal information, including receipts, address, statements, and credit card offers. Some statements even contain a blank check for you to use. Be extra careful if you share a house with others, even if they are friends or family, as they are the most common perpertrators of this crime.

KEEP YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER SAFE

Your Social Security Number (SSN) should be kept safe at all times, preferable somewhere secure in your house, and never in your purse or wallet.

Never give your number to anyone who doesn’t need it, especially when talking to strangers on the telephone.

If someone steals your SSN then they are one step away from being able to completely assume your identity.

NEVER WRITE YOUR PIN DOWN

Please don’t write your PIN on a piece of paper and then put it into your wallet. If you do then you probably deserve what you’ll get if your wallet and cards are then stolen.

STUDY BANK AND CREDIT CARD STATEMENTS REGULARLY

Examine your statements regularly and always question and report any strange activity immediately.

GET YOUR FREE CREDIT REPORT EVERY YEAR

The Credit Bureaus offer free credit reports every year. Take advantage of that offer and then read them thoroughly.

A credit report can be a good tool for spotting the signs of identity theft and the earlier you deal with it the better.

For more tips on avoiding identity theft you ought to visit my blog where I share more tips on avoiding identity theft.

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Those individual show commit identity theft are always not out to steal your money and ruin your credit as there can be even criminal identity theft. This identity theft mainly occurs when the criminal uses your name on their arrest or when the criminal is being investigated. The personal identity they provide offer the law enforcement officer might include your date of birth, driver?s license and even social security number. The criminals might also provide a fake license which contains their picture but with someone else?s data.

How can criminals assume your identity?

With most of the cases the criminal would fraudulently access the driver?s license or identification card with the victim?s name and address and present these documents to the law enforcement officer. They might also commit criminal id theft by utilizing the address and name of a relative or friend without displaying a photo identification.

Most often this information is not enough to get the criminal off their deeds to with a simple quote or an instant release from their arrest. After they have signed the quote and promise to appear with accounts the thief would not show up again. Therefore this would lead the judge to issue bench warrant in the name of some innocent victim.

The consequences of criminal id theft

Unfortunately, the victim of criminal id theft might also not know that there has been a warrant issued under their name until long. The victim might generally find out after they are detained on a regular traffic stop and arrested for the outstanding warrant.

However by this time the criminal id theft victim might find themselves in a huge amount of financial and legal trouble. There are also come cases where the criminal id theft would appear in the court for the violation or for entering guilty plea without the knowledge of its victim. In case the criminal finds they are blocked for a serious crime like drunk driving they would simply provide someone else?s persona data. The name of the victim would be entered in the countrywide criminal database along with a huge mark on their record.

There are also some cases in criminal identity theft where the victim does not know about the impersonation until they are denied of employment or expelled from a job. This generally happens when the employer conducts criminal background search and expels the victim after finding they have a recent criminal record. They might also be charged for not letting the organization know about their criminal activity by terminating them from their job.

Fighting criminal id theft

Similar to other types of identity theft the victims of criminal theft are also left with burden of cleaning their name from the criminal justice system. You should act quickly if you nee to minimize the damages and to get back your life. However the process can be quite difficult as the officials working with criminal justice system are the only people having the right to correct the data on your report. Although this type of id theft has become much common there is still no standard procedure to clear the wrongfully accumulated records.

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