| |
| |
|
Credit Information |
|
|
|
How You Can Help Prevent Identity Theft
How can I prevent Identity theft from happening to me? Never leave your receipt or slip in the ATM or gas pump. Pay attention to your habits, lock up or organize and file your bills, and bank statements. Shred them using a cross shredder before throwing them away. In a recent article in MSN Money their research showed that 32% of people said they had been a victim of identity fraud by a friend or family, and 13% were victimized by a co-worker. Beware! These people know your patterns and habits. Some steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of Identity theft are: Get a copy of your credit report from all three credit bureaus. (FREE as of 9/1/05!) Experian, PO Box 2002, Allen TX 75013 www.experian.com 888-397-3742Equifax, PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30348 www.equifax.com 800-685-1111Trans Union, PO Box 4000, Chester, PA 19016 www.transunion.com 866-887-2673 Opt out of mailing lists by contacting the credit bureaus above. Opt out by reading the privacy notice that comes with your credit card and following the instructions. Call the national Do Not Call Registry at 1-888-382-1222 or visit www.donotcall.gov be sure to call from the number you want to register Do not carry your Social Security Card in your wallet Do not print your Social security number on your checks Do not get your social security number printed on your drivers' license Do not carry your Medicade card with you, Medicade #'s are your Social security number Delete any emails from Nigeria, or lottery or prize notifications before opening Stop credit card offers 888-5-OPT-OUT Remove your name from national mailing lists by visiting www.the-dma.org or write to: Mail Preference Service Install firewall and virus protection software on your computer Password protect your computer and private personal files Format your hard drive or physically destroy when disposing of your old computer When you order new checks, get your first initial printed on them instead of your first name Use a cross shredder to shred your bills and bank statements or any junk mail Bring your mail to the post office or secure mail box rather than leaving it in a rural box. Use only one designated credit card for online purchases Be sure all online purchases are made through a secure server - notice the "lock" icon and how the URL address changes from http to https. The S means SECURE. Do not carry your PIN # in your wallet Do not use your date of birth as a password or PIN. Do not give out personal or financial information over the phone. Grind up or shred back up CD's you are throwing away. Check your online banking account at least 3 times a week and change your password often. If you feel you have been a victim of identity fraud, contact the Department of Justice, consumer protection division. They offer mediation with identity theft; they also have a hot line for consumers that is available 8-5 Monday - Friday. They maintain a database of written complaints that goes back to 1998. They offer seminars to school, seniors or your group. Be aware that 40 million crooks obtained credit card numbers this past year, "Be Suspicious". Also be aware that most identify theft is not reported, especially when it involves family members, so the statistics are off. These statistics show that consumers lost $5 billion last year when in actuality it is closer to $50 billion. There have been an estimated 9.9 million victims in America. Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in credit and debt collection. She is the founder of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter. Michelle started M.A.D. Collection Agency and ran is successfully for 7 years. She owns and runs Credit & Collections.com a free online community for credit and business professionals. She has written 5 books in her Collecting Money Series and is currently writing a book for the Streetwise Series, part of the Adams Media Corporation. For more information on Michelle's services or to order any of her books please email her at michelle@michelledunn.com or visit http://www.michelledunn.com & http://www.credit-and-collections.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Manage Your Credit Wisely Getting your first credit card is a big deal and all young people look forward to it with bated breath. We wait for years to be able to apply successfully for out own credit card. Rebuild Your Credit the Right Way the First Time If you are one of the millions of people out there with bad credit you need to step up and start doing something to get yourself back into credits good graces. Having good credit is the only way to assure that you will get the best interest rates on any loans and credit cards that you apply for. ChexSystems: Who They Are and How it Affects You ChexSystems is a company that maintains a subscriber membership service used in the banking industry. The members consist mainly of Banks, and Credit Unions, but can include other types of Financial Institutions. The FICO Score Misconceptions There are many misconceptions about credit scores out there. There are borrowers who believe that they don't have a credit score. Taking Control of Your Credit History Your credit history is important; in fact, in this day and age, only family and your time are more important than your credit history! The first time you established a payment commitment over a period of time for a purchase, you began your history of credit, and the credit bureau created your account. Payments such as the electric company, a rental agreement, a cell phone, a car payment or a low-rate credit card which you also have a responsibility to repay are not reported to the credit bureaus as a part of your credit history. Bankruptcy Myths Busted The average American knows very little about bankruptcy. Most people probably are aware of bankruptcy's ability to dissolve debt and give the debtor a fresh start. Credit Reports - Why Your Credit Score is Important If you have never heard of a FICO score before, you should become familiar with the term. Named for the firm that invented it, Fair Isaac Corp. Credit Report - How to Improve Your Credit Score One of the great mysteries of life is how the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union) score credit. They all have secret statistical formulas for determining your credit score, but they are unwilling to divulge exactly what, exactly, constitutes your score. Rate Tarts Losing Ability to Cherry Pick A "rate tart" is someone who switches from one zero per cent introductory credit card deal to another to avoid paying interest; however they may be set to become something of the past. Recently a number of the major credit card companies, including Egg, Barclays, the Royal Bank of Scotland and MBNA have introduced transfer charges for people who want to shift their outstanding credit card balances to a new card to take advantage of a zero per cent introductory rate. Warning: Todays Non Profit Credit Counselors Are Yesterdays Bill Collectors! Here's a dirty secret, today's "non profit credit counselors" are often just front organizations paid lucrative commissions by creditors to keep consumers from declaring bankruptcy!In the "debt collection biz", creditors will sell your outstanding debt along with the debt of hundreds of others to a collection agency for cash up front.The collection agencies will work this debt until they've made all the money they can. Special Credit Information for Married Couples If you are married, establish separate credit accounts.Try to finance real estate in just one partner's name to increase your investment financing potential. How to Order the Right Credit Reports to Repair Your Own Credit In this week's article, I am going to offer some tips and insight regarding how to order the right credit reports needed to repair your credit.Believe it or not, a majority of the credit reports offered on the internet don't have the required information (File Number, Confirmation number, or Report number) needed to repair your own credit. All Is Fair In Love, War, and, Your Credit Report - At Least It Should Be! Understanding the FCRA Fact: Over 150 million Americans have credit report with the three major credit reporting agencies. Approximately 50 million of these credit reports contain errors, many of which are inaccurate. Automobile Credit Report When applying for a loan to purchase a car, the lender will want to take a look at a person's auto credit report. Credit reports tell lenders all they need to know about granting a loan to all applicants. Credit Suicide Few things influence the home buying process more than your credit. I like how Clark Howard refers to the three credit repositories as, "the three screw-ups". Rebuild & Keep Good Credit Ratings by Understanding Your Credit Cards Secured Credit Card is similar to a prepaid credit card since the funds you are using are actually yours and not the issuer of the credit card. Generally people who apply for secured credit card or prepaid credit card are people with poor credit or unemployed. 7 Consumer Credit Laws You Should Know if You are Trying to Repair Your Credit There are seven consumer credit laws you should be aware when dealing with your credit.1. Top 5 Reasons To Check Your Credit Report Regularly #1 Make sure mistakes aren't hurting your credit.Reviewing your credit report can help you avoid costly errors. Is Your Credit Score Being Held Against You? Credit Scores That HurtIs your credit score being held against you?More and more the staples of life depend on your credit score. Your mortgage, insurance premiums,employment opportunities and even your landlord may be using your credit score to determine yourfinancial future. 7 Ways To Squash Identity Theft It is the scourge of our age: identity theft. Thieves learn an important part about your personal information, such as your credit card number, and they open accounts in your name and spend, spend, spend! Unfortunately, by the time you discover that you are a victim the damage is already done.
|
| Home | Site Map | |
| © 2007 |
