Prevent Identity Theft In Your Mail Prevent Identity Theft Your Social Security number is the main key to your credit safety. Anyone with your Social Security number (SSN) can easily create a credit nightmare that will take years to resolve. What steps should you take to protect your Social Security number? Never carry documents containing your Social Security number. This includes your Social Security card as well as many insurance cards. Never give your Social Security number to anyone by telephone, even if you make the call. Avoid having your Social Security number used for IDs at work. Request a different number if possible. Avoid using your Social Security number as your drivers license number. Request that your Department of Motor Vehicles use an alternative number; most states will provide one. Do not pre-print or write your Social Security number on your checks. Ensure that those requesting your Social Security number are doing so for legitimate reasons, not merely bureaucratic reasons. Request a copy of your Social Security Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement at least every three years to make certain the information in the file is correct. Contact the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213 to learn how to order this free report. Identity Theft - Fastest Growing Crime The U.S. Department of Justice indicates: "Identity theft and identity fraud are terms used to refer to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain. "Unlike your fingerprints, which are unique to you and cannot be given to someone else for their use, your personal data ­ especially your Social Security number, your bank account or credit card number, your telephone calling card number, and other valuable identifying data ­ can be used, if they fall into the wrong hands, to personally profit at your expense. In the United States and Canada, for example, many people have reported that unauthorized persons have taken funds out of their bank or financial accounts, or, in the worst cases, taken over their identities altogether, running up vast debts and committing crimes while using the victims's names. In many cases, a victim's losses may include not only out-of-pocket financial losses, but substantial additional financial costs associated with trying to restore his reputation in the community and correcting erroneous information for which the criminal is responsible. "In one notorious case of identity theft, the criminal, a convicted felon, not only incurred more than $100,000 of credit card debt, obtained a federal home loan, and bought homes, motorcycles, and handguns in the victim's name, but called his victim to taunt him -- saying that he could continue to pose as the victim for as long as he wanted because identity theft was not a federal crime at that time -- before filing for bankruptcy, also in the victim's name. While the victim and his wife spent more than four years and more than $15,000 of their own money to restore their credit and reputation, the criminal served a brief sentence for making a false statement to procure a firearm, but made no restitution to his victim for any of the harm he had caused. This case, and others like it, prompted Congress in 1998 to create a new federal offense of identity theft." How to Stop Identity Theft Learn how to protect yourself and your family today . Even though you cannot ever be fully immune, there are steps that you can take to greatly reduce the risk of becoming a victim. Identity Theft Costs Americans over 5 Billion Dollars a year, affecting approximately 4.7% of the population with an average loss per victim of $10,000. Packed full of information, this book is a must read for everyone. Complete with a special section for victims to direct them to the help resources they most need. See all the details about Don't Let This Happen to You today. Credit Monitoring / Identity Theft Protection Immediate Notification of New Credit Accounts Almost 10 million U.S. consumers said they were victims of identity theft during the last reporting year, according to a Federal Trade Commission study released in September, 2003.* Notify Express credit monitoring and alerts are a fast, convenient way to keep track of your information and detect the early signs of fraudulent activity and identity theft. Notify Express can alert you to identity theft before it ruins your good credit. If a thief starts tampering with your information, Notify Express will alert you that there's a change to your file. Notify Express monitors your credit files at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion and promptly notifies you of changes so you can act quickly — if you suspect fraudulent activity. The following items are monitored in your credit files every business day by Notify Express: Inquiries to your credit files New accounts opened New public records Address changes Changes to public records Changes to account information You can choose to receive your Notify Express alerts via e-mail, phone, mail or text messaging. If you choose to receive your alerts by mail or phone, you’ll receive them for selected changes (inquiries, new accounts opened, new public records, and address changes reported) only. However, if you choose to receive alerts via e-mail, you’ll be notified of all changes (listed above) as reported to the credit reporting agencies. * Federal Trade Commission – Identity Theft Survey Report, September, 2003 First Rate Identify Theft Insurance The CreditProtectX3 Identity Theft Insurance Program reimburses victims of identity theft for certain expenses up to $20,000 (after a $250 deductible). Expenses covered include: Lost wages (up to $500 per week for a maximum of four weeks) as a result of time taken off from work to deal with the fraud including wrongful incarceration. Lost wages must occur during the policy period. Notary and certified mailing costs for completing and delivering fraud affidavits or similar documents. Loan application fees for re-applying for loans when the original application is rejected solely because the lender received incorrect information. Long distance phone charges associated with reporting or discussing an actual identity fraud. Attorney fees incurred (with prior consent) for defending suits brought incorrectly by merchants and their collection agencies, for removing criminal or civil judgments wrongly entered against an Insured Person, and for challenging the accuracy or completeness of any information in a consumer credit report. Unlimited Access to Your Online 3-in-1 Credit Report Almost unheard of in the industry -- unlimited access to your online credit reports from all three reporting agencies. With your 3-in-1 Online Credit Report, you get unlimited online access to a consolidated report of your credit history with side-by-side data compiled from Equifax®, Experian®, and TransUnionSM. This gives you a comprehensive view of your credit history and also makes it easier for you to verify the accuracy of the information at each agency. Credit Scores from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion Your credit scores are compiled with data from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This provides an online snapshot of your current credit-worthiness based on an evaluation of common factors many creditors use to decide whether or not to extend credit. You'll see the positive and negative factors that impact all three scores; score comparison to the national average; and guidelines suggesting what you can do to improve your scores. (Members who choose offline delivery receive this information for their Equifax credit score only.) Online Credit Report, Credit Scores, Credit Monitoring, Identity Theft Protection Isn't it time you began to let CreditProtectX3 can help you? Order now for our special introductory rate of just $25.95 for the first three months of service, then continue to receive CreditProtectX3 for only $12.99 per month. You and your family -- not to mention your good name -- will be protected. You will feel safe and secure knowing that you have the best protection there is. Prevent Identity Theft in Mail and at the Post Office Do not sign up for unfamiliar contests or sweepstakes. Information you provide could be sold and reproduced hundreds of times. Install a lockable mailbox at your home so thieves cannot easily take your mail. Remove your name from commercial marketing databases by writing to Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service (P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735) and Telephone Preference Service (P.O. Box 9015, Farmingdale, NY 11735). If your mail suddenly stops, check with the Post Office. Someone may have filed a change of address form. Stop credit bureaus from selling your name (header information). Call the toll-free telephone number used by all three credit bureaus and take advantage of their "opt-out" service. One number, (888) 5OPTOUT, or (888) 567-8688, reaches all three bureaus. Write to National Demographics and Lifestyles and ask to be deleted from its mailing list: National Demographics & Lifestyles, List Order Department, 1621 18th Street, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80202. (800) 525-3533. Problems You Can Encounter My wallet was stolen in December 1998. There’s been no end to the problems I’ve faced since then. The thieves used my identity to write checks, use a debit card, open a bank account with a line of credit, open credit accounts with several stores, obtain cell phones and run up huge bills, print fraudulent checks on a personal computer bearing my name, and more. I’ve spent the last two years trying to repair my credit report (a very frustrating process) and have suffered the ill effects of having a marred credit history. I’ve recently been denied a student loan because of inaccurate information on my credit report. From a consumer complaint to the FTC, February 22, 2001 I’m tired of the hours I’ve spent on the phone and all the faxing I’ve had to do. When will it be over? From a consumer complaint to the FTC, March 13, 2001 Tomorrow is Sunday so we won’t get any notices, but I’m not looking forward to Monday’s mail. From a consumer complaint to the FTC, November 13, 2001 How can someone commit identity theft? The Federal Trade Commission explains how identity theft is committed: By co-opting your name, Social Security number, credit card number, or some other piece of your personal information for their own use. In short, identity theft occurs when someone appropriates your personal information without your knowledge to commit fraud or theft. Once identity theft is committed, then what? Once identity thieves fake your identity, they: Open a new credit card account, using your name, date of birth, and Social Security number. When they use the credit card and don’t pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report. Call your credit card issuer and, pretending to be you, change the mailing address on your credit card account. Then, your impostor runs up charges on your account. Because your bills are being sent to the new address, you may not immediately realize there's a problem. Establish cellular phone service in your name. Open a bank account in your name and write bad checks on that account. More information is available here about: How to commit identity theft How to prevent identity theft Help for victims of identity theft Back to the main page of Identity Theft Identity Theft Bank Account Most Secure Lockable Mailbox Identity Theft Recovery How To Obtain Personal Information Uk Identity Theft Safeguards Identity Theft Report Identity Theft Writing Checks Merchant Fraud Protection How To Open Bank Account Without Identity Identity Theft Credit Cards Commercial Copyright © 2004-2010 Robert Sherman