Useful tips on how to Avoid Identity Theft
To reduce or minimize the risk of becoming a
victim of identity theft or fraud, there are some basic steps you can take. For
starters, just remember the word "SCAM":
S
Be stingy
about giving out your personal information to others unless you have a
reason to trust them, regardless of where you are:
At Home.
- Start by
adopting a "need to know" approach to your personal data. Your
credit card company may need to know your mother's maiden name, so that it
can verify your identity when you call to inquire about your account. A
person who calls you and says he's from your bank, however, doesn't need
to know that information if it's already on file with your bank; the only
purpose of such a call is to acquire that information for that person's
personal benefit. Also, the more
information that you have printed on your personal bank checks -- such as
your Social Security number or home telephone number -- the more personal
data you are routinely handing out to people who may not need that
information.
- If someone
you don't know calls you on the telephone and offers you the chance to
receive a "major" credit card, a prize, or other valuable item,
but asks you for personal data -- such as your Social Security number,
credit card number or expiration date, or mother's maiden name -- ask them
to send you a written application form.
- If they
won't do it, tell them you're not interested and hang up.
- If they
will, review the application carefully when you receive it and make sure
it's going to a company or financial institution that's well-known and
reputable. The Better
Business Bureau can give you information about businesses that have
been the subject of complaints.
On Travel.
- If you're
traveling, have your mail held at your local post office, or ask someone
you know well and trust another family member, a friend, or a neighbor
to collect and hold your mail while you're away.
- If you
have to telephone someone while you're traveling, and need to pass on
personal financial information to the person you're calling, don't do it
at an open telephone booth where passersby can listen in on what you're
saying; use a telephone booth where you can close the door, or wait until
you're at a less public location to call.
C
Check your financial information
regularly, and look for what should be there and what shouldn't:
What Should Be There?
- If you
have bank or credit card accounts, you should be receiving monthly
statements that list transactions for the most recent month or reporting
period.
- If you're not receiving monthly statements for the accounts you know you have, call the financial institution or credit card company immediately and ask about it.
- If you're
told that your statements are being mailed to another address that you
haven't authorized, tell the financial institution or credit card
representative immediately that you did not authorize the change of
address and that someone may be improperly using your accounts. In that
situation, you should also ask for copies of all statements and debit or
charge transactions that have occurred since the last statement you
received. Obtaining those copies will help you to work with the financial
institution or credit card company in determining whether some or all of
those debit or charge transactions were fraudulent.<
What Shouldn't Be There?
- If someone
has gotten your financial data and made unauthorized debits or charges
against your financial accounts, checking your monthly statements
carefully may be the quickest way for you to find out. Too many of us give
those statements, or the enclosed checks or credit transactions, only a
quick glance, and don't review them closely to make sure there are no
unauthorized withdrawals or charges.
- If someone
has managed to get access to your mail or other personal data, and opened
any credit cards in your name or taken any funds from your bank account,
contact your financial institution or credit card company immediately
to report those transactions and to request further action.
A Ask periodically for a
copy of your credit report.
Your credit report should list all bank and
financial accounts under your name, and will provide other indications of
whether someone has wrongfully opened or used any accounts in your name.
M Maintain careful records
of your banking and financial accounts.
Even though financial institutions are required
to maintain copies of your checks, debit transactions, and similar transactions
for five years, you should retain your monthly statements and checks for at
least one year, if not more. If you need to dispute a particular check or
transaction especially if they purport to bear your signatures your
original records will be more immediately accessible and useful to the
institutions that you have contacted.
Even if you take all of these steps, however, it's
still possible that you can become a victim of identity theft. Records
containing your personal data -- credit-card receipts or car-rental agreements,
for example -- may be found by or shared with someone who decides to use your
data for fraudulent purposes.My Recommended Link
My Credit Repair University - This is a great guide that will bring good results when repairing your credit!
No comments:
Post a Comment