Practice Safe Internet Shopping
Ahh, Internet shopping. No lines, no crowded parking lot...you don't even have to put on a shirt. And neither does an identity thief before he hacks into a web merchant's database and steals your credit card number. Online shopping isn't quite so convenient if it results in identity theft, so before you and your credit card get too cozy over there, check out these rules for shopping smart. Shop from secure sites, which will encrypt your order info—including your credit card number—before sending it to a merchant. To make sure your connection is secure, look for "https://" at the beginning of the URL in ...
How Thieves Steal Your Information
You don't have to tattoo your Social Security number on your forehead and lend your credit card to random strangers to become a victim of identity theft. Determined crooks have come up with some pretty sneaky ways to get your digits. Here's a thoroughly depressing look at how they do it. SNATCHING YOUR PURSE OR WALLET Pickpockets and purse snatchers are going about it the old-fashioned way. Not particularly inspired, but very effective. STEALING YOUR MAIL There's a rich bounty of information in the form of credit card statements, new checks, and that unending stream of preapproved credit offers in your mailbox. And it's not just ...
How to Get Your Credit Report
There are three major credit bureaus in the U.S Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To stay on top of your credit situation—and give yourself half a chance to catch identity theft as soon as it happens—you need to order a copy of your credit report once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus. Wait a minute, you're thinking—once a year? Is that often enough? You're right—it's not. An identity thief could do a lot of damage to your credit in twelve months, so to get more bang for your buck, it's a good idea to stagger your orders from the three ...
Preventing Identity Theft- Ways to Lower Your Risk
Check your credit reports every year! We've said it once, and we'll say it again. Whether or not you have any identity theft symptoms, this step is absolutely vital. If an identity thief uses your SSN to open a new credit card account with a fake address and phone number, you may not find out about it until the damage is done—unless you check your credit report periodically. Keep track of your billing cycles. A missing bill doesn't mean that the credit card company is giving you a month off. It may mean a thief has changed your address. Call and figure out why ...
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A Look at Your Credit Report
Some of this information, your name and address, for instance, comes from public records. The majority of it, however, is reported to the credit bureaus by banks and other businesses that have issued you credit. These companies report to the credit bureaus on a monthly basis, telling them what your balance is and whether you’ve been keeping up your payments.
Identity Theft Warning Signs
If your identity is stolen you need to know about it ASAP so you can stop further fraud and work on repairing your good name.
Here are some major signs that you are the victim of identity theft. If you have one of these symptoms, don’t assume it’s simply a clerical error, and don’t put off investigating it.
What Identity Thieves Do With Your Information
Once they’ve got your data, thieves can use it in a lot of different ways. The most common kind of fraud occurs when crooks go on a spending spree to rack up charges on your existing credit card account—but the fun doesn’t stop there! They use your credit card or credit card number to charge purchases to your accounts, often changing the address your bills are sent to so you won’t notice right away.
How Thieves Steal Your Information
You don’t have to tattoo your Social Security number on your forehead and lend your credit card to random strangers to become a victim of identity theft.
Determined crooks have come up with some pretty sneaky ways to get your digits. Here’s a thoroughly depressing look at how they do it.
Identity Theft 101
Identity theft, that nasty crime in which someone obtains and uses your personal information to commit fraud or theft, is the fastest growing criminal activity in the U.S. And it could be coming soon to a bank account near you!
You’ve probably heard about the most common forms of identity theft—when a thief tracks down your credit card numbers, and then uses them to max out your accounts.
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