Is Your Identity Stolen? - What You Should Do
Keywords: identity theft, id theft, identity theft scams, report identity theft, ftc identity theft
Identity Theft is the illegal possession and manipulation of a person’s personal information such as name, social security number, credit card number, driver’s license number, bank account number, address, phone number, and personal identification number (PIN).
It is estimated that each year 10 million Americans fall victim to crimes related to stolen identities. These types of incidents vary from one fraud act to more complicated crimes. Many people found that a new credit card account has been opened on their name leaving an enormous amount of unpaid purchases charged to their credit. Some people found that car loans or a mortgage has been made in their name without their slightest knowledge. Others were just as surprised when they realized their bank accounts has been completely drained using forged checks or debit cards.
How do these imposters get away with these fraudulent acts? By getting their hands on anything that contains your personal details. They steal wallets, your mail, even old mail and past bills sent by the bank, insurance agencies, telephone companies, receipts, anything that has some identification numbers on it. And yes, they do search through your trash bins and garbage. They may also be just behind you at ATM stands, watching you enter your precious PIN number. These people are everywhere; they are on the internet, in your workplace, in public places- always on the look out for private information. They can even go as far as breaking into your home just to get this vital information.
Once they got this information, it could be as easy as calling your bank to increase your credit limit and that all your bills be sent to a new address. It could take months before you realize what has happened, since your bills are being sent to a new location. The next thing you’ll know you have hundreds or even thousands of dollars unpaid balances on your credit card. Just imagine what an infuriating and disheartening situation it could be for you!
So how do you know if your identity has been stolen? The warning signs may include:
* Your mail does not reach you
* Unusual details or charges on your account
* You receive unexpected calls from creditors
* You receive notices for a new credit card
* You have been denied credit
What should you do? You don’t really need to wait to for your creditors to call you up and inform you about fraudulent charges on your account. You should always keep yourself updated on all ydsjhgjzour credit accounts. Many credit card companies offer a service called credit watch and they will alert you every time a new account or inquiry is placed against your credit report.
Be cautious about your personal information. Do not write it or leave it anywhere except in a safe place. Do not carry all your credit cards on your wallet all the time. Bring only the ones you need to use. Be careful when using ATM, especially if there is another person behind you. Shred past mail, receipts, bills before you trash them. Destroy unused credit cards. Do not give any personal information through e-mail.
If your wallet has been stolen, notify your credit card issuer immediately. It is best to have the card cancelled and get another one with a new PIN. If you have not been receiving your mail, report this to your local postal inspector.
If you do suspect of a fraud, place an alert on your accounts right away. You may choose an initial alert which lasts for 90 days on your credit report. However, if you have been a victim of identity theft, you may ask for an extended alert on your credit report which lasts up to seven years. To place a fraud alert, you may contact any of the three consumer reporting companies through their toll-free numbers:
* Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com;
P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374 - 0241
* Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com;P.O. Box 9532 Allen , TX 75013
* TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, PO Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
You’ll be entitled for a free credit report so you can personally check on your accounts. Examine all the details on report, any companies you haven’t done business with, unfamiliar accounts, and if there are any unexplainable charges. Make sure that all your personal information like your name, address, SSN is exactly correct. If there is any incorrect detail, update it immediately.
If your account has really been corrupted, speak with someone from the fraud department of that company and notify them about it. Follow it up with a written report sent through registered mail. The letter must state that you dispute such charges due to their fraudulent nature. Request that these fraudulent debts be resolved and that the account be closed.
File a report with your local police. To find out if your state law accepts reports on identity theft, check your state Attorney General’s office at www.naag.org. You should also file a complaint at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Contact them by phone at 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653- 4261, or by mail at:
Identity Theft Clearinghouse
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW, Washington, DC, 20580
You can also visit the FTC website at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.
Liz Roberts is a freelance writer and loan consultant. The website www.badcreditResources.com offers resources that specialize in providing bad credit personal loans and bad credit credit cards to people with bad credit.
Previous Articles Highlighter:
Business Finance Resource Availability Issues For Telecommunications Companies (1)
Just as the old adage about getting a job without experience goes, it is hard to grow your business when you need all of your working capital just to run your business day to day.
Eight Ways To Save Money On Gas (2)
Some credit cards will also give points or cash back for gas purchases. 7. Choose the right grade. Before you pay more, find out if your car's engine was designed for premium gasoline.
Considering Health Savings Accounts (3)
Or talk to your benefits manager to see if HSAs will be on your health insurance menu. Choosing an HSA could significantly reduce your share of premiums, and some employers may opt to fund all or part of the HSA, much like a 401(k)-style match.
7 Cash Flow Steps To A Healthy Budget (4)
It normally takes about three months to get everything working right while you figure out where your money has been going every month. Be patient with your budget and before long it will start working and you will regain control of your money.
Getting Engaged? How Should You Handle Health Insurance? (5)
- Waiting period for spouses. Individual policies should also be an option for married couples where an employer has dramatically increased the employee's share of the premium to cover spouses, or stopped offering coverage for spouses altogether because of the extra expense.
Real Estate Financing - What You Need To Know About Home Mortgages Before You Commit (6)
If you're buying a second home or property, you will need to identify the sources for your down payment, since you'll not be selling your current house and using the proceeds, and you'll need to expect larger monthly payments for housing or any other expenses too.
Student Loans Also Known As PLUS Loans (7)
The interest rate on the PLUS loans is 8.5%. The third type of student loan is the loan given by private banks and finance corporations. These loans have a limit higher than any federal loan.
Borrowing Should Be 'Structured In Best Way Possible' (8)
As a result, she claimed that those who already have "high levels of existing credit" are set to find further pressure placed on their day-to-day finances should the Bank of England's monetary policy committee (MPC) decide to increase the base rate even further.
What Is High Risk Home Owner Insurance? (9)
One reason this can happen is either the owners or the home itself has been designated as high risk. Which ever the case there are several issues which can cause a home owner to purchase high risk insurance and there are things that can be done to help minimize the cost.
Offer A Vendor Equipment Leasing Program To Enhance Sales And Profits (10)
Using one leasing company results in better pricing because of increased volume. Leasing companies make more money when deals come through referrals, rather than expensive marketing. The referral business is more profitable because it provides a steady stream of deals from clients who are looking to acquire equipment now and need financing.
Mutual Funds Make Investing Simple (11)
You can simply select a diversified fund that contains a bunch of different stocks of companies that fit into a certain paradigm, such as a fund containing nothing but small cap stocks, mid-cap stocks, large cap stocks, technology stocks, bonds, etc.
Get The Best Debt Relief From A Free Debt Consolidation Program (12)
Facts That Can Bring A Difference Generally it is the nonprofit companies that provide a free debt consolidation program. They study your condition thoroughly before giving advice on consolidating loans.
Student Loan Default - Avoid It With These Easy Steps (13)
There are, of course, some occasions when it is simply impossible to avoid getting in a mess and there are special arrangements to help those who find themselves in a student loan default situation, which is worrying and upsetting.
Establishing Credit Though Student Credit Cards (14)
These types of credit cards are an excellent opportunity for the students to learn money skills that will last them a lifetime. With all of the great benefits of student credit cards, they can still be dangerous, just like more traditional credit cards.
Put Your Agent To The Test (15)
It's important to note the positing of the paragraph up above. You are the client, and potential employer for that matter, of this particular individual. You must keep yourself in a position of "why should I give you my business by hiring you today." You wouldn't rush into brain surgery by hiring the first doctor who raised his had and said he could do it.
House Price Growth 'Slowing' (16)
Keywords: house, price, growth, slowing Despite house prices across Britain increasing over the last three months, a new study by Nationwide has noted a slowing in the speed of growth. According to the financial services firm, the typical British property rose in value by 2.1 per cent during the second quarter of 2007, compared to the previous three-month period which witnessed growth of some 2.3 per cent.
Britons 'Get Carried Away' With Holiday Spending (17)
According to research conducted by Alliance & Leicester, 4.2 million consumers - about one in ten - are willing to go abroad even though they are yet to finish paying off money owed from their previous break.
Insuring Yourself In A Changing Economy (18)
This stripped down version generally offers coverage for routine and preventive services with little to no co-payments. Medical visits may be limited to four to five annually, and benefits may be capped at as little as $2,000 a year.
The High Deductible Health Plan - What Is It And How Does It Benefit Me? (19)
An HDHP with an HSA provides major medical coverage and a tax-free way to help you build savings for future medical expenses. It also gives you greater flexibility and discretion over how you use your health care benefits.
Medical Bankruptcies The Growing Reality (20)
Nearly 1,000 individuals questioned gave detailed interviews about their financial and medical circumstances. Sickness and rising medical bills were cited as the cause, in part, for 46.2 percent of the personal bankruptcies.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
The Importance Of Having Umbrella Insurance (1)
Also, the insurer will require that you maintain a certain level of liability on the home and auto policies in order to qualify for the excess policy. Usually, you must maintain at least $250,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $500,000 per accident, and $100,000 for property damage for your autos, and $500,000 of liability for your home.
How To Pick A Good Home Owner Insurance Company (2)
Take into account the ratings each independent research firm has given to the homeowners insurance companies you are considering. It is also to make sure that any insurance providers you are considering is licensed to sell insurance in your state.
Your Credit Report And Credit Score (3)
People with high credit scores can obtain lower interest rates on their loans and credit cards while those with low credit scores will be given higher interest rates and will more likely be denied of a credit card application, loan application or any other type of credit based service.
The Personal Financial Budget Is The Door To Financial Freedom (4)
If you want to be the person with the secure financial future then you need to take charge of your money with a cash flow plan. The way to do that is with a budget which for many people is something that doesn't come naturally.
What Is A Mortgage Refinance? (5)
It can also be used to pay off debt by tapping into the equity in your home, if you choose to borrow above and beyond what is owed on your current mortgage.
Understanding Virtual Banking (6)
Phishing is a practice whereby an account holder receives an email purporting to come from their bank asking them to confirm their bank details like names and passwords. They then use these details to access their accounts.
When To Refinance Your Home Mortgage (7)
To do this type of loan, a cash out loan, they rely on the equity in the home to get the loan amount they need. Probably the best way to go about doing a home mortgage refinance is to get multiple quotes from multiple lenders.
Do You Know Why You Want To Become A Trader Online? (8)
These feelings can range from stupefying fear, to a feeling of failure that is quite profound. To find out your real reasons for deciding to get in on the online trading train, you need to sit down and make a list and ask yourself some serious questions.
Buying Home Owners Insurance Online (9)
The online quote has a questionnaire that needs completed that will ask you some other valuable information that helps determine the replacement value of your home and this process may reveal something about your present coverage that you were unaware of.
Understanding Your Annual Percentage Rate (APR) (10)
Years ago, before the APR was required to be disclosed, unscrupulous lenders would promise really low interest rates in order to get consumers in the door. Perhaps the most frequently asked question when signing closing documents revolves around the APR.
Foreclosed Homes List- An Important Tool (11)
However, you need to be extremely careful about providing your details online. It is essential to refer to the best available list in order to buy a house, as selecting a wrong home list will cost you time, money, as well as stress.
Foreclosed Home Listing- An Insight Into Foreclosed Home Listings (12)
Keywords: Sell Your Home Fast, Stop Home Foreclosures You want to own your own house? It is considered to be one of the biggest investments that a person can ever make.
Foreclosed Home- Discover The Truth About Foreclosed Homes (13)
As Is Now will buy your house in 24 hours if approved and you get cash in your pocket. We help you get rid of your home fast for any reason including to Stop Home Foreclosures : www.asisnow.com
Consumers Determined To Buy First Home (14)
Figures released in Bradford & Bingley's annual First Time Buyer Report show, some 46 per cent of potential buyers are concerned that house prices are set to become ever more expensive over the coming months, with a quarter stating that if they do not buy a home now than they never will be able to do so in the future.
Buy Foreclosed Homes- Be An Informed Buyer (15)
Purchasing homes for a low price and saving thousands of dollars may not matter if you end up spending on extensive repairs and renovations. Foreclosed homes are mostly sold 'as is', therefore, ensure that you know the condition of the house before bidding.
Are You Paying Too Much For Your Loan Insurance? (16)
The benefits Despite its high cost, there are some benefits to insurance. It can give you the peace of mind that if something should happen to you then your payments are covered for up to a year.
Banking Alternatives: Do You Need A Bank? (17)
Online banking Perhaps the best alternative to traditional banking is online banking. There are many banks that operate solely online, and there are a lot of benefits to this sort of bank.
Britons Should Not 'Sit Back' For Energy Price Cuts (18)
The price comparison company added that by having both sources from the same supplier most consumers will be able to get a discount on their bills, in addition to taking a "great stepping stone" to accessing cheaper online deals.
Fixed Rate Loans 'Offer Peace Of Mind' (19)
Chris Crook, subsidiary managing director of Countryside Properties, asserted that: "Fixed-rate mortgages give buyers peace of mind but they do not usually give buyers the lowest starting rate in the market which is what first-time buyers really want".
Low Income Families 'Need Access To Cheap Loans' (20)
Abbi Rouse writes for 1 stop finance shop where visitors can apply for UK debt consolidation loans and also focuses on cheap personal loans and bad credit secured loans for UK residents.