November 16th, 2009 
admin Slide show analysis of Thieves in the Night by Kweli and Mos Def.
November 8th, 2009 admin If you think that identity theft can never happen to you, think again. Just take a look at statistics concerning identity theft, and you can see that the crime of identity theft is closer to you than you may realize.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity theft affects as many as 10 million Americans each year. Nearly 5% of the people living in the US will become an identity theft victim and the numbers are increasing each year. The FTC even reported that they currently received nearly 40% more identity theft complaints than the previous year. What is more alarming is that identity theft costs businesses and financial institutions nearly $53 billion annually.
The most common types of identity theft are credit card frauds, communications service fraud, bank fraud and loan fraud. Credit card fraud is when someone else uses your credit or uses your personal data to apply for a credit card. Meanwhile, communications service fraud deals with someone opening a cell phone or utility services account using your information without your knowledge. For bank fraud, a common scam is the thief opens up a checking account using your identity and then proceeds to write bogus checks.
For years, identity thieves get valuable personal information through stealing mail, snatching purses, or searching garbage for discarded bank statements or credit card receipts. With rapid technological advancement, most identity thieves now employ phishing. Statistics reveal phishing to be the most dangerous of all identity thefts as it uses both social engineering and technical subterfuge.
Phishing is when the victim receives an email that appears to be from a bank or other financial institution. The victim is then told to click a link and verify his/her account information or supply personal identity data. The victim believes the link to be a legitimate site when in fact the identity thief now uses the victim’s data to gain access to account information and empty the bank account. Phishers can also take out credit cards in the victim’s name, and steal ISP account information.
According to the latest findings of the research group Gartner, close to 60 million Americans reported receiving a phishing email, and about 1.7 million people have been victims, costing banks and credit card companies approximately $1.2 billion in losses.
All these figures and information about identity theft are definitely alarming. To avoid being the next identity theft statistic, it’s better to take measures to protect yourself against identity theft like keeping your personal information private, subscribing to an identity theft service, and many more. These are just simple steps that take only a few moments of your time. These few moments are indeed worth the while considering you can either spend countless hours trying to manage the damage done by identity theft.
Author and internet entrepreneur Bernard Pragides offers expert advice and tips regarding identity theft. Learn more about identity theft and fraud by visiting his blog at http://www.LifeLockblog.com
Posted in Identity Theft Prevention 
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No Comments » November 7th, 2009 admin Are you thinking of subscribing to an Identity Theft Protection company? Given the growing crime rate of identity theft, it is definitely wise to take this particular action in protecting yourself from identity theft. Here?s what you should know before subscribing to an Identity Theft Protection company.
An Identity Theft Protection company usually offers the following services:
1. Tracking of credit report, police report and medical records. Whenever your credit card is used or whenever your social security number is included in an application form, your Identity Theft Protection company will notify you. If the transaction was unauthorized, the company would then make a trace to find out who tried to use your identity. The company will also track down any unknown addresses that are affiliated with your name and will also take a look at the DMV records in your state.
2. Alerts in case of any suspicious activity. Once detected, your account will be frozen and you will have to confirm if it is indeed unauthorized. If it is unauthorized, your account will continue be frozen and the company will notify the authorities. If it is authorized however, your account will be reactivated immediately. This is very helpful as normally the only way you would know of this is if you are already harassed by collection agencies or when you try to get credit only to find your credit rating has been thrashed.
3. Assistance in the process of clearing credit. Should the thieves be successful in using your identity, the company will help you with the police regarding warrants, as well as assist you in getting collection agencies to stop harassing you for debts that aren?t yours.
An Identity Theft Protection company offers various plans:
The basic plan usually covers tracking of your credit report and alerts in case of suspicious transactions. You will also receive notifications every time a new account is opened or a new inquiry appears on your report. Given the rise of competition in lending, note that many lenders offer this basic plan for free.
Meanwhile, in a more detailed plan, you can receive monthly reports (as compared to yearly reports in a basic plan) and counseling services. Some Identity Theft Protection companies also cover out-of-pocket fees in case you become an identity theft victim. This detailed plan usually charges a reasonable fee of $100 per individual or $150 per household annually.
There are also comprehensive plans available which covers each and every cost the consumer incurs through identity theft. Obviously, this service would warrant higher fees.
A few examples of top-notch Identity Theft Protection Companies include LifeLock Identity Theft Protection and Equifax Credit Monitoring Service. Note that Lifelock offers $1,000,000 Identity Theft Protection Service Guarantee.
Subscribing to an Identity Theft Protection company is just one of the ways you can protect yourself from identity theft. There are other simple steps you can take like being more cautious in all your transactions and being more careful with regards to your personal information. You certainly can?t go wrong with taking extra precautions when it comes to protecting yourself from identity theft.
Author and internet entrepreneur Bernard Pragides offers expert advice and tips regarding identity theft. Learn more about identity theft and fraud by visiting his identity theft blog at http://www.LifeLockBlog.com for more helpful information.
Posted in Identity Theft Prevention Tags: Accou, Application Form, Authorities, Before, Collection Agencies, Company, credit card, Credit Rating, Credit Report, Crime Rate, Debts, Dmv Records, Identity, Identity Theft Protection, Know, Medical Records, Notifications, Police Report, Protection., Should, Social Security, Social Security Number, Subscribing, Suspicious Activity, Suspicious Transactions, Theft, Thieves, Warrants No Comments » November 6th, 2009 admin Many people do not realize that there are different types of identity theft. There are indeed several ways in which the identity thief can take advantage of your personal information, while leaving you to deal with the repercussions. Here’s what you need to know about the 5 types of identity theft.
The type of identity theft you are probably most familiar with is Financial Identity Theft. It is when the thief uses your information to set up financial accounts in your name without your permission or knowledge. The thief may obtain credit cards, loans, merchandise, homes, vehicles, vacations and more, all in your name. Financial identity theft can definitely cost you thousands of dollars in debt, not to mention the painstaking process of clearing your name and credit.
Another type of identity theft is Medical Identity Theft wherein the thief uses your information to obtain health and other medical benefits and services. Being a victim of medical identity theft can result to fraudulent billing and having erroneous medical files. Your ability to get a health and life insurance may also be affected. Imagine the nightmare of having an actual medical emergency and having your insurance company refusing to cover the bills as records show you’ve already had the procedure done or you’ve depleted your insurance coverage.
An identity thief can not only leave you with tons of debt, but leave you with a criminal record as well. With Criminal Identity Theft, the thieves use your information to obtain employment, to commit or distance themselves from crimes, or provide your information when questioned by law enforcement. Repercussions can range from undeserved tickets to outstanding arrest warrants and even temporary imprisonment. Victims can also be fired from their jobs due to an “undisclosed conviction”.
An identity thief can also use your identity to begin a “new life”. Basically, the thief openly lives and works as you. This type of identity theft is called Character Identity Theft or Identity Cloning. Using your name, the thief can collect tax refunds and receive your benefits, obtain professional licenses, be married, have children or file for bankruptcy. The thieves are usually criminals, fugitives, illegal aliens, or people with poor work or financial history.
These identity thieves are out there to victimized innocent people particularly seniors. They feel that seniors are easy targets because of their financial status and their lack of awareness of the matter.
Identity theft can not only be devastating to individuals but to businesses as well especially in cases wherein the business’ credit and the owner’s credit are one in the same. With Commercial Identity Theft wherein criminals get credit by charging it to another business’ name, business operations may be severely affected due to a loan being denied or called early or if interest rates on key credit accounts are increased due to a universal default cause.
Truly, an awareness of these different types of identity theft is helpful in protecting ourselves from becoming a victim of the crime. Given that identity theft has now become more common, it’s definitely wise to know what we are up against in order to take the appropriate preventive measures.
Posted in Identity Theft Prevention Tags: Conviction, Credit Cards, Criminal Record, Financial Accounts, Financial Identity, Fraudulent Billing, Identity, Imprisonment, Insurance Company, Insurance Coverage, Know, Life Insurance, Medical Benefits, Medical Emergency, Medical Files, Need, Outstanding Arrest Warrants, Outstanding Warrants, Repercussions, Several Ways, Theft, Thief, Thieves, Thousands Of Dollars, Types No Comments » November 2nd, 2009 admin Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America today. More than 9.9 million Americans were the victim of many types of identity theft scams in 2004, which ended up costing them almost $5 billion. Most identity theft victims suffered sever financial damage and even financial ruin because they thought identity theft would not happen to them. No matter what your current financial state is like, where you live, or what your spending habits are, you are a target for identity theft. The truth is that everyone is at risk for identity theft, but fortunately there are things you can do to prevent identity theft from happening to you.
It may seem simple, but shredding all documents you receive that contain any of your personal information is one of the best ways to prevent identity theft. This includes credit card receipts, bills, and pre-approved credit applications. This important step alone can give you great protection against identity as the majority of identity theft originates from financial documents that were thrown away or intercepted.
You should also remember never to give your personal information to anyone over the phone, through the mail, or on the Internet. Identity thieves will often claim to be from various sources including your bank, the government, or even law enforcement to get you to divulge your personal info. You should always keep your personal information private in order to prevent identity theft. If you are contacted by a legitimate institution, make sure you check the validity of their claim and do not give information on the first contact. Call or contact the company directly to make sure it was really them who contacted you.
It is also important to check your credit report from all three major credit bureaus once a year to make sure everything is accurate and there is no suspicious activity. If you find an error or something suspicious dispute it immediately to protect your credit and prevent identity theft. Always be aware of when your bills should arrive every month and always check them over carefully to make sure there are no unknown charges. Identity thieves will steal your credit card statements and other bills and then use the information for their own gain. This type of identity theft has been around for years and is the oldest type of identity theft.
Another way to safeguard your identity is not to use common numbers as ATM passwords. Your birthday, address numbers, and part of your social security number are all easily accessible to thieves who steal your wallet and ATM card and will allow them easy access to your cash. You should also never carry your social security number in your wallet in case it is stolen. Your social security number should be safeguarded at all costs and you should also be very discriminating in who you give it to. Generally the only people you need to give it to are your employer, doctor, and financial institution. If another company asks for it, find out why they need it and decline to give it to them if they do not need it for tax reporting purposes.
Find more information about the Top Credit Monitoring Companies: Best Credit Monitoring Services
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Posted in Identity Theft Prevention Tags: America Today, Credit Applications, Credit Card Receipts, Don't, Financial Documents, Financial Ruin, First Contact, Identity, Internet Identity, Legitimate Institution, Lose, Mail, Major Credit Bureaus, Personal Info, Pre Approved Credit, Preventing, Preventing Identity Theft, Scams, Spending Habits, Suspicious Activity, Target, Theft, Thieves, Three Major Credit Bureaus, Ways To Prevent Identity Theft No Comments » October 30th, 2009 admin Computer identity theft cases normally take various forms. They mostly target people who are most vulnerable, for example senior citizens and children. Computer identity theft cases may for example take the form of an individual who pretends to be an agent of the federal tax authority. He identifies himself as a tax agent and requests you to send your social security number to him.
Such messages are normally sent to people’s inboxes. Some people do not think that they can be victims of online identity theft thus they do not normally take the necessary precautions. If you respond to such messages that are supposedly from online tax agents, your details will be used to operate several credit cards and sometimes withdrawing money from your bank account.
These activities may make you bankrupt. Computer identity theft cases are normally planned and executed by highly ingenious individuals. They sometimes design websites that look exactly like other original company websites. The only difference is that they provide a link to another web page which will usually require you to upload your personal data.
It is the personal data that they use to carry out computer identity theft. Computer identity theft cases have increased over the years according to a report from the Federal Trade Commission. The number of computer identity theft cases is doubling each year. A research carried out two years ago showed that approximately fifteen million Americans were victims of computer identity theft cases in a year.
The computer identity theft victims lose more money than they are getting. The effects of the computer identity theft cases on the economy are enormous because they run into billions of dollars. The computer identity thieves are very fast in their act and it is thus very difficult to catch up with them. The only option therefore is to try as much as possible to minimize its chances.
One of the most effective ways of preventing computer identity theft cases is by using identity theft protection service. These services takes a proactive approach to computer identity theft. It is thus a sure way of minimizing computer identity theft cases. The advantage of identity theft protection service is that it can be used across the board by either individuals or companies that may suffer from computer identity theft cases.
Individuals who would like to prevent themselves from suffering huge loses through computer identity theft have to register as members. The benefits that will accrue to you might leave you wondering why this system was not discovered earlier.
It is always good to guarantee your name through safe and tested methods. Otherwise, the costs of trying to redeem it after being a victim of computer identity theft might be very costly.
Bill Protresi is an online providing tips and advice. Visit Bill at Articles concerning identity theft.
Posted in Identity Theft Prevention Tags: Billions Of Dollars, Cases, Cases Computer, Children Computer, Company Websites, computer, Computer Identity, Credit Cards, Design Websites, Economy, Federal Tax, Federal Trade Commission, Identity, Identity Theft Cases, Necessary Precautions, People, Personal Data, Preventing Computer, Senior Citizens, Social Security, Social Security Number, Some, Theft, Thieves, Web Page No Comments » October 29th, 2009 admin Identity theft worksheets can be valuable tools to combat the horrible possibility and reality of this increasing crime against normal people. A person does not have to live in a high crime area or walk through a ghetto to be a victim of identity theft. An identity thief could find information about you and use it to steal your money, your name and your complete identity. Someone else could be using your identity to get a job, a credit card or a car. Identity theft worksheets can be a great tool if this should happen to you or someone you know.
Once a thief steals the identity of another person, the process of reversing the damage can be frustrating, expensive and frightening. The person affected will soon discover that the crime has been committed, and they will have to start a process to recover their identity. The goal for each person will be to restore their accounts and credit history to the way it was before the violation by one of these thieves. Identity theft worksheets, when completed properly, should help an affected person reverse the damage done by the thief.
Identity Theft Worksheets Should Be Completed Carefully
Identity theft worksheets are designed by experts to make sure that each affected person takes all of the necessary steps for recovery. The best identity theft worksheets provide guidelines for the action that should be taken as soon as the crime is revealed. People find out about identity theft in different ways. Some people find out immediately if they check their accounts regularly. The victims will soon notice that withdrawals or charges appear on their accounts that they do not recognize. Some people do not realize there is a problem for some time after more damage is done.
Each victim should use identity theft worksheets, and they should follow each and every step carefully. The problems of identity theft differ from case to case so each person should study each part of an identity theft worksheet to determine the relevance of each part of an identity theft worksheet to their particular case. Identity theft worksheets should be kept for a couple of years after the problem is solved as problems from this theft could arise years after the matter seems to be resolved. The victim will have to prove that a crime has been committed, and the identity theft worksheets will aid the victim in this regard.
October 28th, 2009 admin There are a lot of identity theft cases being reported today and many millions of dollars are being lost as a consequence. It will therefore pay to take a closer look at what is identity theft because the more knowledgeable you are about this particular form of theft, the better equipped you will be to prevent it from happening to you.
The first thing that strikes most people when they wonder exactly what is identity theft is that it involves someone hacking into a bank account (online) or is about using your credit card or your ATM in an illegal manner.
More Than Financial Losses
If you don’t know what identity theft is you will not be able to take preventive measures and you will also not be able to know when and how to look for instances of identity theft. What’s more, identity theft is not confined only to financial losses and there are in fact five different areas that you will need to learn about.
When learning more about what is identity theft, you need to also check to see whether it does not involve your driving license. Identity thieves are known to use stolen identities to create driving licenses in the names of their victims and will then go ahead and commit crimes or do other illegal things in your name – leaving you to face the consequences.
Another aspect to identity theft is the one that relates to stolen Social Security numbers. So, your search for an answer to what is identity theft should also take into account that your Social Security number is a prime target for identity thieves. By stealing your Social Security number, thieves can get 1099 jobs and even cash paychecks while conveniently forgetting to pay their taxes and then leaving you to shoulder the responsibility of correcting their erroneous ways.
Yet another area in which identity thieves strike is by stealing your medical insurance. It means that the next time that you enquire about what is identity theft makes sure to also check whether a thief has not illegally used your health care insurance by having made off with your health insurance card.
In fact, identity theft can also affect your character and this is an area in which you will need to be well informed about because this form of identity theft can be especially hurtful for you. Once your character has been compromised you will find it very difficult indeed to restore your damaged reputation. Finally, you also need to ask questions related to what is identity theft with regard to your finances.
By understanding what identity theft is, particularly in the five areas mentioned above, you will be able to protect you a lot better. Today, there are also credit monitoring services that can help consumers learn to deal with credit fraud and therefore you need to also become better acquainted with this aspect to credit fraud as well. It is never a good idea to wait till identity theft strikes you; rather, you need to find out as much as is possible about what is identity theft and then take remedial steps so that you enjoy a life free from different forms of identity theft.
Bill Protresi is an online security providing tips and advice. Visit Bill at his general security site.
Posted in Identity Theft Prevention Tags: Atm, Closer Look, Consequence, Consequences, Crimes, Driving Licenses, Financial Losses, Help, Identity, Identity Theft Cases, Illegal Manner, Instances, Knowing, medical insurance, More, Names, Paychecks, Preventive Measures, Prime Target, Security Jobs, Social Security, Social Security Number, Social Security Numbers, Than, Theft, Thieves, Ways No Comments » October 25th, 2009 admin In a 2004 study, the Ways and Means Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives reported that, in 2003 alone, almost 10 million Americans had become victims of identity theft. The crime cost consumers about $5 billion out-of-pocket and costs American business around $50 billion. As increasing news reports indicate, identity theft is the crime of the era. It’s increasing rapidly. Unfortunately, it’s also a difficult crime to catch and prosecute.
In 2003, victims of identity theft spent anywhere from $500 to $1200 and from 30 to 60 hours of their personal time trying to resolve the financial problems created by identity theft. Further, the crime itself occurred over a three- to six-month period in each known case.
We all hope we never become victims of identity theft. For one thing, you usually don’t learn you’re a victim until some debt collector calls you about a bill or a loan application is denied because of your poor credit history or low credit score. This news comes as a shocking surprise to most victims of identity theft, and the personal agony of financial loss and effort needed to resolve the problem take a huge toll. Identity theft victims often report they feel as violated as they would if they had been mugged or their house had been burglarized.
Today, prevention and early detection are best solutions to the identity theft problem. These criminals have a variety of ways to get your personal financial information. They may steal it from your garbage in the form of old bills or pre-approved credit offers. They may trick you on the phone or by e-mail into giving out your personal information. Someone you know and trust may have access to your personal information. Or perhaps someone with good eyesight is standing behind you, watching you enter your PIN at the ATM machine or grocery counter. These things are within your control, but there are other tactics outside your control. Identity thieves also trick the information out of banks and businesses, claiming they are research for a non-existent company or using false identities to secure the information. Hackers may sneak into the databases of large companies and download the information they keep for their clientele.
Once they have your personal information, they can submit false address change reports to your bank or creditors. They can apply for mortgages or loans or make purchases against your credit cards. You won’t know about it until the *#(& hits the fan, and your credit history is ruined.
1. How Can I Tell if Someone is using my Personal Financial Information Illegally?
So how do you know that an identity thief may be targeting your personal information? What are the signs to look for? And what do you do if you think you are a victim of identity theft? Here are a few of the things you can watch for to protect your personal financial information and your identity:
1. Order a credit report, at the very least, once a year. If a close review of your credit report reveals accounts you’ve never heard of or loans you did not make, you may be a victim. The report could also contain inquiries about your credit from merchants and vendors you didn’t apply to. These are all important red flags, and you should follow-up on the information immediately.
2. You receive a bill or statement from a company you didn’t open an account with.
3. You notice unauthorized or incorrect changes on your credit card or bank statement.
4. You get calls from business owners or debt collectors who claim you have a bill that is overdue for a product or service you never ordered or received.
5. You are denied approval of a loan or credit card application, even when you know your credit is good.
If you’ve noticed any of these warning signs, follow up immediately by contacting the credit card company, bank, or credit report agency with questions. Don’t accept inadequate answers to your questions. And continue to follow-up until all your questions have been answered and your credit account or report is accurate and up-to-date.
If you find you can’t resolve issues easily, you may be an identity theft victim already. Report this problem to law enforcement authorities immediately. Contact your bank, your creditors, and the credit report agencies to let them know the problem is occurring and ask them to freeze your accounts. Add special passwords that anyone inquiring about our using your accounts must know to get a transaction approved. Do what you can to find out what the identity thief has done. For example, where have they opened accounts or where have the applied for loans. Can you find another address associated with your name that is not familiar to you? If you identify the identity thief, do not contact them directly. Rather provide that information to law enforcement.
2. What Can I do to Prevent Identity Theft Before it Happens?
To avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, follow these guidelines:
1. Keep a very close eye on your credit card activities. Check statements closely as soon as you receive them, and confirm that you made or approved all of the purchases. If there are questionable charges on your statement, contact the company immediately to find out when and where the purchase was made and to formally dispute the charge. You might be surprised to know how many people fail to review their statements carefully each month. Failure to attend to your accounts could leave you thousands, even hundreds of thousands, in debt with no products or services to show for it.
2. Request credit report updates at least twice a year. Look for a lower-than-expected credit score, unfamiliar accounts, or credit inquries from companies you don’t do business with.
3. Be careful to protect your personal financial papers. Keep them in a secure location, preferably under lock and key. And don’t allow other people to access them without your express permission.
4. Be alert when you’re writing checks or using your ATM card. Is there anyone near enough who could read and steal personal information or your PIN number? Becareful to protect these items from view.
5. Deliver your bill payments directly to the post office, and don’t let your mail sit in your mail box too long. This is an open invitation to the ever-vigilant identity thief.
6. Use unexpected and unique passwords on all your internet accouts, mixing letters with numbers and symbols. And change your passwords at least every six months.
Keep up on the news about new identity theft strategies and scams. Read the paper and surf the internet to find out who’s doing what these days. Make sure you know what your creditors do with their customers’ personal information and demand they protect it.
Avoid becoming a victim of identity theft by applying common sense and careful thought to your everyday transactions. Question people who ask for inappropriate information and feel empowered to refuse to answer. Remember that you may not know your co-workers and acquaintances very well. Do not share your information with anyone you don’t trust 100%.
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Posted in Identity Theft Prevention Tags: 10 Million, Agony, American Business, Atm Machine, Avoid, Becoming, Best Solutions, Credit Score, Debt Collector, E Mail, Financial Information, Garbage, Good Eyesight, House Of Representatives, Identity, Loan Application, News Reports, Personal Time, Poor Credit History, Pre Approved Credit, Prevent, Theft, Thieves, tips, victim, Victims Of Identity Theft, Ways And Means Committee No Comments » September 21st, 2009 admin Protect Your Time And Your Money: Stop Download Thieves And Build Customer Lists. Every Serious Seller Needs This!
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