| |
| |
|
WebsiteAlways |
|
10 Ways To Protect Your Financial Identity Being Used For Someone Else's Shopping Spree
Someone impersonating you could be spending your hard-earned money. Impossible! Not really, check, loan, and identity fraud are a real problem. In 2002, the federal trade commission estimated that identity fraud affected and estimated 3.3 million Americans; costing consumers $3.8 billion and business $32.9 billion. Here are 10 ways to protect yourself from having your financial identity used for someone else's shopping spree: 1. Order your credit report once a year from each of the three credit bureaus to make sure that you are familiar with all of the reported transactions and that there isn't any unusual activity. Call (888) 5OPT-OUT to request to have your name removed from their marketing lists. 2. Cancel all unused credit card accounts, and make sure to keep a copy of your credit cards and the toll free contact numbers so you can report the card number immediately if it is lost or stolen. 3. Don't carry extra credit cards, your social security card or passports in the same wallet except when completely unavoidable. 4. Install a locked mailbox at your office or home to keep people from snatching your mail. Don't drop paid bills in the mailbox; take them to the post office to be mailed. 5. Ask your bank about its privacy policies and information practices. Find out the circumstances under which your bank would provide your account information to a third party. 6. Always save your credit card receipts to match against your monthly statement. Keep track of when your cards expire to make sure your new card arrives in the mail. 7. Never have your social Security number printed on your checks. Never put your account information on the outside of an envelope or on a postcard. Give your Social Security number only when absolutely necessary. Ask if you can use another type of identifying number whenever possible. 8. Review your phone bills and cellular phone bills each moth for any unauthorized use. And compare your ATM receipts and cashed checks with your periodic bank statements to check for unauthorized transfers or charges. 9. When filling out a loan or credit application, ask how the company disposes of them. When you receive one of those pre approved credit card offers in the mail make sure to cut it in small pieces before throwing it away. 10. When creating passwords or Personal Identification Numbers (PIN) choose something different from your address, telephone number, middle name, the last four digits of your Social Security number, your birth date or any other information that could be easily discovered by thieves. Bonus- Always write checks using a fine point permanent marker and put a line before the written amount so that no one can add something in once you've written the check. Resources: Credit reporting bureaus: Eqifax- P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta GA 30374-0241. Experian- P.O. Box 2104 Allen TX 75013-2104 Trans Union- P.O. Box 390 Springfield PA 19064-0390. Check verification companies: To verify if there are any activities on your account from fraud contact these verification companies. CheckRite- 800-766-2748 Social Security Administration- About The Author ©BZ Riger-Hull. www.in-spiros.com. For valuable free articles, assessments, & practical success tools mailto:A1@smartautoresponder.com Certified as a Success Coach, "Four Agreements" Facilitator, & Tele-Course leader We help you communicate powerfully, reduce stress, Strategically Attract success, & increase your financial well-being. bz@in-spiros.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Credit - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How To Read Your Credit Report The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, signed into law on Dec. 4, 2003, gives every American the right to a free credit report every year from each of the three major credit bureaus -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Free Credit Report - Really 2005 marks the year that consumers will be able to get a free credit report each year. The roll out of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act signed into law by President Bush actually began last December 1. Shoppers Beware - Tis The Season It's the number one complaint from consumers and it only takes a moment for you to become a victim. While you search for holiday bargains, identity thieves are searching for targets - unsuspecting consumers. My Student Credit Card Adventure And some practical advice too!My first credit card?I remember my college days when it seemed there was a credit card advertisement on practically every bulletin board on campus. The banks would travel to the college and set up application booths on registration day. Do you Know the Benefits of Checking your Credit Report? Do you know why you should check your credit report?Of course you do, because you have undoubtedly experienced one working in your life!No matter where you roam, your credit report follows you through life, updating all aspects of your life: your employment, where you live, your opened credit accounts, your closed accounts, your payment history, and even public records on you.In this country, a good credit history brings you benefits of all kinds--a home mortgage, an apartment lease, an auto loan, or even more credit--with ease. How a Credit Card Can Be Your Friend We have all heard countless stories of people over their heads with credit card debt-maxing out every card they own, then only being able to afford the minimum monthly payment. High interest payments shackle people to their debt for years, not to mention the significant income drain the finance charges have on their families. Credit Card Expenses Are Killing Your Budget! Do you know the costs associated with your credit card? Do your really know? Many people assume they do but aren't aware of the hidden fees that many credit card companies are charging you month after month. In fact, if you don't keep a close eye on your credit card, you may end up paying hundreds of extra dollars per year-without ever knowing it! And if you're trying to budget your money, those hidden fees can add up!Let's take a look at some of the most common credit card fees, and then talk about how you can avoid them. Finding the Right Credit Card There are so many credit cards out there to choose from that deciding which one to get can feel really daunting. What makes one offer better than the hundreds of others you've seen? Take this little quiz to find out what you should look for in a card. Special Credit Information for Married Couples If you are married, establish separate credit accounts.Try to finance real estate in just one partner's name to increase your investment financing potential. Dealing With A Collection Agency Step I - Selecting A Collection AgencySelecting a credit collection agency is perhaps the most important and difficult task. Some factors you must consider while selecting a collection agency are:- Experience and professionals - Geographical presence - Expertise - Fees and charging model - Customer references - Collection Agency Services has covered this topic in depth through various free collections reports and articles on this site. Credit Repair Kit Sound To Good To Be True? It Is. A lot of people have bad credit. It is unfortunate that good people with good intentions are sometimes lured into credit card offers with outrageous interest rates or convinced to buy a new, overpriced car that they cannot afford. Compare Credit Card Offers and Reward Yourself Here's a simple system on how to pay zero interest and get tons of free stuff. Almost everyone uses credit cards. What You Need to Know About Credit Reports You hear people talk about credit reports all the time but do you know what they are really all about? Well, if you have ever been turned down when applying for a credit card or a loan it is high time you learned all about your credit report and how you can get it working for you instead of against you.Let's start off by explaining what your credit report actually is. The Advantages of Credit Cards There are many evils associated with credit cards, but there are benefits that are hard to ignore. One benefit is having the credit card company act in your behalf to recover funds from a disputed transaction. Can Credit Search Entries Affect Your Ability to get Approved for a New Loan in the UK? About Search Entries:Every time a lender checks your credit history from your credit file (i.e. New Law Provides Free Annual Credit Report As of Thursday, December 1, 2004, one-third of Americans will be able to access their credit reports from all three main agencies for free. Passed in late 2003, the Fair & Accurate Credit Transactions Act creates a central source consumers can use to obtain a free annual credit report. Identity Theft - How Can You Prevent It Happening to You? The nightmare of identity theft strikes an estimated 750,000 people every year. How can you keep from being one of them? While there is no guarantee that you won't become a victim, there are some steps you can take to decrease the risk and protect yourself. SuperCharged Secret 5, Credit Card Utopia LIVING IN CREDIT CARD UTOPIALet's just take a brief moment to recap:If you've been following along on this journey with me, learning the 5 Super-Charged secrets to Credit Card Utopia, then you now know 4 very important things:You now know how to take advantage of zero to low interest credit card offers.You now know that there is safety in numbers, and you know the magic "Who's Who" of the major credit card companies. Different Ways to Borrow Money There are many different ways to borrow money. Outlined below is a useful guide to some of most common ways of borrowing money. Harassment of People in Debt by Creditors HarassmentHarassment of people in debt by creditors or their agents is a criminal offence under the Administration of Justice Act 1970. It is often difficult to know what to do when you feel a creditor is not dealing with your account fairly.
|
| Interesting articles | Home | site map | Link |
| © 2006 |
