Latest Identity Theft News:
ID Thieves Attack Neopets
Popular Children’s Web Site Under Attack by Identity Thieves – FOX NEWS
“Passwords to banking sites, account information, Social Security and credit card numbers all become fair game.”
“The threat of malware isn’t just isolated to one hacker stealing one person’s information, say security experts. Devious software can sniff out passwords stored in browsers or word documents on a computer that hold personal information, and then pass this data along.”
Read Entire Article: http://www.foxnews.com
Identity Theft Statistics
• Your chances of being a victim of Identity Theft are 1 in 4!
• Every three seconds, an identity is stolen.
• 8.4 Million Americans were victimized by Identity Theft in 2007.
• The total cost to consumers from identity theft was 49.3 billion dollars in 2007.
• On average, identity theft victims spend 40 hours to undo the damage and clear their names.
Identity theft statistics are shocking! In the past five years, 1 in 4 Americans was a victim of identity theft making it America’s fastest growing crime. Identity theft statistics indicate that this crime costs the government, businesses, and citizens of America billions of dollars each year.
The Federal Trade Commission recently conducted a study on identity theft. Below is a short summary of the alarming identity theft statistics they compiled.
• Nearly 10 million Americans were victims of some form of identity theft within the last year.
• 1.5 percent of survey participants reported that in the last year their personal information had been misused to open new credit card accounts. Additionally, 2.5 Percent reported other misuse of their credit card information in the last year.
• 15 percent of identity theft victims reported that their personal information was misused in non-financial ways. The most common misuse reported was for the identity thief to present the victim’s name and identifying information when stopped by law enforcement authorities or when charged with a crime.
• The average loss to a business is $4,800. Total business losses from identity theft exceeded $47 billion in the last year.
• The average loss to an individual is 30 hours and $500. Total personal losses from identity theft exceeded 297 hours and $5 billion in the last year.
Don’t Become an Identity Theft Statistic! Review this entire website to learn how to avoid identity theft and what to do if your identity is stolen.
Protect yourself from ID Theft
Over 20 of the best ways to protect yourself from Identity Theft…
Burn or shred any mail or financial papers with your personal information on it.
Report lost or stolen credit cards immediately and notify one of the three credit monitoring agencies if you discover your identity has been stolen.
Close any of the affected accounts right away and notify your local authorities. Then report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission.
Never give out your personal information to anyone who asks for it by phone or e-mail, unless you know the person or have initiated the conversation.
Use one credit card specifically for online shopping and be sure you can check the statements regularly online. Also be sure it has a low credit limit so if you get ripped off, you won’t lose much.
Never use your debit card as a credit card. If it is stolen, thieves can drain your entire bank account.
Try to shop only on secured Websites from companies you know and trust.
Never use something obvious as a password, like your mother’s maiden name or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Limit the number of credit cards you hold, and religiously inspect your financial statements each month. Consumer rights quickly fade over time; the sooner you discover an identity theft incident, the better.
Avoid sending your financial or personal information (Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, etc) via e-mail or instant messenger. They’re usually not encrypted and your information could be intercepted.
If your identity is stolen (or you think it might have been stolen) and you live in one of the 26 states with laws allowing you to do so, consider freezing access to your credit records.
Keep your personal and financial information in a safe and secure place at home. Though a lot of identity theft occurs online, the Federal Trade Commission says even more happens the old fashioned way: stealing your stuff.
Be alert to signs of trouble like unexpected bills, bills that never come even though they should, denials of credit for no apparent reason, calls from businesses about purchases you never made.
Always check your credit report and inspect your financial statements.
Call 1-888-5OPTOUT and ask to stop credit card companies from sending pre-approved credit card applications to your house. They are ticking identity theft time bombs.
Ask your credit card firm to cease delivery of “convenience checks.” They, too, are ticking time bombs.
You’re entitled to one free credit report each year. Get it as soon as possible and review it carefully.
Order a credit report a month or more before you make a big purchase or apply for credit, to be sure there are no surprises in your history.
Hassle companies that ask for personal information, such as your phone number at a checkout line. The harder we make it on companies, the less they will be inclined to continue the practice.
It’s impossible to tell what’s real and what’s fake online. Just delete any e-mail that asks for personal information.
Just hang up on telemarketers, particularly ones who seem to be fishing for personal information, like your birthday.
Most of the time, you can’t prevent an ID theft incident from occurring, because two-thirds of the time, some company that leaked the data is to blame. So be prepared, and be organized. Save paper bank records for a year, at least. You’ll need them to prove your account balance in the event of an ID theft incident.
Bloomberg TV about ID Theft
In an age when your credit score determines not only the interest rate you get on loans, but everything from insurance premiums to apartment rentals to jobs, identity theft can be financially devastating. Learn how to minimize your chances of having your identity stolen, and what to do if it is.
Child Identity Theft
Has your child’s identity been stolen? While identity theft is often committed by strangers, sometimes parents and other relatives steal the financial identities of children to get access to more credit.
Watch this video for several ways your child’s Identity can be stolen.
What exactly is identity theft?
Here is a basic explanation of identity theft from the U.S. Treasury Dept.
Identity theft is a fraud committed or attempted using the identifying information of another person without their permission, without their authority. The F.A.C.T. act, the fair and accurate transactions act, defines identity theft in that way. And it is important because the definition is somewhat broad, but there are really two types of identity theft that we’re talking about today. One is the actual hijacking of a person’s identity to create new accounts, to go out and open new credit cards, to create a new banking account. That is one aspect of it. The other aspect is actually credit card fraud, gaining your credit card number or maybe some information to allow a person to complete a transaction using your credit card number. So, two different types of frauds, but they all have the same end result. Someone is trying to steal your information and their trying to steal money by using it.
What to do if you are a victim…
What should you do if you are a victim of ID Theft?
OnGuardOnline.gov has some great information that can help you if Your Personal Information Has Been Compromised.
According to OnGuard Online, if your personal information is accidentally disclosed or deliberately stolen, taking certain steps quickly can minimize the potential for the theft of your identity.
- Place a “Fraud Alert” on your credit reports, and review the reports carefully. The alert tells creditors to follow certain procedures before they open new accounts in your name or make changes to your existing accounts. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have toll-free numbers for placing an initial 90-day fraud alert; a call to one company is sufficient:
- TransUnion: www.transunion.com, 1-800-680-7289
- Experian: www.experian.com, 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
- Equifax: www.equifax.com, 1-800-525-6285
Placing a fraud alert entitles you to free copies of your credit reports. Look for inquiries from companies you haven’t contacted, accounts you didn’t open, and debts on your accounts that you can’t explain.
- Close accounts. Close any accounts that have been tampered with or established fraudulently:
- Call the security or fraud departments of each company where an account was opened or changed without your okay. Follow up in writing, with copies of supporting documents.
- Use the ID Theft Affidavit to support your written statement.
- Ask for verification that the disputed account has been closed and the fraudulent debts discharged.
- Keep copies of documents and records of your conversations about the theft.
- File a police report. File a report with law enforcement officials to help you with creditors who may want proof of the crime. This report will also help you claim your rights as a victim of identity theft.
- Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission. Your report helps law enforcement officials across the country in their investigations. Online: ftc.gov/idtheft. By phone: 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338) or TTY, 1-866-653-4261
If your information has been misused, file a report about your identity theft with the police, and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/idtheft.
How to catch an ID Thief
This is a eye-opening video of Chris Hansen from Dateline showing us how he was able to catch an ID Thief buying their credit cards and using them to buy things from around the world in just minutes!
Here is the complete article from MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17822386/ns/dateline_nbc-to_catch_an_id_thief/
Tucson man goes to prison…
A Tucson man faces three years in federal prison for his part in an identity theft ring that stole more than $64,000.
He stole the identities of customers from a Tucson Honda dealership where he worked as a salesman and had access to credit information.
Read entire article: http://www.kold.com/global/story.asp?s=10638578
Protect Your License Plate
It is a pretty simple process. You buy a new car and transfer your License Plate number from your old vehicle to your new one. Well thieves like to transfer license plates too. For many reasons…
Have you noticed that new traffic cam installed at the busiest intersection in your city? You know the one where everyone runs the red light. Thieves hope to divert their traffic violation tickets to you! And that isn’t the only crime.
Stolen license plates are used for cover ups on stolen vehicles, get-away cars, and hit and runs; and the plate is registered to you! Thieves know how easy it is to seal one because all you need is a screw driver. My Dad had his plate stolen but the thief wasn’t to smart because it was winter and the tracks in the snow lead to the neighbor’s house.
This being such an easy crime to commit, how do you protect your license plate? Well if someone is determined they want your plate they will take it but you can deter them as much as possible. Park in well lit areas at night and high traffic areas with lots of people. You can also buy from the auto part store special screws that make your plate more secure requiring a special tool to unscrew the bolts. These kits are around $3. If your plate takes to much time to take off, a thief will move on to an easier target. Protect your License Plate and if you are a victim, make sure you report the theft immediately with the police.
More About ID Theft:
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- Student Stole 80 Identities!
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- SecureID to combat ID Theft
- State Protects ID Theft Victims
- Identity Theft Top Complaint
- Hackers Sell Your Identity
- ID Thieves Attack Neopets
- Identity Theft Statistics
- Protect yourself from ID Theft
- Bloomberg TV about ID Theft
- Child Identity Theft
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- FTC's Identity Theft Site
- Identity Theft Resource Center
- IDTheft.gov
- Internal Revenue Service
- OnGuard Online
- Social Security Administration
- U.S. Department of Justice