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Your Identity Verified by Visa
Visa corporation has a great tool for those that love to spend their paychecks on online shopping needs like: digital cameras, hiking gear, books, and even groceries. This comes at a great time as identity theft is on the rise. Essentially, the program allows you to register your Visa branded credit card or debit card (check card) in a program that adds an extra layer of security to your credit card.
The free service called Verified by Visa helps prevent unauthorized online use before it happens by confirming your identity with an additional password. I think this is very cool in an effort to prevent and protect you from identity theft and credit card fraud. One caveat is that this is offered at certain online retailers and not all Internet based stores
You may be asking: doesn’t Visa already have security measures in place that will protect me from unauthorized charges? It certainly does. However, it is my opinion that Visa, Master Card, Discover, and American Express are feeling the pinch as the extent of id theft is reaching record levels each month. Therefore, extra layers of security from identity thieves, hackers, and fraudsters are set in place. I think this is a win win situation and that it is worth the extra effort to protect yourself from the impact of these white collar crimes.
Why Is It Important To Secure Your Identity From Thieves?
Why Is It Important To Secure Your Identity From Thieves? This open-ended question, quite frankly, should be self-explanatory. However, you would be surprised by how many people don’t know why.
Identity theft is a white collar crime that strikes people in U.S. by the millions annually. Consider that there are about 300 million people living in America. What happens worldwide with id theft is often on a much grander scale. So the first risk of identity theft is the sheer number of victim cases each year. With such a high number of crime perpetration it would seem that you may fall victim before you even know it. Often, that is the case.
Well, that certainly is not a reason that states “why it is really important to secure your identity?”, but the following 7 reasons should give you an idea:
- Protect yourself from other criminals that may be after much more than your financial status. These may include assassins, murders, rapists, hostage takers, child abductors, and your weird neighbor next door. Identity theft can be a precursor to other crimes that can range from fraud to murder.
- Perhaps you should protect your credit report score from dwindling into the low hundreds. With a good to great credit score you can enjoy these benefits: lower APRs, higher credit limits, and Titanium level credit card offers. Delightful!
- Your bank account balance may stay intact if you try to secure your identity through protection and prevention methods.
- You won’t get phone calls from creditors asking you to pay a $6,000 bill for a lot of new scooters headed for the United Kingdom.
- You will sleep better at night knowing your identity is secure from theft and your finances are intact.
- You will save yourself more money by being able to go to work and not miss those important fun times with your family and friends. If you don’t believe me, imagine that it takes an average of 18 moths for someone to clear their good name. The process is lengthy, costly, and very stressful. In some cases this process seems to never end.
- You won’t have to get a new social security number, id, driver’s license, passport, bank account, credit cards… well, a new identity. The process of regaining ground after an identity theft crime is often a nightmare. Perhaps this should be the strongest reason for you to secure your identity.
There can be many other reasons or interpretations to why is it important to secure yourself from identity theft. If you have any feel free to comment and I hope these are of some help.
Last Four Digits of Your Social Security Number
A great identity theft prevention feature that many corporation started using is the utilization of the last four digits of your social security number. Your social security number often shows up on your credit reports, billing statements, credit and loan applications, and so on.
Social Security Number Use in The Past
In the past, companies you did business with would prominently print your account number, often your social security number, on your bills or applications. Remember those days? These were the times when identity theft was a novel and unknown concept. Some people would even have name tags with their employee id on it, and yes, it was often their social security number.
Last Four Digits of the Social Security Number Applied More Often
In the recent times, this started to change as identity theft became more rampant. You find very rarely instances of social security number use among the big companies that consumers do business with. Often, they assign a random id number to your file, rather than assigning a full social security number. Some companies tend to use the last 4 digits of your social to verify your identity, and in my opinion, this is a great step forward.
Social Security Number Not Yet Protected By All
However, a lot of smaller companies still use the full social security number to keep records. In turn, those businesses are often not worried, not knowing, or not caring. In any instance, this is a big problem for millions of people who do business with the smaller companies as the risk of identity theft increases drastically. Whenever I have done identity theft assessments the biggest concern of mine was the number of files with full arsenal of identifying information being placed on desks with public access. This happens in all companies alike, but for the most part, it is the smaller companies that lack the prevention initiatives.
Prevent Identity Theft and Social Security Theft
So what can you do to prevent identity theft? Ask the companies that use your social security number to assign a different account number. Make sure it is something that doesn’t identify you to the rest of the world, but something only you and the company know. If they still “have to” use your social security number make certain that they only use the last four digits. Also, when doing business with small and big companies ask them what identity theft initiatives are in place to protect you from identity theft. If they are clueless, send them over to my blog. Perhaps, it might be of good use to them as this blog features business identity section as well.
Credit Refusal and Identity Theft Prevention
Uh-huh, even the individual that is refused credit can prevent identity theft. The only catch is that there is a time limit. Perhaps you have applied for credit and you were denied. How would you like to know about something that very few people know about. It would be cool? Wouldn’t it? Here it is. Did you know that according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) you are eligible to obtain a free credit report if a company takes unfavorable action against you, for example rejecting your application for credit, insurance policy, or employment, derived from information in your report? I feel that some of you didn’t know this and those who did I urge you to stay humble. I consider this is great news. Moreover, it is the law that this right is provided to you.
Identity theft prevention won’t wait forever
In order to prevent identity theft after denied credit it is essential that you request your report within 60 days of receiving notice of the action. Consequently, if you are refused credit, insurance, or work you will just have to reach one or all the three major credit bureaus (depending which credit bureau was utilized to verify your credit file at the time of your application). Generally the notification should have the info about how to contact the entity.
Contact info for the “big three” credit report bureaus
Equifax-800-685-1111
www.equifax.com
Experian-888-397-3742
www.experian.com
TransUnion-800-916-8800
www.transunion.com
A supplementary identity theft prevention incentive for some
Consumers in Colorado, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont have complimentary access to their credit information. If you reside in one of these states give thanks to your lawmakers as it is a state law granting consumers the free credit reports. Kudos!
Speaking with Your Account’s Customer Service Representative
Identity theft is not immune to your busy lifestyle and neither are you immune to identity theft. However there are some things you can do to prevent identity theft at its tracks, especially when dealing with your account’s customer service representative.
I have noticed that the ubiquitous cell phone is often a great tool for identity thieves. It isn’t because they stole it and they have your library of personal information, but rather it is the act of calling your credit card company while in public. In this post you will find out a way to prevent spilling the beans while the devious ears may be listening.
Real Life Identity Theft in Progress?
I was sitting at Starbucks today and noticed a seemingly quiet person turn into a singing diva. She was frantically looking in her purse to dig out her credit card to call the customer service department about an issue she had. Quite frankly, she seemed to be the “controlling type;” “I want it now and you have to oblige” kind of person. I didn’t mind the lady’s attitude that much. What I was concerned about was that she was speaking over the background noise to tell her credit card company that she needs her credit limit raised.
Account number along with the last four digits of the social security number were divulged in presence of about 20 or so people, many of whom where quite aware of what I was. The lady was signing her credit integrity away right over her cell phone. I was observing if anyone was writing this info down. No one did, except me. My keen ears can distinguish what questions are asked by what responses are given. I bet many of you have the same ability knowing the process in and out. Right?
Identity Theft Prevention Tips
After the lady was done with the conversation I gave her a napkin and my business card. On that napkin was all the crucial info, plus her name and address which she so frivolously gave away. I exchanged a few words with her and gave her this advice:
Whenever dealing with any account representatives regarding any issues try your best to do the following:
- Originate your sensitive phone calls from a private or a more secure setting (your home, car, closed office, etc.)
- Set up a password on your account instead using the last 4 digits of your social security number
- If you are in a public place try to keep your voice down so identity thieves, known as snoopers, don’t steal your personal information.
- If you have to make such phone calls in a public setting and a lot of identifying information is requested leave the immediate area or finish the phone call and call back later
Your other option is to talk your identity out and be susceptible to the pains associated with identity theft like cleaning up your credit and telling your banking institution that the $1,200 pair of pink stilettos was not actually purchased by you.
Document Most Susceptible to Identity Theft and Fraud
I don’t fully know if you are aware that there is one single document that can make identity theft a very good possibility. Some of you already know what it is, but some are still clueless. It is not your utility bill or credit card and it isn’t your state id or driver’s license. Simply, it is your social security card; the single most important identifying data that should be made unavailable to criminals.
Your social security number is the one that’s used to associate you with all your bills, credit cards, car loans, student loans, and home loans (to name a few). You see, anyone can know someone’s name and address but no one should know your social security number. Therefore, it isn’t your name, address, or telephone number that facilitates the most successful identity theft scams, it is the nine digit number that took you months to fully remember.
That brings me to another point. Try to remember your social security number rather than remember to carry it in your wallet. As you know you don’t need your social security card with you everywhere you go. Right? Therefore, stash it away in a safe place and avoid taking it outside of the safe place. If you consider your wallet or the term “on my person” a safe place you have some issues to fix.
Your social security card number is used for more than bills and loans:
- Job Applications
- Employee ID
- Contracts
- Legal Matters
- Etc.
Even so, that doesn’t make you exempt from purging your wallet and pockets from unnecessary personal information. A lot of us forget our wallet, or loose it somewhere, or we get robbed or pick-pocketed. Then what? Your identity is at risk and your bank account may soon be crumbling. Your bluish paper card can wait happily at home… without you.
Identity thieves consider the social security number as the “Holy Grail” of successful scams and lucrative frauds. Obtaining your name and address is often an easy task to piece the puzzle together. With a full arsenal of identifying information white collar criminals are able to buy cell phones, cars, and even houses.
The moral of this story is simple: read the title again!
Cell Phones, Personal Information, and Your Identity
In today’s communication driven world cell phones are a near necessity and within this new need a new type of danger lurks. As you may know, cellular phones serve as great devices to call for some take out or text message to vote for your favorite American Idol. What’s more, the little electronic device is handy in browsing the Internet, playing music, and storing information.
Information is the emerging “new force” that drives us to extreme lengths to obtain it and retain it. Unfortunately, with the advent of portable technology (cell phones, PDAs, laptops, etc.) the rise in theft of personal and financial information has become quite substantial.
In the near future cell phones will be as powerful as the computers we depend on today. But we are already using cell phones as we would use computers. We store an enormous amount of information on these devices to help us live a more comfortable life. Some of the things we store on our cell phones may contain sensitive information, for instance:
- names, addresses, phone numbers
- documents that can be opened via text viewing and editing software
- Adobe Acrobat (.pdf)
- Microsoft Word (.doc)
- spreadsheets
- and many other readable formats
- financial information
- bank account numbers
- credit card numbers
- pin numbers
- maps
- to our home
- to our work
- to our best friend
- etc.
- social security numbers, ID numbers, driver’s license numbers
- passwords
- birthdays
You may not store all, or even some of this information. Perhaps, you may say that this list of things is absurd - who in their right mind would store so much identifying information on their cell phone. The answer is simple, sort of:
- those who don’t know the consequences of identity theft and fraud
- those who are not educated about id theft; the blissfully ignorant
- those who know but find the comfort too irresistible
- those who would never dream that their cell phone can get hacked even with a secure password on
- those who don’t care
- …
Okay, maybe it is not as simple to understand individual choices, but it is important to know that people who embrace technology are more willing to take a gamble. If someone was to store half of the information types listed they would make it much easier for identity theft and fraud to happen.
The types of information residing on your cell phone may equal a relatively small inconvenience if you were to loose your phone with just names and phone numbers in it, versus, having some of your very sensitive personal information (pictures of your ID or social security card) and financial facts (banking info or stored credit card numbers for online purchases) exposed to identity thieves, con artists, and other criminals who would gladly thank you for a new cell phone plan, credit card, or even a car.
I know that the preceding paragraph was just a big run-on sentence, but it could take a blink of an eye for your identity to be stolen. Protect yourself by reading up more about the dangers of identity theft and safe solutions to this white collar crime by reading this blog. If you thought that this post was bizarre you have more to see. I wish you all the best. Oh… and please keep your phone on silent at the movies. Thanks.
Family Secure - Child Identity Theft
Experian came out with a great service called Family Secure. It is a child identity theft safeguard service that not only protects your child from identity theft but your complete family also. It is my belief that Family Secure web site presents great facts to boost your awareness about the personal identity theft protection program for the entire family.
I have discovered that a lot of my readers have been looking for for Family Secure: child identity theft, therefore providing you mouse click on the Family Secure link it will direct you to the id theft protection home page. Or else, you are able to type this address: www.familysecure.com into your Internet web browser:
Once you make it there, you can find out more about the program, including: how you will be able to protect yourself, your kids, and your complete family from identity theft and deceitful actions. Though the info about id theft isn’t very elaborate, it is relevant and the identity theft figures are very enlightening. The Family Secure site achieves a great job at supplying you with the protection and prevention particulars. What’s important is that they present a $2 million guarantee in the event of id theft. In addition, the personal identity protection plan provides fraud resolution support and credit monitoring.
Anti Virus Software Helps Prevent Identity Theft
My anti virus software discovered a trojan: Trojan-Spy.HTML.Fraud.gen. I found out that the trojan, often confused with the term virus, is associated with many email scams propagating on the Web. If you have received Internet phising e-mails you may have been hit with emails from posers of respected companies like Wells Fargo, PayPal, ACIPCO Credit Union, Bank of American, Ebay, and others. The assailants intend on taking a hold of your personal information by exploiting weak points in your communication and online browsing software. This specified trojan is targeted for Internet Explorer (IE) version 5.x as well as 6.x. If you have not updated your browser you may have broadcasted a lot of identifying information to the con artists.
You are able to prevent identity theft by updating your anti virus software database and doing the equivalent for your Internet web browsers. If you are running Microsoft Windows and Microsoft IE you are the most penetrable. This is chiefly as a result of an enormous outspread of Microsoft products in the marketplace. Given that a lot more individuals use PC’s over Macs, it is only understandable, that the greater the reach for hackers and other crooks, the more profitable are their scheming endeavors.
I am very lucky not to get any information stolen since the anti virus software helps to catch the culprit. However, others are not so lucky. Many people don’t have the right antivirus tool or they don’t update it frequently. This results in much slower PCs which in the end might be transmitting their financial bits to the awaiting criminals.
Shredders Help In Preventing Identity Theft
Shredders are outstanding for preventing identity theft. These devices are utilized for tearing up documents bearing identifying information into little bits and pieces. Even though shredders help as a defensive technique against id theft and fraud it should not be the exclusive prevention formula.
Picking a Shredder
When picking a shredder don’t select the one that is cheap. By cheap I imply the design in addition to the cost. Cheap shredders are satisfactory for averting the theft of personal information, nevertheless they don’t come equipped with functions and shredding capacities that you will require. The majority of the more affordable models shred identifying information in extended rectangular streaks. This is really distressing as it would be nearly effortless to put together the parts of the document, particularly if you shred from time to time. Certain low-cost shredders can consume your papers and turn them into tiny pieces, but they will typically give out much quicker. Choose a shredder like you would be choosing a brand-new automobile, since you will prefer to have it for countless years to come… right? In addition, pick out a shredding machine that is capable of devouring many pieces of papers and offers credit card shredding ability. Providing you look hard enough you will be able to locate a pretty proficient shredder for approximately $100. Spend extra if you are able to afford it, but one hundred dollars should be enough.
A shredder helps shred:
- anything with your first name, last name, and address on it
- credit card statements, banking statements, utility bills, etc.
- automobile insurance cards, health insurance policy cards, and other insurance cards
- credit cards* (to protect my personal identity I burn my credit cards, but you may prefer to skip that)
- CDs and DVDs containing classified records*
- marketing promotions, pamphlets, and supplementary shreddable press bearing identifying information
- photographs (yup, they are a distinguishing component oftentimes used for identity theft and assassinations
- ancient employment ID’s, age-old state as well as federal identification cards, etc
- anything that you do not mind never seeing again
* Not all shredders carry this important identity theft prevention attribute.
Regardless what you decide to tear up remember that shredding is a prevention method for identity theft and is supposed to be used with other precautionary means. Don’t fool yourself into believing that your personal information is secure just because you shred your files, bills, and charge cards. An unrelenting identity thief can put the pieces back together. Even so, if you adopt my recommendations you should stumble upon a shredder that will make it pointless for anyone to play with puzzles. Make use of this web site’s resources to gain knowledge about other identity theft prevention and protection measures.