Identity Theft Reviews

Protecting yourself from Identity Theft (ID Theft) is an important matter. ID Theft is defined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as, “when someone uses your name, address, Social Security number, bank or credit card account number, or other identifying information without your knowledge to commit fraud or other crimes.”

In a summary report dated September of 2003, the FTC reported that “almost 10 million Americans have discovered that they were the victim of some form of ID Theft within the last year.” Further, the FTC estimates that the “total cost of this crime approaches $50 billion per year.”

Though preventing ID Theft is ideal, also important is your ability to quickly determine when your identity is being used without your knowledge. Early detection is essential in preventing undue loss, as well as protecting your credit from long-term damage. One means of finding out if you have been a victim of ID Theft is through the use of a credit report.

A credit report is a list of all credit cards, debts, accounts, and other information associated with your social security number. That is, by going to the website of one of the three main credit reporting agencies and running a credit report, you will be able to see all the financial information linked to your social security number. Most importantly, you may be able to identify an error or fraudulent activity.

When viewing your credit report online, information will be given in seven sections: personal information, account information, inquiries, collections, public records, consumer statement, and dispute file information. One of your main objectives should be to verify all accounts and information as being valid. Carefully read the entire credit report looking for errors or anything unfamiliar. If you should see something out of the ordinary or wrong, contact the credit reporting agency immediately- you may be a victim of ID Theft.

Equifax, one of the three major credit reporting agencies, says you should, “Check your credit report regularly. Checking your credit report can help you catch mistakes and fraud before they wreak havoc on your personal finances. Make sure your report is accurate and includes only those activities you’ve authorized. It’s also a good idea to review your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies every year — it’s possible that information is reported to one but not the others.”

To that end, Equifax has developed a great tool for running your credit report. It is called the “3-in-1 Credit Report”. You can sign-up with Equifax and view your information with all three major credit reporting agencies at one time (this can also be done through the other two credit reporting agencies- TransUnion and Expirion). Currently, this detailed report costs around $30 on the Equifax website and is well worth it. Running your credit report is an important first step in prevention and early detection of ID Theft.

Q: Can I download “Worth Dying For” audiobook for free?

A: Lee Child’s  best-selling installment in his Jack Reacher thriller saga has been a hit in all forms. It’s no surprise that people want to listen to it. While you’re not supposed to judge a book by it’s cover, we think it’s probably a great listen while you drive. We would think that a book titled “Worth Dying For” is worth paying for, we thought we’d give this question a try.

There are some illegal ways to do download it for free, but unless you want to open yourself up to viruses in the dodgy world of illicit digital downloads, you best go with a trusted provider of audiobooks. Here are some options to get “Worth Dying For” if not exactly free, pretty close to it:

The Free:

eMusic: If you’ve never signed up with eMusic’s audiobook subscription service, you can get the abridged (6 hour) version of “Worth Dying For” as part of your free trial.

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A massive computer security breach at the University of North Florida may have exposed the names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of nearly 107,000 students. 

The FBI is investigating the attack, which was discovered by the university in a routine check of the server.  It is believed that a university file containing current and potential students’ personal information may have been accessed by someone “outside the United States.”

According to University officials, the hacker had access to the system between September 24th and September 29th, but the University did not say when the breach was discovered.

In response to the security breach, the University sent letters and emails to all 106,884 people affected, including 52,853 people whose names and Social Security numbers were compromised, and 54,031 who had their names and dates of birth stolen.

In a statement, the University said no academic records or financial information was taken, but information like names and social security numbers are prime information for identity thieves.

Though the compromised server has been secured, the University suggested those hit by the identity theft place a fraud alert on their credit files.

Failing to receive bills or mail on your usual address, receiving credit cards that you haven’t applied for, denial of credit, getting calls from companies asking you to pay for merchandise you didn’t even buy – these are some of the indications of becoming a victim of identity theft. Identity theft is almost like a wretched disease that can happen to anyone, anytime, and anywhere.

When it comes to protecting your identity, you need to employ simple Do-It-Yourself techniques that can minimize the risk of becoming a potential victim of identity theft. Some of the best DIY techniques for identity protection would include:

· Placing fraud alerts every ninety days

· Reviewing credit reports regularly

· Using a shredder to destroy important documents and mail

· Protecting bank and credit accounts with a password

· Avoid divulging personal information through email or phone irrespective of the company the caller claims to be calling from

· Keeping Social Security Number or SSN card in a secure place

· Installing ant-ivirus software on the computer

Many are tempted to go for credit monitoring services to protect themselves from identity theft. But the trut

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Q:  While what you offer looks good, how do I know that I will receive both my free credit report and score before the trial period is up? Also, I know I am allowed a free copy of my credit report annually from all three reporting agencies, will getting one through you change that?

A: I understand your hesitation, but the free trials for the credit report monitoring services we review give you immediate online access to your credit reports and scores.  This means you’ll see your reports and scores as soon as you sign up (we tried out all the services we review, so we can verify this).   And, as we state in our reviews, if you don’t like the service you can cancel during the trial period and you won’t be charged.  However, you will get to keep the credit report(s) and score(s) that you received.  Pretty good deal, right?  If you’re interested, check out our credit report monitoring comparison chart to make the best choice for your needs.

And more good news!  The credit report(s) that you receive when signing up for one of the free trials we review are totally separate from those on annualcreditreport.com.    This

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Identity theft is on the rise, and is fast becoming one of the top five most often occurring crimes. This crime cost victims, money and time, as well as in some cases even further damages to their health and family. In many instances, it can take up to 400 hours to be resolved, with monetary damages measuring at $5,000.00.

Many states have taken steps to help protect consumers from identity theft, as well as to assist them in recovering. There are now special investigative units within many police departments, as well as State Attorney Generals. However, the state of Texas has recently passed new legislation to help victims of identity theft overcome one of the most significant problems with identity theft that of bank (checking) account theft. Thousands of people each year have had checking accounts opened in their names, checks drawn on the account and thousands of dollars spent, committing identity theft in the form of check fraud.

In the past, check fraud and identity theft victims believed that by simply closing the accounts, after the crime has been discovered, would be enough to stop the unauthorized use of their identity and the account.

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#1 Phone Fraud. The phone rings, a scammer poses as your banks fraud department. They may have your entire card number stolen from another source. They ask about a charge made and you deny the charge, but in order for the charge to be removed, they need your 3-4 digits CVV number off the front or back of the card. A variation may be they only have the last 4 digits found on a receipt or statement you threw away. They can also use the same ruse to get the full 16 digits from you.

#2 Clever Clerk. You hand your card to a sales clerk, waiter or waitress and they have a card reading wedge device that looks like this. The device may be wrapped around a band on their ankle. They bend over and make it look like they are fixing a sock, once they swipe the card through, they can make charges on your card.

#3 The Loop. You’re at an ATM that isn’t cooperating. Some nice guy injects himself into the scene to help you. During the process he watches you enter your pin. Aft

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