This third and last article gathers ten easy to follow guidelines which will help you to not become a next identity theft victim.
1. Never give any personal details over phone especially when you are asked for. You do not answer an email requesting you these details such as
birth date, social number, accounts numbers, full house address, international passport or driver’s license and your mobile phone and telephone number.
As online marketer you have to use your online bank email, write down the website where you have posted this information.
2. Destroy (if possible fire) all papers that have your personal data particularly checking accounts, bank accounts and credit card bills.
3. Make copies of your credit cards. Keep your cards records correct and up-to-date. Give the contact when the cards are missing or stolen.
4. If you don’t need to use your credit cards now keep them in a safe place if possible have them locked. Take care of your unused checks, your bank statement and your social security card.
5. If you made a transaction with your credit card, collect the receipt copies.
You can have a free credit report every year. There are reporting offices which can help you. You can visit their websites and ask for a free report.
6. If you are using ATM machines take care that somebody besides you can see and memory your PIN number.
7. If you make some transactions online, protect your computer with latest firewalls, anti virus. Use strong password that means a good combination of letter, numbers and other symbols (not use car or phone number, birthday date etc.)
Only buy with safe website: https://.....
8. You can always apply for an identification theft insurance policy if you think your risk to be a victim is high.
9. You can be also useful to register to any credit watch offices. This type of office makes checking of all your credit report simpler by automatically informing when something has changed in your report.
In this way, it will be possible for you to know if someone attempts to make credit under your name.
10. In spite of all your precautions you have become a victim the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in US recommends that you take three immediately actions.
A- Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus.
Equifax
Experian
Trans Union
Tell them to flag you file with a fraud alert including a statement that creditors should get your permission before opening any new accounts in your name. At the same time, ask the credit bureaus for copies of your credit reports. Credit bureaus must give you a free copy of your report if it is inaccurate because of fraud.
B - Contact the creditors for any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Ask to speak with someone in the fraud/security department and follow up in writing. Following up with a letter is very important. It is part of the record.
C - You must file a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. Keep a copy in case your creditors need proof of the crime.
REMEMBER: If your identity Information has been stolen you can spend months or even years and thousands of dollars to clean up the injury.
Tedd McRibson. I trust that this third and last article about Identity theft is useful and informative. I thank you for your Comments
No comments:
Post a Comment