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.
To report fraud 800-525-6285
To order a credit report 800-685-1111
To opt out of pre-approved credit offers 888-567-8688

Experian- P.O. Box 2104 Allen TX 75013-2104
To report fraud or to order a credit report 888-397-3742.
To opt out of pre-approved credit offers 888-567-8688

Trans Union- P.O. Box 390 Springfield PA 19064-0390.
To report fraud 800-680-7289.
To order a credit report 800-888-4213
To opt out of pre-approved credit offers 888-567-8688

Check verification companies: To verify if there are any activities on your account from fraud contact these verification companies.

CheckRite- 800-766-2748
Chexsystems- 800-428-9623
National Processing Co. -800-526-5380
Telecheck- 800-710-9898

Social Security Administration-
To report fraud 800-269-0271
To order your earnings and benefits statement
800-772-1213

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

BBC News
Ex-Credit Suisse brokers indicted on fraud charges
Financial Times, UK - Sep 5, 2008
By Joanna Chung in New York Two former Credit Suisse brokers have been indicted on fraud and conspiracy charges related to the sale of auction rate ...
Former Credit Suisse broker arrested in US Swissinfo
Former Credit Suisse broker charged with subprime-linked fraud in ... International Herald Tribune
UPDATE 1-FBI arrests ex-Credit Suisse broker Reuters
Independent - Forbesall 527 news articles

Boston Globe
US travelers face credit snafu
Boston Globe, United States - 6 hours ago
By Eric Lucas All I wanted to do was buy gas, so I put my credit card in the automatic card-reader and got ready to fill the tank. ...
Bridging the gap year: stay out of the red in the wild blue yonder Independent
all 2 news articles

Clock ticks down on credit bureau class-action deal
Indianapolis Star, United States - 7 hours ago
In a class-action settlement, credit bureau TransUnion has agreed to provide free credit- monitoring services to millions of consumers to settle claims it ...

MORE COLLEGE CREDIT
Chicago Sun-Times, United States - 16 hours ago
Despite the current nationwide credit crunch, the State of Illinois secured $100 million for the student loans by tapping a new source -- credit unions. ...

CEP News
S&P raises Nalco Co.'s credit rating
CNNMoney.com - Sep 5, 2008
NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Standard & Poor's on Friday upgraded its corporate credit rating on Nalco Co., citing bright prospects for the company to ...
S&P puts Fifth Third on credit watch Dayton Daily News
Credit rating soars in District 300 Northwest Herald
Starbucks downgraded to 'BBB' on weakening credit metrics - S&P Hemscott
CNNMoney.com - CNNMoney.comall 107 news articles

Credit Report Need Fixing? Take Action Yourself
Hartford Courant, United States - 15 hours ago
Mike Ferrara wants to buy a house in a few months and is worried that mistakes on his credit report will keep him from obtaining the loan he will need. ...

BBC News
18 months of credit crunch ahead, says HBOS chief
Sunday Herald, UK - 14 hours ago
By Bridget Morris THE GLOBAL credit crunch is likely to last until 2010, the head of Britain's largest mortgage provider has claimed. ...
HBOS chief says credit crunch to last through 2010 International Herald Tribune
Credit crunch will last another 18 months Telegraph.co.uk
Credit crunch to last another 18 months Times Online
Reuters - Glasgow Sunday Mailall 42 news articles

College students should study up on ID theft
Chicago Tribune, United States - 6 hours ago
Here are tips from security experts: Avoid credit card solicitations. This is a good idea anyway to stay out of debt. But there's a scarier reason to avoid ...
Limit damage after ID theft Sun-Sentinel.com
Identity Theft Solution Corsavoo.com
What I learned when thieves stole my identity Sun-Sentinel.com
all 5 news articles

Do politicians deserve job credit?
The Jackson Citizen Patriot - MLive.com, MI - 2 hours ago
And no region is immune from politicians taking credit for jobs created in recent years. But whether those politicians can legitimately claim credit is ...

Federal housing tax credit has mixed benefits
Indianapolis Star, United States - Sep 5, 2008
By Jeff Swiatek At Carpenter Realtors in the Indianapolis area, agents wear lapel buttons proclaiming, "Ask me about the $7500 tax credit. ...
Plenty to Coax Home Buyers Back To the Market Washington Post
all 2 news articles

Wind Chimes and more...

Windchimes for great gifts!

Errors on Your Credit Report: What You Should Do