Most people dont check their credit until its too late. The bank will check your credit to approve the house or car loan you are applying. But truth of the matter is you need to save yourself the embarrassment and check your own credit before they do.
Most people do not know that you can get a free credit report every year for FREE! I get one every year just to make sure their are no unwarranted charges or accounts that I am not aware off that may be bringing down my credit score. Also check your bank statements especially after online purchases to make sure their isn't any recurring bills being made.
These two tips should help to keep your credit in good shape and your identity from being stolen. It won't do it alone but will help you still use a software like Evidence Eraser (Link provided on this blog) or an Anti-Theft program to keep your identity. Remember Padlock Your Identity!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Credit Card Protection Basics
Disclaimer: This article is from About.com the information contained my work for you or may not. Credit Card Theft is very serious I suggest investing into one of the identity protection products I provide links for.
By. Jerri Ledford
for About.com
Point of Threat: Credit Cards
Identity theft and credit card fraud are not the same crime, though the two are often lumped together as one. Identity theft is much more far-reaching than credit card fraud. When a criminal steals you identity, they may have financial motivation, but you'll suffer more than fraudulent charges on your credit cards.
Identity thieves may change account information, create new accounts, use your identity to commit crimes, and even use your identity to establish a new life. Credit card fraud, on the other hand, is limited to charges on stolen credit card numbers. A criminal gains access to your account number and then uses it to purchase products online or in person and then resells those goods to get the cash.
So, if credit card fraud is not identity theft, why address it? The simple answer is because credit card fraud can be an element of identity theft. It can also lead to identity theft.
Preventing Credit Card Fraud
Credit card fraud is a crime that can often be prevented. For example, something as simple as a signature on the back of your card could prevent the card from being used if it’s been stolen. Even better, put the letters CID (which stands for See ID) on the back of the card. Then when a merchant attempts to verify the signature on the receipt with the card, they’ll request to see your identification.
Everyone is familiar with the basics of protecting your credit card. Don’t loan it out. Don’t leave it laying. And don’t give the number to someone you don’t know without first verifying they are legitimate.
But there are lesser known strategies for protecting your credit cards and card numbers, too. And these are the strategies that you should know well and use constantly.
* Keep your card in sight. Whenever possible, keep your credit card where you can see it. Some places, like restaurants, take your card away and then bring it back after they’ve secured authorization for a transaction. It’s when the card is out of your sight that it’s often swiped through a card reader that stores the information from the magnetic strip for criminals to use to create a duplicate card later.
* Ask about multiple swipes. It’s not uncommon when you hand a merchant your card for them to swipe it more than once. Usually, this happens because the card reader doesn’t read the magnetic stripe on the back of the card, but savvy criminals will also use a second swipe as a method to copy the information from the magnetic stripe to a storage device to later be transferred to a duplicate card. If your card is swiped more than one time, always ask why.
* Never use your credit card on an unsecured Web site. A secured Web site will have a small lock in the lower right corner of the page, or the status bar for the page. If the lock doesn’t appear there, then the site is not secure. Don’t use your card on an unsecure site, because anyone with a little skill can capture the number and use it for their own purposes.
* Never carry multiple cards. If you lose your wallet or purse, you lose everything that’s in it. Another danger here is that someone will go through your wallet or purse when it’s left unattended and steal just one card. Leave any card you won’t be using at home, and try to stick to putting all of your purchases on just one card.
* Never give out your credit card number while you’re on your cell phone. Cell phones have become such a large part of our society that we often forget everyone around us can hear our conversations. If you need to provide your credit card number for a purchase while on the cell phone either request to call the company back from your own home, or find a place that’s private (like inside your car, alone) to provide the number.
*
* Consider purchasing pre-paid credit cards for online shopping. Pre-paid credit cards are one of the best ways to protect yourself. You load the card with a set amount and then use it just as you would a regular credit card. The good news is, if the number is stolen or the card is lost, your liability and the amount of damage that’s done is limited by the money that’s available on the card. As an added bonus, there’s no interest on a pre-paid card since technically you’re spending your own money, anyway.
Credit card fraud may not be actual identity theft, but it’s often a step along the way. And even if the criminal that fraudulently charges your card isn’t interested in your identity, the expense and frustration of dealing with credit card fraud is reason enough to protect yourself.
Be smart. Use caution. And always be aware of how your credit card is being handled by someone else.
By. Jerri Ledford
for About.com
Point of Threat: Credit Cards
Identity theft and credit card fraud are not the same crime, though the two are often lumped together as one. Identity theft is much more far-reaching than credit card fraud. When a criminal steals you identity, they may have financial motivation, but you'll suffer more than fraudulent charges on your credit cards.
Identity thieves may change account information, create new accounts, use your identity to commit crimes, and even use your identity to establish a new life. Credit card fraud, on the other hand, is limited to charges on stolen credit card numbers. A criminal gains access to your account number and then uses it to purchase products online or in person and then resells those goods to get the cash.
So, if credit card fraud is not identity theft, why address it? The simple answer is because credit card fraud can be an element of identity theft. It can also lead to identity theft.
Preventing Credit Card Fraud
Credit card fraud is a crime that can often be prevented. For example, something as simple as a signature on the back of your card could prevent the card from being used if it’s been stolen. Even better, put the letters CID (which stands for See ID) on the back of the card. Then when a merchant attempts to verify the signature on the receipt with the card, they’ll request to see your identification.
Everyone is familiar with the basics of protecting your credit card. Don’t loan it out. Don’t leave it laying. And don’t give the number to someone you don’t know without first verifying they are legitimate.
But there are lesser known strategies for protecting your credit cards and card numbers, too. And these are the strategies that you should know well and use constantly.
* Keep your card in sight. Whenever possible, keep your credit card where you can see it. Some places, like restaurants, take your card away and then bring it back after they’ve secured authorization for a transaction. It’s when the card is out of your sight that it’s often swiped through a card reader that stores the information from the magnetic strip for criminals to use to create a duplicate card later.
* Ask about multiple swipes. It’s not uncommon when you hand a merchant your card for them to swipe it more than once. Usually, this happens because the card reader doesn’t read the magnetic stripe on the back of the card, but savvy criminals will also use a second swipe as a method to copy the information from the magnetic stripe to a storage device to later be transferred to a duplicate card. If your card is swiped more than one time, always ask why.
* Never use your credit card on an unsecured Web site. A secured Web site will have a small lock in the lower right corner of the page, or the status bar for the page. If the lock doesn’t appear there, then the site is not secure. Don’t use your card on an unsecure site, because anyone with a little skill can capture the number and use it for their own purposes.
* Never carry multiple cards. If you lose your wallet or purse, you lose everything that’s in it. Another danger here is that someone will go through your wallet or purse when it’s left unattended and steal just one card. Leave any card you won’t be using at home, and try to stick to putting all of your purchases on just one card.
* Never give out your credit card number while you’re on your cell phone. Cell phones have become such a large part of our society that we often forget everyone around us can hear our conversations. If you need to provide your credit card number for a purchase while on the cell phone either request to call the company back from your own home, or find a place that’s private (like inside your car, alone) to provide the number.
*
* Consider purchasing pre-paid credit cards for online shopping. Pre-paid credit cards are one of the best ways to protect yourself. You load the card with a set amount and then use it just as you would a regular credit card. The good news is, if the number is stolen or the card is lost, your liability and the amount of damage that’s done is limited by the money that’s available on the card. As an added bonus, there’s no interest on a pre-paid card since technically you’re spending your own money, anyway.
Credit card fraud may not be actual identity theft, but it’s often a step along the way. And even if the criminal that fraudulently charges your card isn’t interested in your identity, the expense and frustration of dealing with credit card fraud is reason enough to protect yourself.
Be smart. Use caution. And always be aware of how your credit card is being handled by someone else.
Recognizing Common Identity Theft Scams
The risks for identity theft are everywhere you turn. Your mail, your computer, your credit cards, even your trash; all present opportunities for criminals to gain access to your personal information. To prevent identity theft, you must constantly be aware of the ways that criminals will use to gain access to your personal, identifying information.
One place that identity thieves often focus their attention is on your computer. Web sites and emails can put you at risk for identity theft. Learn how to recognize the most common computer-based scams.
Spot a Phishing Email
Protect Your Computer from Spyware
Spear Phishing: Identity Theft's New Black
Web Page Spoofing
Email Spoofing
Nigerian Letter Scams Getting More Elaborate
*From www.about.com
One place that identity thieves often focus their attention is on your computer. Web sites and emails can put you at risk for identity theft. Learn how to recognize the most common computer-based scams.
Spot a Phishing Email
Protect Your Computer from Spyware
Spear Phishing: Identity Theft's New Black
Web Page Spoofing
Email Spoofing
Nigerian Letter Scams Getting More Elaborate
*From www.about.com
Monday, September 14, 2009
8 FBI Tips on Identity Protection
FBI Offers Tips on How to Protect Yourself
1. If you encounter an unsolicited e-mail that asks you, either directly, or through a web site, for personal financial or identity information, such as Social Security number, passwords, or other identifiers, exercise extreme caution.
2. If you need to update your information online, use the normal process you've used before, or open a new browser window and type in the website address of the legitimate company's account maintenance page.
3. If a website address is unfamiliar, it's probably not real. Only use the address that you have used before, or start at your normal homepage.
4. Always report fraudulent or suspicious e-mail to your ISP.
5. Most companies require you to log in to a secure site. Look for the lock at the bottom of your browser and "https" in front of the website address.
6. Take note of the header address on the web site. Most legitimate sites will have a relatively short internet address that usually depicts the business name followed by ".com," or possibly ".org." Spoof sites are more likely to have an excessively long strong of characters in the header, with the legitimate business name somewhere in the string, or possibly not at all.
7. If you have any doubts about an e-mail or website, contact the legitimate company directly. Make a copy of the questionable web site's URL address, send it to the legitimate business and ask if the request is legitimate.
8. If you've been victimized, you should contact your local police or sheriff's department, and file a complaint with the FBI's Internet Fraud Complaint Center at http://www.IFCCFBI.gov.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Tips on How to Avoid Identity Theft
Hope this helps!
Click Here! For a software which erases your personal information stored on your computer.
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