BBB Serving Eastern NC Offers Tips to Protect Identity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) September 25, 2009 -- Beverly Baskin
919.277.4202
bbaskin@raleigh.bbb.org

Free Document Shredding Part of "Secure Your ID" Day

RALEIGH, N.C. (September 25, 2009)—According to a Javelin Strategy and Research survey on ID theft, there has been a 22 percent increase from 2007 to 2008. With identity fraud rising, Better Business Bureau serving Eastern North Carolina (www.bbb.org) offers six ways for consumers to reduce junk mail and protect themselves. Taking action today can save consumers future trouble and prevent the loss of money or other valuables.

"It is shocking to see so many people continue to throw sensitive documents in the trash without thinking of the consequences," says Beverly Baskin, president and CEO of Better Business Bureau serving Eastern North Carolina. "Shredding sensitive documents and opting-out of mailing lists are simple steps individuals can take to reduce the risk of identity theft."

The Javelin survey also estimates that 9.9 million Americans became victims of identity fraud last year, resulting in the loss of $48 billion. A growing number of these cases are the result of stolen junk mail. Pre-approved credit card offers, fliers and specially marked envelopes are not only a nuisance, they are an easy target for ID thieves.

BBB offers six opt-out methods for reducing junk mail:
1. Pre-Approved Credit Card Offers

Pre-approved credit card offers are an easy target for identity thieves who can steal incoming mail and use these offers to open fraudulent credit accounts. Stopping these pre-screened credit offers can help reduce the chances of identity theft.

To "opt-out" of receiving pre-approved credit card offers for at least five years, and perhaps permanently, consumers can call 1-888-5-OPTOUT (567-8688) or visit: www.optoutprescreen.com. This service is offered by the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Consumers will be asked for personal information, including their name, address, birth date and Social Security Number. This information is only used to process requests and will remain confidential. This procedure will need to be followed for each adult family member.

2. Direct Mail Offers
Direct Marketing Association is a trade group with 5,200 member companies that use telephone, mail, and the Internet to pitch their products directly to consumers. To stop receiving mailings from DMA members, consumers can go to www.dmachoice.org. DMA regularly updates its list, but the companies it notifies to remove names from their mailing lists may not be as prompt to act, and it may take as much as six months before solicitations from all DMA members stop.

3. Catalogues

A consumer's mailbox can often be overrun with catalogues, even if they've never shopped with the company before. This is likely because the consumer has, at some point, made a catalogue or onl

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