Facts About Identity Theft, How to Prevent It, URL's for more information to look up if need be
August 14, 2006 (Press Release) --
Thanks for asking the questions. I purposely left so many holes in my writing hoping someone might notice and ask more about it.
Identity Theft covers more than credit cards. It also includes your DMV records, medical information, social security number, and character identity. This is a problem because according to the FTC, it can take up to 600 hours of your time and an average of $1495 to clean up the message IDT leaves.
USATODAY.com reported 8/18/05 the following information: “ID Theft in the fastest growing crime in the USA according the National Crime Prevention Council. About 7 million people had their identity stolen in the year ended July 2003, according to two studies done by Gartner Research and Harris Interactive”. Also, this same report stated over 85% of the people didn’t know they were victims until it was too late. I will stop at that. Here’s one that even got me since I work with computers, reported by the CNET News.com 8/23/05, software developers are making keyloggers’ that have software that is reporting to them everything you type. Yes, everything! Including what you type when you purchase something on the internet with your credit card. The software reports back to the developers your credit card number, mothers maiden name, etc... They don’t need your credit card you are giving them all they need to purchase to their hearts content.
What steps can be taken for safety you asked? As stated in my accounting blogs, password should never be thought of last but the first step and don’t make it simple! Have your snail mail delivered to a locked box if possible and not to an open mailbox (at least your important items), when asked for your mothers maiden name and city of your birth for easy clarification, make those to up and make sure you remember your answers, purchase a cross-cut shredder to dispose properly of those pre-approved credit cards and “courtesy” checks.
Now there are services available that will protect you before, aid you during, and restore your identity afterwards. If you are so interested you can let me know by e-mailing me your phone number or mailing address and I will be happy to contact you with the information.
I do hope that this at least filled in some of the holes I left behind. I’m glad I at least irked one person. Below are some URL’s you may like to take a look at on your own time to learn more about ID theft.
Numbering Along,
Eve A Ward
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/con_resolv.htm#correct
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/con_resolv.htm#fraud
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/con_resolv.htm#
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/con_steps.htm
Identity Theft covers more than credit cards. It also includes your DMV records, medical information, social security number, and character identity. This is a problem because according to the FTC, it can take up to 600 hours of your time and an average of $1495 to clean up the message IDT leaves.
USATODAY.com reported 8/18/05 the following information: “ID Theft in the fastest growing crime in the USA according the National Crime Prevention Council. About 7 million people had their identity stolen in the year ended July 2003, according to two studies done by Gartner Research and Harris Interactive”. Also, this same report stated over 85% of the people didn’t know they were victims until it was too late. I will stop at that. Here’s one that even got me since I work with computers, reported by the CNET News.com 8/23/05, software developers are making keyloggers’ that have software that is reporting to them everything you type. Yes, everything! Including what you type when you purchase something on the internet with your credit card. The software reports back to the developers your credit card number, mothers maiden name, etc... They don’t need your credit card you are giving them all they need to purchase to their hearts content.
What steps can be taken for safety you asked? As stated in my accounting blogs, password should never be thought of last but the first step and don’t make it simple! Have your snail mail delivered to a locked box if possible and not to an open mailbox (at least your important items), when asked for your mothers maiden name and city of your birth for easy clarification, make those to up and make sure you remember your answers, purchase a cross-cut shredder to dispose properly of those pre-approved credit cards and “courtesy” checks.
Now there are services available that will protect you before, aid you during, and restore your identity afterwards. If you are so interested you can let me know by e-mailing me your phone number or mailing address and I will be happy to contact you with the information.
I do hope that this at least filled in some of the holes I left behind. I’m glad I at least irked one person. Below are some URL’s you may like to take a look at on your own time to learn more about ID theft.
Numbering Along,
Eve A Ward
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/con_resolv.htm#correct
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/con_resolv.htm#fraud
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/con_resolv.htm#
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/con_steps.htm
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