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Bringing people and information together
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TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST CREDIT CARD FRAUD AND
IDENTITY THEFT.
An ounce of prevention can prevent identity theft and credit
card fraud
- Contact the fraud departments of any one of the
three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit file. The
fraud alert requests creditors to contact you before opening any new
accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts. As soon as the
credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two credit bureaus will
be automatically notified to place fraud alerts, and all three credit
reports will be sent to you free of charge.
- Close the accounts that you know or believe have
been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Use the ID Theft Affidavit when
disputing new unauthorized accounts.
- File a police report. Get a copy of the report to
submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime.
- File your complaint with the FTC. The FTC maintains
a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for
investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us learn more about identity
theft and the problems victims are having so that we can better assist you.
- Do not carry your Social Security card, your birth
certificate, your passport or more than one credit card in your wallet
or purse to minimize credit card fraud. Memorize your SSN and leave the card
in a safe. Copy your drive license, social security card, birth certificate,
passport and store in a safe place. To cancel your credit card as soon as a
theft or fraud has occurred, keep a record of your card numbers and
expiration dates and the phone number of the card issuer in a safe place.
- Don't carry your passwords and credit card numbers
in your wallet or purse to prevent someone from forging your credit cards
stealing your identity
Question: How do I remember all my credit cards numbers and
passwords?
Answer: Store them in an electronic organizer and
lock them with a single password. As an example, just create a record
called "Vital Data" and store your passwords, website addresses,
SSN, credit card numbers, etc. You don't need an expensive electronic
organizer; some of the least expensive organizers (about $50) are very
powerful, light, lots of memory for millions of characters and have
keyboards!
- Never give out your credit card number or bank
account number unless you know the person or company...especially over
the internet to prevent someone from using or forging your credit cards
numbers
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Order your credit report each year from the
credit reporting agencies. This will detect if someone has been using or
forging your credit cards. Make it habit during your end of year vacation;
its very easy to do over the phone or online. The major ones are Experian, 
Equifax,
Trans Union -
- Check that that no one else is using your social security
number. You can get a list of all names and addresses associated with your
social security number from http://www.citizendata.com
- Consider an unlisted number to make it difficult for
someone to steal your identity or forge your credit cards,
- Cancel your unused credit cards prevent someone from
forging your credit cards,
- Lock your mailbox or use a post office box to
prevent mail theft and prevent someone from forging your credit cards,
- Sign credit cards when they arrive, sign them "request
ID" to force stores to request the ID of the person using the card. In
case you lose your credit card, this will make it difficult for the thief to
use your credit card or prevent someone from forging your credit cards with
your signature. DO NOT WRITE YOUR SIGNATURE ON THE CREDIT CARD
- Keep copies of all sales slips. Report any
unauthorized charges to the card issuer. Draw a line through blank spaces on
charge slips. Do not sign a blank charge slip. Destroy carbons and incorrect
charge slips to prevent someone from forging your credit cards or stealing
your identity
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