How to Protect My ID from Identity Theft.

This site’s purpose is to provide step by step guided document with updated critical security information in a simple language to educate the end user, and to help recover from any misuse or financial and medical crimes/thefts .

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal identifying information like your name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes .Victims are left with a bad reputation and with the complicated task of restoring their good names.

With enough identifying information about an individual, a criminal can take over that individual's identity to conduct a wide range of crimes: for example, false applications for loans and credit cards, fraudulent withdrawals from bank accounts, fraudulent use of telephone calling cards, or obtaining other goods or privileges which the criminal might be denied if he were to use his real name. If the criminal takes steps to ensure that bills for the falsely obtained credit cards, or bank statements showing the unauthorized withdrawals, are sent to an address other than the victim's, the victim may not become aware of what is happening until the criminal has already inflicted substantial damage on the victim's assets, credit, and reputation.

1. There are different types of identity theft crime:

• Financial ID Theft — This crime is typically focuses on your name and Social Security number (SSN). A person may apply for services, credit cards or loans, buy merchandise, lease cars or apartments.
• Medical ID Theft —This theft is related to person without insurance who uses the victim's insurance to receive medical treatments. An insurance card is like a Credit card. False and wrong information can prevent the victim from getting insurance or certain jobs—or lead to dangerous errors in emergency care.
• Personal ID Theft — This theft is related to a criminal that provides the victim's information instead of his/her own when stopped by law enforcement. Eventually when the warrant for arrest is issued, it is in the name of the person issued the citation- yours.The criminal uses the victim's information to establish a new life. Examples: Illegal aliens, criminals avoiding warrants, people hiding from abusive situations, or becoming a "new person" to leave behind a poor work and financial history.
• Business Identity Theft — Same as the pervious ID theft but this time related to business . Typically the criminal gets credit cards or checking accounts in the name of the business. The business finds out when unhappy customers calling to compliance or suppliers send collection notices or finding out that their rating score is affected.

2. Fraud complaints top categories:

With any type of identity theft involvement, the end result is a nightmare and sometimes long to recovery.

Here are the 2005 top categories of fraud complaints (from the FTC site):

• Identity theft - 37 %
• Internet Auctions - 12 %
• Foreign Money Offers - 8 %
• Shop-at-Home/Catalog Sales - 8 %
• Prizes/Sweepstakes and Lotteries - 7 %
• Internet Services and Computer Complaints - 5 %
• Business Opportunities and Work-at-Home plans - 2 %
• Advance-Fee Loans and Credit Protection - 2 %
• Telephone Services - 2 %
• Other - 17 %
  

Preventing is the key to avoid Identity Theft. The following are tips that will help you to recognize to avoid and to recover. Please read all.

3. How can I recognize Identity Theft?

• Seeing unauthorized charges or withdrawals
• Receiving Credit cards that you did not apply for
• Notices for changes that you did not initiate
• Denial of credit for no reasonable reason
• Calls or letters for services or items that you did not ordered
• Not receiving renewed credit cards or services.

4. How they get my information?

The next diagram hightlight areas were identity thefts can occur.

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For more details info see next :

• They go through trash looking for bills, checks, credit card, bank statements, applications for "pre approved" credit cards or other paper with your personal information on it.
• They steal credit/debit card numbers by using a special storage device when processing your card.
• They pretend to be financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information.
• They get your personal and credit card information by installing spam and malicious software on your PC .
• They get your Social Security Number and other info from your computer, if you don't have firewall or other PC protections.(such as Internet Explorer proper security setting, Antivirus, Anti spy ware, AD remover and others)
• They get your personal and credit card information from entries that you did on suspicious web sites.
• They change your address to divert your billing statements to another location by completing a change of address form.
• They steal wallets and purses; mail, including bank and credit card statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new checks or tax information.
• They steal personnel records for their employers, or bribe employees who have access.
• They listen in on conversations you have in public.
• They steal your personal info from a loan or credit application form you filled out or from files at a hospital, bank, school or business that you deal with.
• See next illustration example for how a fraudster can obtain personal information using "PHISHING" :..........
• Download this PDF file (from OnGuardOnline.gov) for Spam Scams examples.(unsolicited commercial email)

5. How can I prevent becoming an identity theft victim?

While no one can totally prevent this crime from occurring,

The next diagram, texts and important links provide some preventive steps to take which will decrease your risk.

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• Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you discard them.
• Protect your Social Security number. Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give it out only if absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier. Put the social security card in a locked safe.
• Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you have initiated the contact and know who you are dealing with.
• Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails; instead, type in a Web address you know.
• Use firewall, anti-spy ware, and anti-virus software to protect your home computer; keep them up-to-date. Visit OnGuardOnline.gov for more information.
• Don’t use an obvious password like your birth date, your mother’s maiden name, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
• Keep your personal information in a secure place at home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your house.
• Monitor your financial statements. Make sure there are no changes or transactions you did not initiate.
• Check your credit reports from all three of the credit reporting agencies.
• Take advantage of your free annual credit reports see:
  • http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/freereports/index.html or
    • Phone: (877) 322-8228 Web: www.annualcreditreport.com or call to
      • Equifax: Call (800) 525-6285.
      • TransUnion: Call (800) 680-7289.
      • Experian: Call (888) 397-3742
• Don't write your SSN or drivers license number on your checks.
• Don't open any suspicious email requests. Delete them without replying
• Never response to E-mail that asking you to give your Social Security number and / or any other personal information .Banks will never ask you to provide personal info by E- mail.
• Reduce the number of pre approved credit card offers you receive

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