 Don’t be a victim: Safeguard your identity to avoid identity theft
Identity theft is a serious and costly crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years cleaning up the mess thieves have made of their good name and credit record. The following tips can help you lower your risk of becoming a victim.
The best defense is a good offense. Contact the fraud department of any of the three consumer reporting companies— Equifax, Experian and Trans Union—to place a fraud alert on your credit report. The fraud alert automatically lets credit card companies and other creditors know they must contact you before opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts. You need to contact only one of the three companies to place an alert; that company will transfer the alert to the other two.
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
Don’t give your personal information over the phone or via e-mail or mail. Scam artists “phish” for victims’ information by posing as representatives of banks, stores or government agencies. This is done over the phone, through regular mail, and especially via e-mail. Don’t respond to a request to verify your account number or password, and don’t give out personal information unless you made the contact.
Keep your identity from getting trashed. Shred all papers with personal information before you throw them away. Shred unwanted credit card applications and “convenience checks” that come in the mail, credit card receipts with your account number, outdated financial papers and papers containing your clients’ personal information.
Control your personal financial information. Many states require banks and other financial institutions to get your permission before sharing your personal financial information with outside companies. In general, when prompted on a form, always select the choice that you want to “opt-out” of sharing your personal information with other companies or organizations.
Check your bills and bank statements. Open credit card bills and bank statements right away. Check for any unauthorized charges or withdrawals and report them immediately. Call if bills don’t arrive on time; it may mean that someone has changed contact information to hide fraudulent charges.
Stop pre-approved credit offers. Stop most pre-approved credit card offers by calling toll-free 888-5OPTOUT (888-567-8688) to have your name removed from credit bureau marketing lists. These mail packages are valuable for identity thieves, who can steal your mail and fill out the applications in your name.
Check your credit reports. One of the best ways to protect yourself from identity theft is to monitor your credit history. You can get one free credit report every year from each of the three national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. Request all three reports at once, or order from a different bureau every four months. (More comprehensive monitoring services from the credit bureaus cost from $44 to over $100 per year.) Order your free annual credit reports by phone, toll-free, at 877-322-8228, or online at www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp.
Information in this article from the Federal Trade Commission, the Office of Privacy Protection in the California Department of Consumer Affairs. This article is part of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS’® 2006 REALTOR® Safety Week Kit
|
