Showing posts with label identity theft prevention. Show all posts
Showing posts with label identity theft prevention. Show all posts

Thursday, February 28, 2008

20 Ways College Students Can Avoid Identity Theft

20 Ways College Students Can Avoid Identity Theft

Although our topics are usually about repairing credit, avoiding the need altogether is just as important a topic. One of the major reasons today that peoplle find themselves with the need to recover their identity and repair their credit is due to identity theft. By avoiding identity theft, you can save yourself the time and effort it takes to repair the damage that identity theives can do in a surprisingly short amount of time.

Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States, according to the FTC, and College Students are particularly vulnerable.

"20 Ways College Students Can Avoid Identity Theft

Is it possible for college students to prevent identity theft? The answer to this question is both yes and no. Let's make a comparison between identity theft and somebody who attempts to break into your house. Can you stop somebody who will break into your house? Of course, you will do everything to make it difficult for the thief. You may install alarms, locks and even cameras for security purpose. You may hire the services of armed guards and security experts.
Even with these preparations, is there any possibility that somebody will be able still to house break? Certainly, if that person is determined, armed with sophisticated weapons and outnumbers your guards. This has been shown many times in the movies.

It is really the same thing with identity theft prevention. You will do something to make it more complicated for an identity thief, yet there is no guarantee that you will not be the next victim. However, you can at least minimize your risk. The main object is to be cautious in managing your personal information and to be aware. In this way you will be able to be on guard against identity theft. What is important is to always be prepared and be always on your guard.

There is really a need to be aware of the increasing number of cases on identity theft, especially among college students. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States. Prehaps due to the comparatively low risk, high reward to criminals. All they need to get your Social Security Number and some pieces of data which are often taken easily. Then, they will assume your identity and commit credit deception, and other fraudulent crimes. It’s a nightmare for the victims. Victims of identity theft will spend hours over several years trying to recover their identity. having black marks against your credit is only one of the bad things that can happen. Some victims have even been arrested for crimes they did not commit, but rather the identity thief perpetrated. This is a draining ordeal that causes too much stress.

College students who move between addresses frequently, and are just starting to build credit are particularly at risk.

Below are some ways college students can avoid identity theft:
  • Always protect your Social Security Number. Do not carry your Social Security Card in your wallet or have it printed on your checks. It is the main object for criminals.
  • Be aware of shoulder-surfers. Make sure nobody is looking over your shoulder when you enter a pin number or a credit card number to an ATM machine, or in a phone book, or you're in the library or computer lab working at a computer.
  • Invest in a shredder and shred any mail or other documents that contain sensitive personal information, including your name, address, social security number, bank account numbers, school ID numbers, credit card numbers, etc. Keep your identity from being thrown into the garbage can where identity thieves pray on unsuspecting victims.
  • Rather than signing the backs of your credit cards, just write “See Photo ID”.
  • Be sure to destroy all digital data. Some shredders now come with the option to shred credit cards, CD's and DVD's which may contain sensitive personal information.
  • Be diligent in checking statements and bills. Bills and bank statements must be checked carefully for any fraudulent activity.
  • Take your mail directly to the post office when paying your bills. Do not drop your bill payments in a local mailbox to be sent out. They may be vulnerable to theft.
  • Limit personal information printed on your checks.
  • Analyze your credit report at least once every year. It has your Social Security Number, present and prior employers, the list of all your account numbers, including those you have closed and your general credit score.
  • Install good virus and spyware protection on any computer you use. Do not use computers at Internet cafes or other public venues to check your bank account, credit accounts, or pay bills.
  • When you shop online, be sure to check the website before entering your credit card number or any personal information.
  • Do not hesitate to ask questions whenever you are asked about personal information which is not connected to a transaction. If in doubt, do not give up your personal information, especially over the phone.
  • Do not be influenced by pre-approved credit offers.
  • Do not carry additional credit cards or other important personal identity documents with you unless it is necessary.
  • Always carefully examine the charges on your credit card statements before you pay. If you do not recognize a charge, contact your card issuer immediately.
  • Don’t ever give your credit card number or any personal information over the phone except when it is a business that you trust and you initiated the phone conversation.
  • Subscribe to a credit report monitoring service so that you will be notified in case somebody applies for credit using your name.
  • Do not be afraid to question the identity of the people and companies who initiate contact with you, whether through the email, mail, telephone or even in person.
  • Don’t leave your wallet or purse unattended most especially in class, church, work, restaurants, parties or on the bus.
  • Notify your bank or creditors if you do not receive any statement. It could have been stolen from your mail. "

LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%

Even if you are not a college student all of the above advice is good for anyone who wants to avoid having their personal information stolen. Protect your identity and your credit, it's worth it in the long run.

Do Your Taxes The EASY Way—For FREE. Use TurboTax Federal Free Edition today. Start Now



Tag:

Monday, November 19, 2007

12 Tips for Preventing Credit Card Fraud

12 Tips for Preventing Credit Card Fraud



Most of us enjoy the convenience of paying for goods and services with a credit card or debit card. Unfortunately, some people become victims of credit card fraud, one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States. You may not may know of fraudulent activity on your credit card account until you see unauthorized transactions on your statement.

Here are 12 simple steps to mitigate the possibility of fraud on your credit card account:

  1. Keep both your personal identity and credit card information secure. Never email your credit card details to anyone. Email is not a secure method of transmitting data and can often be intercepted by criminals.
  2. When you receive a new credit card always sign it immediately; alternatively, write "Check ID" in the signature area so that sales clerks will check for proper identification.
  3. When you receive a replacement credit card always destroy the old card immediately. Cut or shred the old card into many small pieces.
  4. Make sure you destroy old receipts that have your card details printed on them. The most effective method is to use a shredder. Some shredders will now shred plastic cards and computer CD's or DVD's, too.
  5. Open and check your credit card statement as soon as you receive it. Read it carefully to make sure you know what all the payments printed on the statement were for, and that you authorized them.
  6. If you see any transactions on your credit card statement that you do not recognize, immediately contact your bank or credit card company for more details, and to possibly report fraudulent activity.
  7. If you misplace your credit card for any reason, immediately telephone the card issuing company and tell them. They will block the card to prevent any unauthorized use, and issue a new card to you.
  8. Never tell anyone, for any reason, your Personal Identification Number (PIN), which allows cash withdrawals using your credit card.
  9. Make sure your Personal Identification Number (PIN) is not easy for someone to guess. Avoid using numbers that are easy to guess, for example do not use your date of birth or address. Also, try to use a different Personal Identification Number for each individual credit card or debit/ATM card.
  10. Do not use an ATM if you suspect, for any reason, that it has been tampered with. Report your suspicion immediately to the bank that operates the ATM.
  11. When you use your credit card in a retail store or restaurant try to keep a watch on your card while the payment is processed. Make sure that it is your card that is handed back to you.
  12. When using your credit card to make online purchases, always ensure the web page where you enter your credit card details is secure. A secure web page has a URL that begins https:// and an image of a locked padlock in the bottom right hand corner of the browser window. If in doubt, try to make the purchase in person.

Following these simple precautions will reduce the possibility of you becoming a victim of identity theft or credit card fraud. Check with your bank or credit card company, they may have further information on minimizing the risk of credit card fraud, so it is worth contacting them.



tag:

Monday, November 12, 2007

Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

Protect Yourself From Identity Theft


Identity Theft is a real and growing problem in the US. But, what is identity theft exactly? Basically, identity theft is when someone uses your social security number, your bank credit card number, your driver's license number or any other form of identity without your knowledge or permission. Usually their intent is to obtain credit or funds in your name.


LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%


Many people have fallen victim to identity theft through many different means. Some of these ways are easily preventable due to their common sense obvious nature. Other ways identities are stolen are more dubious and discreet.

So, the question becomes, how can you protect yourself from someone stealing your identity?

To protect yourself from identity theft, the first thing you should do when considering how to divulge information about your identity to someone you do not know or may not trust is to use your common sense. Never make one-sided assumptions or take things for granted where your identity is concerned.

Credit card company statements and bank statements you receive in the mail contain your account information including your account number. Any of these items need to be shredded with an inexpensive shredder you can buy at any office supply store. Do not throw credit card statements, old credit cards or bank statements, etc. in the trash as that presents an easy way for someone going through the trash to steal your account information and use it as if they were you.

Another thing you can do to protect yourself against credit card fraud and unauthorized credit card usage is to sign the back of your card as "Check ID". If a store clerk asks to see your card, he or she will check the signature on the back and compare it with some other form of ID you have. This safeguard will not work where a purchase can be automatically completed (like at a gas pump).

When you are buying items at a store or withdrawing money from a bank or ATM machine using your ATM debit card always protect the visibility of your PIN number as you punch it in.

Do not carry your social security card with your number on it in your wallet. Keep your social security card or anything with your social security number on it in a safe place where no one has access to it but you. If you must dispose of anything that has your social security number on it, do not forget to shred it.

When online, do not open files sent to you by strangers or even files that are from someone you know but were not expecting to receive any from them. Do not click on hyperlinks or download programs from people you do not know either. Opening a computer file from an unknown source could expose your system to a computer virus, a Trojan or spyware. These types of programs could be ones that could log your keystroke information containing your credit card numbers, passwords or other sensitive information as you type it in.

If you use Ebay or Paypal, read the company website policies concerning how they handle communication to you about your account information. Never trust an email you may receive out of nowhere from Ebay or Paypal asking you to "update your account information" as this is more than likely a ploy to steal that information and use it illegally.

Use a firewall program and a router while you are online if you have high speed internet that leaves your computer connected to the internet 24/7. The router and the firewall program both make it much more difficult for a hacker to see your computer's actual IP address which means that you have a better chance of safely sending and receiving sensitive information over the internet. Windows XP operating system SP2 has a built in firewall which you should make sure is enabled in your settings.

When you shop online, always use a secure browser and shop from a web site that offers secure transactions when shopping online. Most browsers in use today have this protection feature including the popular Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox browsers. Secure website shopping carts you visit will show up as "https://thestoresdomain.com/" in the web browser address bar.

Practice keeping your computer clean from spyware or Trojan programs that log keystroke information by using virus protection software and spyware monitoring and removal software. These programs should be updated regularly, and updates for you're operating system and other software programs should be installed regularly to protect against the compromise of your computer files and password information. Ideally, virus protection software should be set to update itself frequently. The Windows XP operating system will update itself automatically if you enable this feature, which you should.

The consequences of identity theft once thieves have your information can be quite severe and range from going on a spending spree to taking out auto loans in your name. For these reasons and others, it is a good idea to monitor your credit report periodically. A credit report can be obtained from Trans Union Corp. New laws have made it easy for you to get at least one free credit report that you can use to see if accounts have been opened in your name.


tags:

Friday, July 6, 2007

Stolen identity, legal nightmare - 07/05/2007 - MiamiHerald.com

Stolen identity, legal nightmare - 07/05/2007 - MiamiHerald.com

Stolen identity, legal nightmare
A Hollywood woman finds that victims of identity theft can be treated like criminals themselves.
BY ERIKA BOLSTAD
MARSHA HALPER/MIAMI HERALD STAFF
Jennifer Mehu, a law-abiding school teacher, has struggled to undo the damage to her finances and reputation after impostors committed crimes using her stolen identity.
On the Web How to deter, detect and defend against identity theft
Jennifer Mehu was enjoying a quiet Friday night in front of her television when a team of Broward Sheriff's Office deputies pounded on her door.
''There was a knock on the door -- one of those hard, scary knocks,'' said Mehu, 32, of Hollywood. 'My daughter said, `Mommy, there's police at the door.' She was afraid -- she's 10 years old.''
Mehu asked the deputies why they were there: 'I said, `Someone has stolen my identity. Is this related to that?' ''
Their response: Find someone to sit with your daughter and accompany us to our substation -- either willingly or face arrest.
BSO confirms the basic outlines of Mehu's account, but makes no apologies. The agency said its deputies were just doing their job, investigating a crime reported by a business.
''That's part of the tragic side of identity theft. We have no way of knowing whether it's being committed by the actual person,'' said spokesman Elliot Cohen. ``Until someone starts asking the questions, there's no way of knowing.''

LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention service is the only of its kind to offer a $1 million guarantee.

STOP IDENTITY THIEVES NOW!

Until recently, Mehu's only brush with the law was an Arizona traffic ticket. But on June 8 around 9:45 p.m., the kindergarten teacher found out what many victims of identity theft already know: Often, they're the ones treated like criminals.
More than 15 million Americans experienced some sort of identity theft last year, said Jay Foley, executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center, a California-based nonprofit that helps people who have had their identities stolen.
''It is the most common crime,'' Foley said. ``We get lots of cases where a person is being pursued by law enforcement for things they have no knowledge of. It's not only unfair, it's offensive.''
Victims of ID theft generally don't end up dealing with police for their own suspected crimes, Foley said. But in Mehu's case, crimes were committed in her name, and she had no choice, since investigators found her. Mehu had to prove that she was not the criminal.
''In her case, it was criminal identity theft,'' Foley said. ``This automatically puts you on the wrong side the law.''
Law enforcement is obligated to investigate the crimes -- and the person in whose name they were committed, Foley said.
Once the I.D. theft victim is cleared of criminal wrongdoing, it is their responsibility to work on clearing their name.


UNDOING THE DAMAGE
The victims are forced to spend countless hours straightening out the financial mess left by the people who stole their identity, Foley said, and they have to endure the humiliation of being suspected of criminal activity.
''Identity theft is the 21st century bank robbery,'' said BSO spokesman Cohen. ``You never have to see them, you never have to come into contact with them. It's an epidemic.''
Mehu's problems started last August, when her handbag was stolen from her car at Walker Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale. She kept her purse in her car because it had been stolen once before from her classroom filing cabinet.
She filed a police report, but it was soon apparent that her ID was being used all over Broward. When she tried to get a new driver's license, she found that someone had been to the agency, which issued a license in Mehu's name -- with the impostor's picture.
The problems began piling up.
Someone received a speeding ticket in her name.
Soon it became clear that people were opening checking accounts in Mehu's name, and writing bad checks.
''I started getting notices that I owe this bank, that bank,'' Mehu said. ``They open checking accounts and they write all these humongous bills with my name and address. SunTrust, Wachovia, Bank Atlantic . . . and banks I've never heard of.''
The worst was yet to come.
In the episode that led to her interrogation by BSO detectives, Mehu was suspected of trying to pass bad checks at a Tamarac Publix.
A woman who had tried to cash a check aroused the suspicions of alert Publix employees, who confiscated her ID. The woman left without the ID, and Publix called BSO, which investigated and issued a warrant for Mehu's arrest.
Mehu had seen police interrogations on TV shows. But she had no idea how frightening the real thing would be.
The night they came to question her, a male detective watched as she got dressed. Once Mehu's sister arrived to care for her daughter, Aysis, Mehu was instructed to follow the cops in her own car.
They sandwiched her vehicle between two patrol cars on the drive from Hollywood to Tamarac.
Mehu was so frightened that she dialed 911, to make sure the deputies were legitimate. While she was on the phone with dispatchers, the deputies escorting her called her and told her to stop calling 911, because they were law enforcement officers.
At the station, they showed her different identifications they had confiscated with her name on them.
''It was so scary,'' Mehu said. ``It was just the most horrifying, terrifying experience. It was a little box of a room, with a table and a chair, and a clock. It was padded. There were chains on the floor.''
Eventually, it became clear to detectives that she wasn't the person they were looking for, Mehu said. After about 40 minutes, they let her go, telling her the matter was closed.
But Mehu hasn't forgotten it.
''I don't know what to do to get this out of my head,'' she said.
It's difficult to determine how much the crime cost her, Mehu said. Its main toll has been psychological, although she has spent hours contacting credit bureaus and the check-clearing bureaus.
BURDEN ON THE VICTIM
She has had to put a special flag on her driver's license, so that if she's ever stopped by police, they must ask her for two forms of identification.
She makes sure her Florida I.D., voter registration card and insurance card are quickly accessible. She has applied for a passport. She has signed up for a credit monitoring service for $10 a month. She no longer carries a purse.
''It's sad. I love purses. Now, I just carry a wallet that I can keep in my pocket,'' Mehu said.
Her credit is such a mess that she is afraid to apply for a credit card.
And it has been embarrassing.
Mehu learned through the Fort Lauderdale detective investigating the theft of her handbag that one of the people posing as her was a man dressed as a woman.
Mehu was mortified.
She worries that whatever criminal mischief the I.D. thieves are up to will come back to haunt her on the job, where a clean criminal background is a career requirement.
''I'm scared this might damage my career as a teacher,'' Mehu said. ``I'm at a loss, but everywhere I turn, people say, identity theft is very difficult to solve. It seems like the people who are victims, everything comes back to them.''


Tags: ,

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Special Offer - Identity Theft and Credit Repair Software from Amazon

Learn how you can take a bite out of the largest growing crime in America today...IDENTITY THEFT! Plus, learn how easy it is to repair your own credit, how to consolidate your credit debt and how to do your own bankruptcy. Includes 200 legally binding forms plus course materials.

Don't miss out on this special offer from Amazon.com. The regular price on this software is $19.95, but you can order it now for $5.83.

Isn't protecting your identity and repairing your credit worth the $5.83? Click here to order now! Personal Identity Theft Protection & Credit Repair


Tags:

Monday, April 23, 2007

What are Ways ID Theft Can Occur?

What are Ways ID Theft Can Occur?

First what is Identity Theft?
Identity theft is a very bad event that causes a lot of harm to a consumer’s credit. Think of how you would feel to know that someone else has used your credit and has left all the responsibilities and problems for you. Once the fraudulently opened accounts start appearing on your credit report, it will lower your credit score for sure because the ID thief is not likely to behave well with your credit.

What are Ways ID Theft Can Occur?

ID thieves have so many ways to scam people - and it is an easy crime to get away with. It is important for consumers to know how thieves can get access to personal information, and use it.

  • By stealing or hacking the database of a business.
  • By stealing your wallet.
  • By stealing your snail mail or email containing your personal information, or submit a change of address form and bypass your mails to their door. (shred your junk mail and other correspondence)
  • They can get your personal information from trash.
  • They can steal your information through fake mails, phone calls and from duplicate sites purposefully build to scam people.
  • They can pull your credit report by camouflaging as employer, creditor or land-lord.
LifeLock is the only Identity Theft Prevention Solution backed by a one-million dollar guarantee!Click here to get a 10% discount.

So what happens when ID Theft occurs?
Using your personal information, crooks can ruin your credit in a very short time. They can –

  • Open credit card account in your name.
  • Take out bank loan to buy a car.
  • Open a bank account with your information and write a number of bad checks.
  • They may apply for a phone service in your name, obviously the bill will be charged to you.
  • They can quickly do all of the above!

How can I avoid the scam?
There are some things that you can do to help you avoid identity theft. Here are a few:

  • Do not carry extra credit cards with you that you do not need.
  • Never disclose your SSN to a person who you do not know or send it out over an unsecured media.
  • Keep a watch on your credit report regularly and make it a habit.
  • Periodically check your bank statement.
  • Close the credit cards that you are not interested to use any more.
  • Do not have your SSN printed on your check leafs.
  • You can stop pre-screened credit offers or ask credit reporting agencies to block your date of birth and SSN on your credit report.
  • Do not respond to any email that states unrealistic message for you, like your bank account has been closed or craps like that. If necessary, type the website address of the concerned institution by your own, do not follow the link embedded in the emails.
  • You can subscribe to an identity theft prevention service, such as LifeLock, that will take care of all of this for you.


LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%

Tags:

Monday, April 16, 2007

ID Theft Protection Policy

ID Theft Protection Policy

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States. It affects nearly 20,000 per day! And while it is an easy crime for identity theives to get away with, and the penalties are not necessarily severe, it can hurt the victim in many ways.

Many people are victims of identity theft and don't even know it yet! Check your credit report regularly and carefully for any sign of identity theft or fraud. (It's a good idea anyway to check your credit report for any errors that may affect your credit.) ID theft hurts! As a victim your credit is destroyed, you may have trouble getting a job, and credit and insurance will cost you much more - if you can qualify.

It has been estimated that identity theft victims spend as much as 600 hours over many years, on average, to clean up the mess caused by identity theives. Don't be a victim - be proactive in protecting yourself against identity theft.
Shred all junk mail, and any other correspondence that contains any personal information - even if it is only your name and address. That's all a thief needs to start stealing your identity.

Get an ID theft protection policy such as LifeLock. It is the only ID theft protection of its kind to offer a $1 million guarantee. LifeLock has been touted on many news programs (CNN, MSNBC) and by journalists (The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, and others) recently as being one of the best methods you can use to protect your personal information from theft.


Tags: ,

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Identity Theft Statistics

Identity Theft Statistics
Did you know that nearly 20,000 people each day become victims of identity theft? Are you one of them? Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States.

Most identity theft victims are not aware that their personal information has been stolen until they try to get a loan, insurance or job, and find out that they have a bad credit report. Even worse is to get a call from a collection agency trying to collect on a debt that you know nothing about, or being arrested due to mistaken identity!

Your credit history can be ruined very quickly by identity theives. You can be denied credit, a job, or face higher rates for insurance due to bad credit that you did not cause. It is essential that you protect your personal information to the best of your ability to avoid this crime.

Here are 5 things you can do to prevent identity theft:

  1. Shred all junk mail, and any other correspondence that contains your name, address, account numbers, or other personal information. (Often identity theives need only your name and address to start stealing your identity.)
  2. Do not give your personal information to anyone that calls you looking for information
  3. Avoid applying for loans or credit cards and such over the Internet
  4. Check your credit report frequently for signs of fraud or identity theft
  5. Subscribe to a proactive identity theft protection services such as LifeLock. They are the only service of this type to offer a $1 million guarantee against ID theft.

Everyday we hear about another way that identity thefts are hurting consumers. You can avoid this crime with a small amount of effort on your part.

P.S. You only have 5 days left to file your federal income taxes.....

TurboTax Online Late Season


Tags: , ,

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

The Becker-Posner Blog: Deterring Identity Theft--Posner

Deterring Identity Theft

You may be going through life thinking that you have great credit because you pay your bills on time, never ask for credit accounts that you don't need, and basically use your credit wisely. Perhaps the last time you purchased a car or house the lender praised your credit worthiness and high credit score.

None of this matters if you have been a victim of identity theft. Identity theft can ruin your credit rating and credit score even if you had great credit before the crime occurred in your life. Take a look at this article about avoiding identity theft.

The Becker-Posner Blog: Deterring Identity Theft--Posner
Deterring Identity Theft--Posner

"Identity theft" (or identity fraud) refers to fraud effectuated by stealing personal identifying data, such as a credit card number or a social security number, often by means of computer hacking or by emails in which the sender impersonates an individual, firm, or agency that has a legitimate need for the identifying data. Identity theft has become extremely common and is estimated to be defrauding Americans of a total of more than $50 billion a year. This is an understatement of the social costs of identity theft because victims often must spend hundreds of hours restoring their credit. Maximum punishments are severe, but the garden-variety identity theft is not heavily punished relative to potential gains. For example, an identity thief who steals $1 million and has no previous criminal record is (if prosecuted for violating federal fraud law) likely to receive a prison sentence of less than five years, except that as a result of the recently enacted Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act another two years will be tacked on.

The economic theory of punishment teaches that, at least as a first approximation, the expected cost of the fine or other punishment for crime should just exceed the expected gain to the criminal from committing the crime, in order to make it worthless to him. If we are not completely confident about what the gain from the crime is likely to be (or if we think some crimes, like breaking into an unoccupied vacation house in a snowstorm, should not be deterred, we may want to base the sentence on the victim's loss instead of the perpetrator's gain. In the usual case of identity theft, the loss to the victim will exceed the gain to the thief, because the time costs to the victim are not recouped in any form by the thief. Oddly to a noneconomist, those costs, together with the costs of efforts by potential victims of identity theft to avoid becoming actual victims and the costs incurred by the identity thieves themselves to accomplish their thefts, are the real social costs of identity theft. The mere transfer of wealth from victim to thief does not reduce the social product, but merely rearranges it.

The word "expected" which I used in the preceding paragraph is intended to distinguish between a certain value and a probabilistic one. The expected value of a 100 percent probability of incurring a cost of $100 is $100, but so is the expected value of a 1 percent probability of incurring a cost of $10,000 ($100 = .01 X $10,000). If the probability of apprehending and punishing an identity thief is very low, the punishment will have to be jacked up very high in order to deter. Suppose an identity thief who sends out 100,000 "phishing" emails (impersonating persons or firms who would have a legitimate need for access to the recipient's personal identifying information) anticipates a $10,000 profit. If the probability that he will be caught and punished for his fraud is 1 percent, then a fine slightly in excess of $1 million would be necessary to deter him. Probably he could not pay such a fine, and so a prison sentence would have to be substituted, designed to impose the equivalent disutility on him.

My guess is that very few identity thiefs are caught, and also that many of them make a lot more than $10,000 per fraud, given such techniques as phishing that enable a fraudulent solicitation to be disseminated essentially without cost to an immense number of potential victims; if even a minute percentage of the recipients are hooked, the identity thief can make a killing. If this analysis is correct, the optimal punishment for identity theft is extremely heavy; it might well be life in prison.

Any proposal for punishment that strict would encounter a variety of objections--all superficial. The first is that punishment should be proportional to the gravity of the crime, in the sense of the cost that the crime imposes on the victim. By this criterion, bank robbery is a more serious crime than identity theft (and in fact is punished much more severely) because it frightens and sometimes endangers the bank's employees (only sometimes, because most bank robberies nowadays are "robbery by note"--the robber gives the teller a note saying that he is armed, but he isn't). But bank robbery is actually a sucker's crime; almost all bank robbers are caught because of a combination of surveillance cameras and the money packs that tellers are instructed to give robbers, which explode after a few minutes, covering the robber with indelible ink. Moreover, it is only because crimes that create a risk of physical injury are treated as categorically more serious than white-collar crimes that bank robbery is deemed a more serious offense than identity theft. Probably identity theft is a greater social problem (the average bank robbe's take per robbery is only $7,000), and, even if it is not, almost certainly it should be punished more severely because the probability of apprehension and punishment is much lower than in the case of bank robbery.

Nor would we have to worry, as we do with many crimes, that making the punishment for a particular crime very severe may increase the incidence of a more severe crime--may in other words impair "marginal deterrence." That is the policy of imposing heavier punishments for more serious crimes not because the punishment must fit the crime in a retributive (eye for an eye) sense, but in order to deter the substitution of more serious crimes for less serious ones. Were robbery punished as heavily as murder, robbers would have a greater incentive to murder their victims because that would reduce the probability of punishment (by eliminating witnesses) without increasing its severity. It is difficult to imagining identity thieves substituting more serious crimes for identity theft.

A further argument against severe punishment is that identity theft is easily prevented by potential victims, and it is less costly to society for them to take their own precautions than for the taxpayer to pay for more prisons. There are two fallacies here. The first is the assumption that increasing the length of prison sentences increases the number of prisoners. That depends on the responsiveness of potential criminals to a higher expected cost of punishment. If it is high, then an increase in punishment may reduce the number of prisoners by increasing deterrence by a greater percentage than the added length of the sentence. (Below I argue that it is likely to be high in the case of identity theft.)

The second fallacy is to disregard the heavy aggregate costs of self-protection against identity theft. Everyone who has a credit card or social security number or other personal identifying information (which is to say everyone), and in addition has some financial resources, is a potential victim of identity theft. Among this large group of people, all who are cautious will take some steps to prevent identity theft, as will the custodians of their personal identifying information. These costs, which would be avoided if identity theft could be stamped out, must be compared with the costs of increasing the punishment of identity thieves. Those costs might be slight if the threat of heavier punishment had such a strong deterrent effect that the threat had rarely to be carried out.

A reason to expect a more than average responsiveness of crime to punishment in the case of identity theft is that identity thieves tend to be educated people, or at least to have pretty good technical skills. Educated people tend to have low discount rates because education entails deferral of earning. And people with low discount rates are more responsive to increased prison terms, which involve adding years at the end of the existing term. A person with a very high discount rate might not be deterred when his expected sentence for committing some crime increased from 20 years to 25 years, but a person with a low discount rate might consider that extra five years a significant present cost (that is, after discounting to present value--the lower the discount rate, the higher the present value of a future stream of costs or earnings). Moreover, an educated person is likely to have superior legitimate alternatives to crime than an uneducated person; and the closer a substitute a legitimate earning opportunity is for earnings for crime, the less the expected earnings from crime need be reduced by increased punishment in order to induce the substitution. This is the other side of my earlier point about marginal deterrence."

Don't be a victim, take proactive steps to avoid identity theft.


Tags:

Saturday, March 31, 2007

Statistics On Identity Theft

Statistics On Identity Theft

"Statistics on Identity Theft

More than ever before, the information explosion, aided by an era of easy credit, has led to the growth of a crime that feeds on the inability of consumers to control who has access to their sensitive personal information and how it is safeguarded. That crime is identity theft. The information below should be viewed as "what is known at this time" and not as the final word about identity theft crimes. Identity theft remains the #1 concern among consumers. Their fears are not unfounded. The facts about identity theft speak for themselves.

Protect yourself now! Subscribe to LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%

Statistics on identity theft reported by the Federal Trade Commission indicate that for the 4th year in a row identity theft topped the list of consumer complaints. Identity theft accounted for more than 42 percent of all complaints lodged in the FTC Consumer Sentinel database in 2004, an increase of 40 percent over 2002 statistics.

The Number of Victims and Types of Fraud:
According to the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft Survey Report, nearly 10 million American consumers discovered that their personal information had been used to open fraudulent bank, credit card, cell phone or utility accounts, or used to commit other crimes.
More than 50 percent of all identity theft victims were the victims of credit card and other types of credit account fraud. New credit account fraud, where an ID thief opens up new accounts in your name, and other frauds were estimated to have victimized 3.23 million people.
Approximately 28 percent of Identity Theft victims whose theft involved the misuse of an existing credit card said that their credit cards had either been lost or stolen.

The Cost of Identity Theft:
Identity Theft costs approximately $53 billion. That means that the total loss to business and individual victims for all types of reported identity theft, both new account and existing account frauds, is almost $53 billion dollars annually. More specifically, business victims experienced a total loss of $47.5 billion or an average of $4,800 per business victim per year. Individual victims account for a total loss of $5 billion and $500 per victim annually.
Americans spent 300 million hours resolving issues related to identity theft. Between individual and business identity theft victims--an average of 30 - 60 hours per victim was spent on handling various matters related to identity theft including new accounts, existing account and other frauds.

The Perpetrators of Identity Theft:
Victims generally know the thieves who steal their precious personal information. In more than 25 percent of reported identity theft cases, the victims know or are related to the identity thief. Think twice about the people with whom you share personal information.
Most identity theft cases start in the workplace. Studies show as much as 70 percent of all identity theft cases are an inside job--perpetrated by a co-worker or by an employee of a business that you patronize. Perhaps the greatest surprise is that a large number of the identities were stolen not by an employee -- but by the business owner.

References: For further data and statistical information read the Federal Trade Commissions 2003 Identity Theft Survey Report.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Free Credit Report

Free Credit Report

Checking your credit report is an essential element of credit repair, but also for uncovering identity theft, as well. Did you know that most credit reports contain at least one error? If you are thinking about applying for a loan, mortgage, or other credit account, check your credit report firsts to be certain that it is in the best shape it can be.

Free credit report is available at AnnualCreditReport.com. This site was setup when the government mandated one free credit report each year from each of the credit agencies must be offered to every consumer. Check you credit report for errors, omissions, and any sign of credit fraud. Dispute any negative and erroneous item immediately. Each credit report will spell out exactly what you must do to make a dispute.

LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%

Don't wait to be denied credit - check your free credit report now!


Tags: , ,

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Victims Stories of Identity Theft

Victims Stories of Identity Theft

"How did this happen to me? Victims stories of identity theft are usually similiar in that they were all unaware that their identity and personal information had been stolen and was being used to ruin their credit rating.
It is the nightmare from which you hope you will awaken soon. The Federal Trade Commission reports that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the US. Identity theft has no boundaries, striking consumers of every class, walk of life, and occupation. Victims stories of identity theft are heart breaking, but very similar in that they are all taken by surprise.Identity theft can happen to anyone, including YOU. Take a look at some real stories of identity theft published by the Better Business Bureau Online. Each story is a gut wrenching look at how an individual's personal information was stolen and used to hurt the victim's financial well-being. Imagine if you were to get a call from a collection agency to collect on a credit card balance for a credit card that you never requested or used! Or, you try to obtain a car or home loan, only to find out that your credit report is full of erroneous and fraudulent information.
LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%
You can prevent identity theft, and protect your personal information. First, order your credit report. Check it carefully for any erroneous or fraudulent activity, i.e. cell phone accounts that are not yours, credit card accounts, or past due balances on credit accounts you didn't request. Dispute any erroneous items immediately. Each credit report will give you detailed information for how to file a dispute. Report any sign of identity theft to your local police department - this is a must. Finally, start shredding all of your junk mail, and any other mail that contains personal information about you. Shredding is one of the best ways to avoid identity theft. All that an identity thief needs is your name and address to start stealing your identity. Subscribe to a reputable identity theft prevention service such as LifeLock. LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention is the only service of its kind to offer a $1 million guarantee. LifeLock has been reported on by many news organizations such as The Wall Street Journal and CNN as being one of the very best ways to prevent identity theft. It is much easier to prevent identity theft than to deal with the nightmare of cleaning up the mess caused by having your identity stolen.
Read some of the victims stories of identity theft, and see why you need to protect your personal information now. Don't be a victim! Subscribe to LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10% "



Tags: ,

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville WDBJ 7 | Scam Alert 7 - Identity Theft Protection

WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville WDBJ 7 Scam Alert 7 - Identity Theft Protection: "The best tool known for cutting down on identity theft is education. If consumers are aware that they may be putting their personal information at risk, they are less likely to fail victim to scammers.
Whether it's by phone, through the mail or over the Internet, if a financial opportunity sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That was one of the messages Attorney General Bob McDonnell shared with the newly-formed Financial Crimes Task Force. There are plenty of anti-scammer laws on the books in Virginia, but the new joint effort is focused on coordinating the investigations and better determining whose jurisdiction the crimes fall under.
Even with the new regional task force in place, cracking down on the scammers is extremely difficult. McDonnell says, 'Some of these scams only stay on the web for a day or two then they change the e-mail and they change the website they're on to some new scam. So that's why it's a challenge for law enforcement to ever pin these people down because they're truly the epitome of a moving target.'
Protecting your personal data is key to avoiding identity theft. "

Don't be a victim! There are proactive methods of protecting your personal information and avoiding identity theft. One of the best ways that we have found is LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention . LifeLock stops identity theft before it has a chance to happen, and they are the only service of its kind to offer a $1 million guarantee. Featured in coverage in The Wall Street Journal and Chicago Tribune, and on MSNBC, CNN, and many other national news outlets, everyone is talking about LifeLock and getting protection against identity theft.

Now for a limited time LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%

Tags:

Wednesday, March 7, 2007

How LifeLock Protects Your Identity

How LifeLock Protects Your Identity
LifeLock is an amazing service that protects consumers and businesses from identity theft before it happens! We found a very good description of how it works at Identity Guard Central.
"How It Works
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS
When you become a LifeLock client, they set alerts on all of your credit reports (there are more than just the "big three"). These credit report alerts will usually be set within an hour of enrolling at LifeLock . You will start receiving letters from the credit bureaus about 7 days after enrolling, to confirm that your alerts have been placed.
While your initial locks will be set within about an hour of your enrollment with LifeLock , they must be renewed every ninety days to stay in effect. LifeLock takes care of this for you automatically.
In two to four weeks, you will receive credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, the three largest national credit bureaus. Most importantly, LifeLock's guarantee is in full force from the moment you enroll. They will re-order these reports periodically for your files.
The great news is that you will stop receiving pre-approved credit offers and your junk mail load will be reduced dramatically. Many people tell us that if nothing else, reducing the junk mail alone is worth the price.
Of course, you can do everything listed above yourself for free. However, it's the details of actually doing it, then re-doing it, then dealing with any problems that arise, then keeping up on the changes in the procedures of the bureaus, the new databases that are coming online, and the laws that become too much for most people and the reason that tens of thousands of people have turned to LifeLock.LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%
Your Identity is much more than credit fraud. Although it can take many hours and even years to repair, damage to credit reports is often the easiest thing from which to recover when your personal information is stolen. Every day, all over the United States, identity theft victims find themselves being arrested, denied earned entitlements, being passed over for promotion, not getting hired or, worse, actually getting fired, not getting rental leases, not getting insurance, paying higher life, health and auto insurance premiums, facing the IRS because an audit alert has been triggered...the list is long and limited only to the thief's imagination and industry. LifeLock is constantly updating their systems, adding new databases, working to educate legislators and congress, and helping to track down and prosecute the thieves. These thieves have literally unlimited resources, unlimited time and no scruples whatsoever. LifeLock has integrity and operates within the law, but they have no mercy whatsoever for the thief. That's why they stand behind everything they do with a $1 million guarantee.LifeLock is the only Identity Theft Prevention Solution backed by a one-million dollar guarantee! Click here to get a 10% discount.
In the unlikely event your lock is picked and you find yourself fighting to regain your good name, LifeLock is going to do the fighting for you. They are going to pay for the fight, and make sure that you get every dollar back, lost wages, attorney's fees, costs, actual losses, every dollar up to $1 million. Period. No fine print. If your Identity is stolen while you are a LifeLock client, and your claim is legitimate, they're going to do whatever it takes, for however long it takes, however much it costs to fix it and you won't lose a dime, again, up to $1 million.
Here's what you can expect: Your personal information is locked. It's patrolled and guarded by the experts. If your personal information is stolen, you're covered and you'll have the best in the business fighting for you. No one else does that. "


Tags:

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Preventing Identity Theft

Preventing Identity Theft\"Preventing Identity Theft
LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention service is the only ID protection service to offer a $1 million guarantee.
STOP IDENTITY THIEVES!
Prevent identity theft, and protect your credit! Almost everyday you hear stories about people whose identities have been stolen by identity thieves. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that ID theft victims spend hundreds of hours over many years to get their lives back in order, and fix their credit. Even worse yet, innocent individuals can end up in jail as a result of ID Theft (due to mistaken identity). LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention program protects against this ever happening to you - and they guarantee it - up to $1 million.
According to the FTC, identity theft is the single fastest growing crime in the United States, because it is one of the easiest crimes for criminals to get away with, and one of the most difficult crimes for people to avoid. At least ID theft was the easiest crime to get away with, before LifeLock started protecting people's identities and personal information with their proactive ID protection service.
Most estimates show that it takes an average of 160 hours to clean up the mess left by having your identity and personal information stolen. Why go through the nightmare of ID theft - with LifeLock, there is no work, and no nightmare, because LifeLock stops the crime before it ever happens. It's as simple as that.
LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%
LifeLock doesn't simply alert you to unauthorized use of your credit and personal information, they prevent it. Period. Working together with the top four credit bureaus, LifeLock makes sure you're contacted to approve every credit transaction before it takes place. LifeLock also proactively deletes your name from pre-approved credit card offers and junk-mail lists - that's very often where identity theft gets started.
LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention is the Leader in proactive identity theft protection and prevention. You may have seen programs about LifeLock in the Wall Street Journal and Chicago Tribune, MSNBC, CNN, and many other national news outlets, who have been talking about LifeLock for some time now.
If your credit and personal information isn't proactively protected now, you're at grave risk of your personal information being stolen by sophisticated criminals who can do your credit much harm. Don't be a victim! Forget about waiting until someone steals your identity and your personal information - ruining your life. LifeLock can set up a very affordable, guaranteed system of proactive identity theft prevention for you right away.LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%
Go To Preventing Identity Theft For More Details."

Tags:

Friday, February 23, 2007

credit card fraud alert

credit card fraud alert
"Credit Instant Report to Prevent Identity Theft
Find credit card fraud alert Online Now!
LifeLock credit card fraud alert prevention is the only service of its sort to offer a $1 million guarantee. With credit card fraud alert protection and prevention, you can sleep better at night. LifeLock stops would be identity thieves in their tracks.
The Federal Trade Commission reports that Identity Theft has become the fastest growing crime in the US. It has become easier than ever for Identity theives to steal your personal information, and get away with it. Often, all that they need is your name and address - that'scredit card fraud alert prevention is so important.
It takes on average more than 600 hours and sometimes years to fix the damage that occurs when your personal and credit information is taken. Don't wait for credit card fraud alert to happen to you, enroll with LifeLock today.
LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%
How Does LifeLock Work?
LifeLock credit card fraud alert prevention starts when they set alerts on your credit reports - usually within 1 hour of your enrollment. These alerts must updated every ninety days, and LifeLock does it for you, on time. So anytime someone trys to obtain credit information, you are notified by the credit bureaus so that you may prevent credit card fraud alert.
Within two to four weeks, you receive your credit reports from the three national major bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Check them carefully for any clerical errors, negative entries, and especially for credit card fraud alert. LifeLock's credit card fraud alert protection continues when they re-order these reports periodically for your files, and your analysis.
They also delete your name and address from junk mail lists, so you will stop receiving pre-approved credit and your junk mail load will be reduced dramatically. Identity thieves often go through your trash to find junk mail to use for credit card fraud alert.
Unfortunately, credit card fraud alert is not the only aspect of your life in danger. You need proactive protection. Even though it may take years to repair, damage to your credit is often the easiest thing from which an ID theft victim can recover. Each and every day, all over the US, Identity theft victims find themselves arrested, denied earned entitlements, passed over for promotion, not getting hired or, worse, actually getting fired, not getting needed rental leases, not getting insurance, paying higher life, health and auto insurance premiums, facing the IRS because an audit alert has been triggered...the list is long and scary.
LifeLock credit card fraud alert and identity theft prevention service has integrity and operates within the law; however, they will have no mercy for the identity thief. That's why they guarantee their proactive service up to $1 million.
LifeLock credit card fraud alert protection. LifeLock is the only Identity Theft Prevention Service backed by a one-million dollar guarantee!
Click here to get a 10% discount at LifeLock.
Click Here For More credit card fraud alert details.".
Tags:

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Credit Repair Due to Identity Theft

OnlineCreditProfessor.com
Credit Repair Due to Identity Theft

This entry was posted on 2/19/2007 8:49 AM and is filed under Credit Repair,Credit Report,Identity Theft.
"In the past week I have seen serious stories about Identity Theft, how to avoid it, and the consequences of it on the NBC's Today Show, the February issue of Ladies Home Journal, the Yahoo News Finance Page, and several other news outlets. It is no secret that Identity Theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States. It is a crime that is relatively easy to get away with, and the punishments if caught are not severe. Identity theives have moved from using fraudulent credit for one-time major purchases, to buying their everyday necessities. ID theft has become their only occupation. But, they are stealing from consumers, and ruining their victim's credit. The need for credit repair due to identity theft is growing rapidly.Knowing this, how can you protect yourself both online and offline? Although we have written much of this before, it bears repeating:
Take control by monitoring your credit reports frequently. You are entitled to one free credit report each year from each of the credit bureaus. Go to http://www.annualcreditreport.com/ for more information about this absolutely free service mandated by the Federal Government. One time per year, however, is simply not enough. Consider a credit monitoring service such as Equifax Credit Watch Gold 3-in-1Credit Monitoring Service or LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention .
If you must post your resume online, try to avoid offering any personal information such as your address, social security number, or date of birth.
Don't leave personal information in your car, or out in the open in your house. All of your personal information should be locked away in a drawer or locking file box.
Cross-Shred all junk mail, including credit card offers, cellular phone service offers, etc. In addition, always shred credit card bills, bank statements, utility bills, and the like. Identity thieves need little more than your name and address to steal your identity.
Don't be a victim. Guard your personal information, and monitor as closely as possible for any signs of ID theft or fraud. I highly recommend a monitoring service such as LifeLock. It is more than worth it to protect your identity. It is estimated that identity theft victims spend an average of 600 hours over several years trying to clean up the mess caused by identity theives. It is much easier to protect yourself, than to spend the time and effort cleaning up your credit later. "LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%
Tags: ,

Monday, February 19, 2007

How to Protect Your identity LifeLock

How to Protect Your identity LifeLock
"How to Protect Your identity LifeLock
LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention is the only identity theft prevention system to offer a $1 million guarantee.
How to avoid identity theft? Enroll at LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention Service. Guard against credit card fraud and protect your personal information from identity theft when you enroll with Theft Prevention Service.
We hear stories almost daily about individuals whose identities were stolen by identity thieves. Their stories are heart breaking. Most of the time they didn't find out they were a victim until they checked their credit report - then it was too late. Learn more about how to guard against identity theft.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that credit fraud idenitity theft victims spend as much as 600 hours over many years to get their lives back in order, and to fix their credit report. Even worse, innocent people can end up in jail as a result of Identity Theft (due to mistaken identity). Stop identity theft before it happens!!
LifeLock Credit Card Fraud Identity Theft Prevention service prevents this from ever happening to you - when you enroll at LifeLock you are protected. This is how to protect your identity. They stand behind their fraud identity theft prevention service with a guarantee - up to $1 million.
The FTC reports that fraud and identity theft are the fastest growing crimes in the US. Today, unfortunately, identity theft and credit card fraud are among the easiest of crimes for criminals to get away with, and the most difficult crimes for consumers and businesses to avoid. At least Credit Fraud Identity Theft was one of the easiest crimes for criminals to get away with - but that was before LifeLock started protecting people's identities and personal information with their proactive credit card fraud and identity theft prevention service.
Recent estimates show that it takes credit fraud identity theft victims as much as 600 hours over several years to fix the mess left by having their identity and personal information stolen! Why go through the nightmare of credit fraud identity theft? When you enroll at LifeLock, there is no work, and no nightmare. LifeLock stops this horrible crime before it ever happens. It's as simple as that.
LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%
LifeLock is how to protect yourself from credit card fraud identity theft. They prevent unauthorized use of your credit and personal information. Period. LifeLock works together with the four major national credit reporting bureaus to make sure that you're contacted to approve every single credit transaction before it takes place. Also, LifeLock proactively removes your name from pre-approved credit card offers and junk-mail lists. Junk mail trash - that's where identity theft often gets started.
LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention is the Leader in proactive credit card fraud identity theft protection and prevention. You may have seen the programs and news articles about LifeLock in the Wall Street Journal and Chicago Tribune, MSNBC, CNN, and many other national news outlets - they have been talking about LifeLock for some time now, and highly recommend it.
If your credit and personal information isn't proactively protected from identity theives, you are at risk of your personal information being stolen by criminals who can ruin your credit and your life. Don't be a victim! Don't wait until someone steals your identity and your personal information - it can ruin your life. LifeLock can set up a very affordable, guaranteed system of proactive credit fraud identity theft prevention for you right away."
LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%


Tags:

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Do You Need Credit Repair?

Do you need credit repair?

Do you even know what is being reported on your credit report? Twenty-five percent of all credit reports contain errors serious enough to deny consumers access to credit, favorable loan rates, insurance, and in some cases a job. Many individuals are victims of identity theft, and don't even know it!

Get a copy of your credit report from each of the three major US credit reporting agencies--Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You are eligible to receive a free report from each of them once every 12 months. You can order your free report from all three agencies at http://www.annualcreditreport.com/.

Once you have your report, check it carefully for clerical errors, negative items, and any indications of fraudulent activity. Look for personal information that is misspelled, outdated or that of a stranger, in addition to errors with credit accounts. Each credit bureau will detail on the report what you must do to dispute any item on your credit report. In some cases you must send your dispute letter with any supporting documentation several times before the matter will be fixed. Don't give up! If something is inaccurate, dispute it until it has been fixed.

It can take time to correct credit report inaccuracies. Recently, it was reported that victims of identity theft spend 600 hours, on average, and more than two years to fix the mess caused by identity theives. If you don't have the time necessary to deal with these problems, contact a reputable credit repair agency. We recommend Lexington Law - Credit Report Repair, they offer legal credit repair and have 15 years experience helping consumers.


LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention


Tags: , ,

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Identity Theft Solution

Identity Theft Solution
"Protect Your Identity With LifeLock
Find identity theft solution Online Now!
LifeLock identity theft solution is the only service of its kind to offer a $1 million guarantee. If you are looking for identity theft solution, LifeLock stops would be identity thieves in their tracks.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, Identity Theft is the fastest growing crime in the US. It has become increasingly easier for ID theives to steal your information, and get away with it. That's why identity theft solution is so important. Prevent the crime before it happens.
It is estimated that it takes more than 160 hours and sometimes years to fix the damage that occurs when your personal and credit information is stolen. Don't wait for the theft to happen, enroll with LifeLock today for excellent identity theft solution.
LifeLock Identity Theft Prevention - Save 10%
How Does it Work?
LifeLock identity theft solution sets alerts on your credit reports - usually within 1 hour of your enrollment. These alerts are updated every ninety days, so anytime anyone trys to obtain credit information, you are notified by the credit bureaus for identity theft solution.
Within two to four weeks, you'll receive credit reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Check these reports carefully for any errors or fraud. LifeLock identity theft solution will re-order these reports periodically for your files.
At the same time you will stop receiving pre-approved credit offers and your junk mail load will be reduced dramatically, for identity theft solution. Identity thieves often use your junk mail to steal your identity.
Your Identity, however, is not only in danger of credit fraud. As a matter of fact, although it can take years to repair, damage to credit reports is often the easiest thing from which a victim to recover. Each and every day, all over the US, identity theft victims find themselves being arrested, denied earned entitlements, being passed over for promotion, not getting hired or, worse, actually getting fired, not getting insurance, paying higher life, health and auto insurance premiums, facing the IRS because an audit alert has been triggered...the list is long and limited only to the thief's imagination and industry.
LifeLock identity theft solution has integrity and operates within the law, but they have no mercy whatsoever for the thief. That's why we guarantee what they do.LifeLock identity theft solution is the only Identity Theft Prevention Solution backed by a one-million dollar guarantee! Click here to get a 10% discount.
Click Here For More identity theft solution details. "


Tags: