Common Fraud Schemes-part 3. Impersonation/Identity Fraud
February 24, 2011 in Miscellaneous Chat
Impersonation fraud occurs when someone assumes your identity to perform a fraud or other criminal act. Criminals can get the information they need to assume your identity from a variety of sources, such as theft of your wallet, stealing your trash, mail theft, the Internet...well the list is a long one. The sources of information about you are so numerous that you cannot prevent the theft of your identity, but you can minimize your risk of loss by following a few simple hints.
*Never throw away ATM receipts, credit card statements, credit cards, any bill or bank statement.
Invest in a shredder to make SURE the information contained on these documents is destroyed (NOTE: Used the shredded paper as packing materials or as emergency kitty litter.)
*NEVER give any personal information over the phone unless YOU make the call and KNOW who you are talking to.
* Reconcile your bank account monthly and notify your bank of any discrepancies immediately.
* Keep a list of telephone numbers you need to contact in case of a theft or unauthorized financial transactions. This would include your credit card companies, your bank, and these important numbers: The Federal Trade Commission. Under the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act, the FTC is responsible for receiving and processing complaints from victims of identity theft or fraud. To contact the FTC, call 1-877-438-4338 or TDD at 1-202-326-2502. The Credit Bureaus:
Equifax at 1-800-525-6285.
Experian at 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion at 1-800-680-7289
* Review your credit report at least every 6 months.
*When going out of town contact the post office to have mail delivery suspended for that period of time. Don't rely on a neighbor, they may forget.
*Beware of "shoulder surfers" These are people who will watch over your shoulder as you enter a PIN number or hang around air ports, car rental, or hotel lobbies-any place where you are likely to make a call where you give your credit card number.
*Never give any personal information over the Internet unless your initiate the transaction, and are online with a well known reputable company. We will be posting a blog about Internet fraud in the near future.
* Investigate personal identification protection companies such as Life Lock and consider joining. True, they can not stop ALL identity theft, but are good basic protection.
* NEVER leave your purse on the baby seat of a shopping cart or in the outside pocket of a backpack.
Your identity is yours to keep and protect, we hope these hints will help.
