pgiggles asked:


I have called and canceled my credit cards but what about my license and other id cards how can I prevent someone from stealing my identity?

Micheal

Tristan Dunston asked:


Australia is losing a billion dollars every year to identity theft, according to the Australian government, and nearly 90 per cent of Aussies are said to be concerned about having their identity stolen.

With identity theft reputed to be the fastest growing crime globally, what is being done to protect Australians from the growing menace posed by identity fraudsters?

The National Identity Security Strategy (NISS) was introduced by the Australian Government in 2005. This national identity strategy aims to tackle identity crime committed with the use of fake identity documents, such as passports and drivers’ licenses. Beefing up the ability of Australian authorities to spot fake identity documents lies at the heart of the strategy. Fake identity documents are used by fraudsters to steal benefits, such as Centrelink payments, and money from the banks.

$28 million dollars has been pledged to the roll out of the National Document Verification Service, a key plank of the NISS. The service will be an online system for checking the authenticity of identity documents, and will be accessible by government agencies. It could also be rolled out to the private sector, which would help banks and other companies verify the identities of consumers. The service will enable government officials to ensure documents presented were actually issued and the details contained within them are accurate.

Biometrics, a method of using the physical attributes of individuals to verify their identity, is increasingly being deployed by governments and private companies to combat identity theft.

Australia’s immigration service, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, is collecting biometric data on new migrants. It is expected the collection of biometric details on ‘non citizens’ – such as photos, fingerprints, and, iris scans – will help national and international efforts to tackle identity fraud. The physical details of new entrants are being stored on the DIAC database, known as the Identity Services Repository.

Plans for a welfare services identity card system costing more than $1billion dollars were scrapped at the end of 2007 following the election of the Rudd Government. The Howard Government planned to give every Australian a biometric smartcard, including photo and individual health and welfare number. This was considered by many to be an identity card scheme in disguise. Reports suggested the smartcard scheme could have been ‘piggybacked’ by private companies, such as banks and financial institutions, as a means of tackling identity fraud.



The use of voice authentication technology to tackle call centre identity fraud is being researched by boffins at the University Of Canberra. The university’s biometrics scientists are working on systems which could enable companies to verify people using their voice patterns. This may avoid the need to send sensitive personal information abroad, reducing the risk of Aussies falling prey to identity fraudsters targeting call centres.

Tough new money laundering laws, which came into force at the end of 2007, will see tighter identity checks on Australians when opening up new bank accounts, using casinos or purchasing travellers cheques. It is expected the Anti Money Laundering and Counter Terrorism Finance Act will help to combat identity fraud in Australia. Financial organisations have to meet the strict identity check requirements of the legislation by the end of 2008. This act brings Australia into line with other countries, such as the UK and US, which have strengthened their money laundering rules.

The publication of court judgments on the internet has led the NSW Supreme Court to change the way it writes judgments. Personal identifiers, such as birthdates and addresses, which can be used to commit identity fraud will no longer be published in judgments.

Among the advice in the government’s identity theft self help guide “ID theft kit” is the need for consumers to regularly check their credit report to help spot any fraudulent activity committed against them. A free credit report can be accessed every year by writing to the credit reference agencies.



Jesus

Sam Gooch asked:


A significant number of people are concerned about falling victim to identity theft, new research reveals.

Public concern about being a target of identity fraud has risen as the economic downturn rumbles on, figures from Lloyds TSB indicate.

Research released by the firm shows 39 per cent of people feel at greater risk of having their UK accounts targeted by fraudsters then they did six months ago.

Meanwhile, 52 per cent of those worried about identity theft believe the onset of the financial crisis – in which rising unemployment rates have led more people towards criminal activity – has driven their fears.

Overall, more than three-quarters (76 per cent) of adults claim to be worried about identity theft, while 38 per cent of people have already been affected by such crime.

Jatin Patel, spokesperson for Lloyds TSB, states: “As technology improves, it gets easier and easier for criminals to steal our identities and during tough economic times the temptation becomes greater.”

In an effort to protect themselves and their finances from being compromised by criminals, people were urged to check their bank account and credit cards – in addition to their credit report – on a regular basis for signs of any suspicious transactions.

Meanwhile, people were advised to ensure they keep sight of their plastic cards at all times, while users of social networking sites should be careful about how much personal information they divulge to others. Ensuring that nobody else knows passwords and pin numbers and shredding any paperwork containing personal and financial details before throwing away was also recommended.

Such credit best practice advice could be helpful as 57 per cent of ID theft victims questioned by the bank stated they had not done enough to protect their personal and financial details from falling into the wrong hands.

The advice follows recent research by Financial Fraud Action which revealed a 55 per cent rise in online bank account fraud in the first half of this year. Such crime resulted in total losses of £39 million, while credit card ID theft has risen 23 per cent to account for £23.9 million of the overall £232.8m lost to fraudsters.



Catherine

MoneySavingGuide.com asked:


What is the best ID theft protection service? I mean, other than a shredder… haha. Any good software/services out there?

Corey

Martha Timmons asked:


Preventing ID Theft

ID fraud is one of the biggest crime in the U.S today. Every 4 seconds someone’s identity is stolen.There are now several id fraud prevention services on the market to address this problem. The question now becomes which identity theft protection provider is right for you. How do you easily compare the features of each one? That’s where a site like IDProtectionStore.com with their comparison chart becomes handy. In addition to services that are dedicated to id fraud prevention, you might also want to consider a credit monitoring service to provide you another layer of protection that many id theft prevention services don’t always provide. Many of these credit monitoring services offer a free trial where you’re able to get your free credit score.

There’s credit scoreoffers where you can see your information from one credit bureau. Other services allow you to view your credit score from all 3 credit bureaus. Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian. This is crucial because the data contained in one credit bureau report may not match with what’s on the others. Also, many creditors may choose to see one or more of your credit files. And most offers do not provide a free FICO report for free. You only get to see what’s on your normal credit reports. But a FICO report is not the same as your normal credit report or score. It uses different set of rules for coming up with your FICO score. Most lenders utilize the FICO report to determine your creditworthiness. Therefore it may be most wiseto see your FICO report before applying for a personal loan. Another feature that these offers provide is credit monitoring. With some services you only get the bare minimum while others provide comprehensive credit monitoring prevention. These are some of the reasons why it makes sense to compare the features of these freecreditreport offers.



Luis

Sam Gooch asked:


Identity theft is a definite threat to us all, effecting hundreds of people everyday across the globe. There are insurance policies that can be taken out in order to cover yourself against ID theft, but this may not be necessary, as there are a number of measures you can take to help you to avoid becoming a victim, most of which rely on simple common sense.

ID theft is a technique used by criminals allowing them to benefit financially through claiming they are you, for example taking out loans, applying for credit cards etc. all in your name.

One of the issues in tackling this type of fraud is that the police have limited resources, especially  as a large number of these criminals are not even in this country.

Doing all you can to avoid becoming a victim of ID theft is easier than you may think and being aware of the following points could save you a lot of grief.

1.      Ensure that all of your important documents and financial related documents are stored in a safe place out of sight. These include official documents such as passports and driving licence documents, as well as financial documents such as bank and credit card statements, bank account details, insurance documents etc.

2.      Frequently monitor your bank accounts and credit card statements to ensure there are no suspicious transactions. If possible, set up internet banking for all banking products as this will allow you to regularly check statements without having to wait for your monthly statements. Online banking is also very secure, with many banks now providing customers with card readers which generate pass codes that must be used when logging in to your account, or making a payment. If you do notice anything that looks suspicious, contact your bank or credit card provider immediately.

3.      Buy a paper shredder. You can pick one up from £5 to £30 and you can use it to shred any official documents that you don’t need to keep. This includes the obvious such as bank statements, but also any loan or credit card application forms, and even junk mail that has any of your details i.e. name, address, telephone number etc. Simply throwing these documents away could result in them falling into the wrong hands.

4.      Make sure you are aware of when your regular financial documents arrive, ensuring you are aware of anything out of the ordinary, for example you haven’t received your credit card bill for 7 weeks.

5.      At least once a year, apply for a copy of your credit file to check all current finance arrangements in your name, allowing you to spot anything unusual.

6.      Never give out sensitive information over the phone unless it was you that made the call or are 100% sure that the call is legitimate. For example, you receive a call from somebody claiming to be your bank asking for details such as your full name, DOB and Mother’s maiden name. These are types of information that fraudsters will want to get hold of, so be vigilant.

7.      Never trust emails claiming to be your bank or Credit Card company. Some of these emails can look extremely convincing and the irony is that many of them claim to require your details to help tackle fraud. You can usually spot these emails as the URL that you are required to click may appear to be the official site, but on closer inspection you will see it is in fact close, by hovering your cursor over this link. You will then be re-directed to a spoof page that looks genuine but is actually used to steal your login details.

8.      When moving house, subscribe The Royal Mail’s redirection service. This will ensure all mail addressed to you ends up with you.

9.      Check your bills as soon as they arrive in the post. If there’s anything suspicious contact your bank or Credit Card company immediately.

There are a few main techniques employed by criminals to carry out ID theft. These include:

Bin Diving

Going through your bins searching for bills or other documents containing your personal information.

Skimming

Used to steal credit/debit card numbers using a special storage device. This can be avoided by keeping your card on you or in view when making payments.



Phishing

Claiming to be a legitimate financial institution to gain your trust then push you to reveal your personal information.



Changing Your Address

Diverting your bills, statements and other sensitive documents to another address by filling out a change of address form.

Old-Fashioned Stealing

Stealing wallets; mail etc. to get enough information about you.

Pretexting

Used to obtain personal information from a number of sources such as financial institutions, telephone companies, and other sources by impersonating you

Once an identity thief has successfully acquired your personal information, they can use it for a number of different things.

Credit card fraud:

* A new credit card can be applied for in your name. The card can then be used to get credit and all unpaid bills will appear on your credit report, damaging your credit history.

* By changing your address, they could run up charges on your account but you will be unaware as you are not getting the bills. It could be some time before you notice anything unusual.

Phone or utilities fraud:

* A new phone or wireless account could be opened in your name, or even utility services like electricity, water, or satellite television.

Bank fraud:

* Counterfeit checks made with your details.

* Bank accounts opened in your name.

* Credit or debit card cloned allowing them to use your cards.

* A loan taken out in your name.



Government documents fraud:

* Used to get official ID cards such as a driving licence under your name but with their picture.

* Use of your details to get government benefits.

* Fraudulent tax return made using your information.

Other fraud:

* Qualify for a job using your personal information

* Rent a property in your name.

These days, most banks have intelligent anti-fraud systems that recognise any unusual activity on your card, for example you withdraw money from a cash point in the UK and later that day money is withdrawn from an ATM  in Canada.  

When taking out a credit card, you will probably find that you are offered some kind of anti-theft insurance to protect you against fraud. But the fact is that ID theft is heavily promoted and sometimes over exaggerated to help sell the product.

According to a spokesman from the UK’s fraud Prevention Service – the CIFAS, ID theft is still a relatively rare crime, but it is on the increase.

So as long as you’re cautious with who you give your personal information to, keeping it in a safe place, shred all unwanted documents containing your information, you should remain safe from fraud.



Pauline

Robert Miller asked:


Identity Theft is now the number one crime in the entire world. It is estimated that $221 billion a year is lost by businesses worldwide due to identity theft. Cyber crime units now analyze 2,000 to 3,000 new viruses per hour. Much of the malware harvests financial and personal data sold to groups who turn it into cash through identity fraud.

One simple toll-free telephone call can block 99.9% of personal exposure to Identity Theft. Aside from expediency of commerce, it’s shocking that legislation has not been enacted to automatically force this common action without the consumer having to make the call.

Every 3 Seconds someone becomes a victim of Identity Theft, 20 lives ruined every minute, 1200 every hour, 28,800 every day, 201,600 every month, and 2,419,200 every year. The impact on the individual is staggering with thousands of dollars in costs and dozens of hours wasted trying to deal with the personal devastation. It could all have been avoided with one simple telephone call.

On an individual level, how does one become a victim of Identity Theft? And most importantly, how can we avoid becoming a victim of this prevalent crime? The odds are clearly stacked against society, our personal information is readily available in this high technology world.

Just as we use firewalls and virus protection programs for our computer health, we need to closely examine the anatomy of this crime of opportunity. What protections are available to insulate us against the potential damage from stolen personal idenitity information?

Many of us may already be victims of Identity Theft and don’t know it yet, or the impact of the fraud has yet to be perpetuated or discovered. Remember those special event tickets you bought, or the hotel reservation, car rental, or airline flight reservation call you made?

Have you ever purchased an automobile and filled out a loan application? How about an application for a cell phone, a store credit card, or an application for an apartment rental? What about a school, personal or equity loan?

Remember all of the information you probably provided? You most likely gave your credit card details, or birth date, social security number, address, bank account references, employment information and/or phone number.

Now ask yourself a few questions … Who has access to all of that information? Do you know them? Do you trust them? What’s to stop them from selling or misusing that data?

It’s a scary proposition, but right now there are probably several file cabinets or computer storage files in different places of business that house enough of your personal information to allow for an easy theft of your identity. It’s a fact of life, we’re ALL vulnerable. But you can easily block the use of that information. You’ll see how in just a moment, but first …

How does information theft become Identity Theft?

Stealing your personal information is only the first step in the criminal process. Once the information is gathered, the thief must then convert that information into a means by which he or she can profit.

One popular method is to simply call one of your credit card companies posing as you and change the billing address for the card and then begin making a series of purchases. Identity Theft perpetrators don’t even need your credit card, they can simply call and have a duplicate card issued. They can establish utility, cable, or cell phone service in your name. Some even obtain leases, car loans and more.

In one recent case, a local bank in Montgomery County, Maryland USA issued a check for $100,000 for an equity loan on a home. The entire transaction was recorded on bank cameras as the check was handed to an impersonator of the home’s actual owner. And that was the second time it happened to the same victim who was exonerated by authorities as an accomplice in the case.

Identity theft ruins lives. It creates a seemingly infinite number of short term problems that turn into a nightmare that can linger for decades. Don’t assume that it can’t happen to you.

ATMs are one the latest points of attack. Thieves have developed credit cards that can temporarily program any ATM machine to copy the magnetic data off of your credit or debit card when you use the machine. This method has effectively collected hundreds of victims in the course of a single weekend from a single machine.

Identity thieves also use handheld magnetic card readers that can be easily purchased right on the internet. Culprits include waiters and waitresses, store clerks, toll booth collectors, and gas station attendants to name a few.

64% of all fraud complaints involve identity theft and it’s not just credit cards. With your personal information, thieves can open bank accounts, order checks and run up huge debt by writing bad checks in your name. Identity thieves have become so creative and talented that most protections schemes can be thwarted.

So what’s the answer? Credit monitoring services like those offered by the credit bureau agencies? Simply put, that’s like having an alarm to alert you after you’ve been ripped off.

The solution is clear, placing a Fraud Alert on your credit profile with the primary credit bureau agencies will block 99.9% of attempts to use your personal information for credit without your permission. Fraud Alerts require direct contact with you before an account can be opened or credit extended in your name. They can be put in place for a period of 90 days and can be renewed every three months.

Unlike fraud alerts, the alternative Credit Freeze option remains in place indefinitely and no credit of any kind can be issued in your name until you take the required steps to remove the freeze.

Just one telephone call is all it takes to any of the primary credit bureaus in the United States:

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

Identity Theft is not the only problem in using credit. Inside the complex credit system there are credit robbers. Some of your most trusted creditors are damaging your credit scores and credit rating without your knowledge.

But that’s a story for another article, for now you would be well advised to immediately place a Fraud Alert on your credit profile with any of the credit bureau agencies. Then be sure to update that order every 90 days. It’s the best way to avoid becoming an Identity Theft victim.



Judy

Ann Knapp asked:


How much information does an ID thief need to steal someone’s identity? Easily found personal information such as a name, birth date, address, or a mother’s maiden name can be enough for an ID thief to access someone’s existing accounts or establish new loans or credit in another’s name.

Every day, personal information is stolen. ID thefts occur when someone shifts through a trash can or a waiter writes down a customer’s credit card number. While network security is constantly improving – especially as more consumers conduct shopping and banking online, it is still imperative that personal information be monitored and protected by its immediate owner.

Following are 10 steps to securing and protecting personal information, according to Tony Bradley, respected information security resource guru and author of Essential Computer Security:

1. Be on guard for the shoulder surfer. This is the guy who likes to casually look over someone’s shoulder as he or she enters a PIN number or credit card number at an ATM, phone booth, or even work computer. Those using a public place to withdraw cash or import personal information should always be aware of others around them and their ability to see what keys are being pressed.

2. Direct people to photo ID verification. Instead of signing the back of a credit card, write “See photo ID” on the back. Often, store clerks do not check for a signature on a credit card; and thieves can still use these cards to make purchases online or over the phone. However, for times when signature verification is required, the card holder is creating another layer of security by directing a salesperson a photo ID as well.

3. Shred bills and credit cards statements. Thieves who acquire information by going through trash are known as “dumpster diving.” These individuals are looking for bills, statements, and even junk mail to steal an identity. Use a personal shredder to destroy any and all material that contains personal information before disposing of them in the trash.

4. Destroy all digital data. Individuals who sell, trade or discard of a computer system, hard drive, recordable CD, DVD, or backup tape should take extra precautions to ensure the data has been completely destroyed. Thieves who are technically savvy may retrieve information believed to have been deleted or reformatted. CDs and DVDs should be shattered before being thrown away and there are shredders designed to shred CD/DVD media.

5. Check any and all statements. Cross-checking bank and credit statements has two benefits. First, individuals who regularly check their statements will be more aware if one does not arrive each month – indicating that an account has possibly been stolen. Secondly, checking statements allows the account holder to confirm that the entries are legitimate.

6. Pay paper bills at the post office. Paid bills that are left in the mailbox can be stolen by someone looking for critical information – such as a name, address, credit card account number, or bank information. Take bills to the post office or to a U.S. Postal Service drop box.

7. Limit personal information on checks. It may be convenient to have a driver’s license number or other information printed on personal checks. However, if that information falls into the wrong hands it may be enough information for a thief to cause real harm.

8. Review a credit report each year. Thanks to a recent congressional act, consumers can check their credit report for free each year, provided from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Check the report for any suspicious entries or activity.

9. Protect your Social Security Number. Now, more than ever, if a thief has personal information such as a name, address, and a social security number, he or she can assume someone’s identity. Especially never give out your social security number over the phone or email.

10. Do online business with established companies. It’s imperative that a level of trust be established before conducting business online. Make sure those companies take the security of personal information as seriously as you do. Always review a company’s online privacy policy to ensure it is a secure or encrypted web site.



Cory