Preventing Identity Theft Is Priority One

By: William Hopkins

Identity theft is a serious crime that is spreading annually. If you're a victim of identity theft you might spend months, possibly years, attempting to mend a ruined credit report. A severely ruined credit history may compromise your opportunities of getting a new job, a bank loan, insurance or even rental housing. It is even possible to be arrested for a crime you didn't commit if an individual has utilized your identity to break the law.

Sadly, many of the means that crooks use to steal identities are out of your control to shield against. Although it is seldom, even store clerks have been known to utilize their position to send along information to identity thieves. There are certain measures you can take, however, that will make it more difficult for a criminal to swipe your identity.

Safeguard Your Credit Card Number When Buying Items

Subsequent to you making a purchase and your credit or debit card has been swiped through a credit card terminal, investigate to be sure that the printed copy hides all but the last four digits of your credit card account number (often there will be X's in place of the first 12 numbers). Some machines continue to print copies of receipts that supply all 16 digits of an account number, and may even consist of the date the card expires as well. After your card is swiped, you're authorized by law to hide the first 12 digits of your account number on the hard copy of the receipt that the seller maintains. Work with any marking pen that will do the function.

When you dine at a restaurant, it is especially crucial to be sure that the first 12 digits of your credit card number are not visible on your receipt. You might be in the custom of endorsing it and then leaving the restaurant's duplicate receipt on the table after your meal. A criminal can simply swipe the signed duplicate receipt prior to the waitperson coming back around to get it from the table. Don't take any chances.

Do You Really Need To Offer Your Social Security Number?

Another important way that you could guard against identity theft is to avoid offering your social security number unless it is definitely necessary. Although you need to give your social security number when you apply for a loan or for a bank account, on occasion a business or an organization will need to use it as an identification number, only to identify you within their system. This is a common procedure although the law states that social security numbers are not to be maintained as identification numbers. In these situations, use your judgment. There is usually an alternative if you inquire.

Eliminate Documents That Include Sensitive Personal Information

Purchase a paper shredder and apply it to terminate forms you're getting rid of which contain personal data such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, phone numbers and dates of birth. This is important to do both at home and at work. Identity thieves aren't above going through someone's trash to acquire valuable personal data that could help them get credit in your name.

If The Worst Occurs

If you do become a victim of identity theft, take the following actions without delay:

* Communicate with your credit card companies, stop your accounts and request to have new cards issued to you.

* Place a fraud alert on your file with any one of the 3 major credit bureaus. The other two will be notified automatically.

* Put in a police report. You may need it to show to creditors as confirmation of the illegal act.

* Put in a complaint with the FTC, which keeps a filing system of identity theft cases utilized by legal agencies for their investigations. ----------