Protect Your Identity
Debt Free-Protect Your IdentityBy Bryon Zirker
While on the path to being debt free a very important
area to consider is protecting your identity. You do not
want to become an identity theft victim ultimately
making your situation even worse.
Once in the hands of thieves, your personal and private
information can be sold, used to obtain money, medical
procedures and credit. You must be vigilant in protecting
your private records. Protection ahead of time is easier
than trying to repair it after the fact.
Threats to consider:
Spyware. Illicit software after you've opened an attachment,
clicked pop-up’s and downloaded any song’s or a game’s.
Make sure to protect your computer with a Firewall and
secure passwords.
Phishing. An email from PayPal or Ebay. Emails from your
bank or investment company. The emails ask you to click a
link and verify your account information, never do this always
contact these entities directly.
Smishing. Phishing done with text messaging on your phone.
Asking to verify account information.
Pharming or Spoofing. Hackers sniff a legitimate network
link and do a man in the middle attack, getting access to
confidential information that may travel in the clear.
Your computer is not the only way!
Vishing -- voice Phishing. Automated phone messages
that ask you to call your bank or credit card company.
Caller ID is fooled. So you call the number, punch in your
account number, PIN or other personal information and
walla, you are the next identity theft victim.
ATM Skimming. Scum bags can fake an ATM slot and
cameras then record your personal account information
and PIN when you access a cash machine.
It does not stop there. Thieves will fish in your back
pocket for your wallet as well as in your trash can for
statements and private documents.
Credit card fraud is the leader and checking accounts
come in second for attacks.
Adults and children can become victims of identity theft.
Protect yourself
Keep confidential information private. Your bank and
credit card companies have your information. Ignore any
calls for it.
Go paperless. Stop getting any banking and credit card
information in the mail.
Check your credit three time per year and keep an eye on
your bank and credit card transactions for unauthorized use.
Low life’s with your account numbers do little stuff to see
if you'll notice.
Conducting business online can be safe, however only use
your computer and make sure it is secure. Avoid wireless
hotspots unless you use a secure VPN or L2TP connection.
Always make sure to run virus protection and a firewall on
your computer.
Keep an eye out for anything suspicious around you when
using an ATM center. Do not let any one stand next to you
and check for suspicious devices.
Keep all of your personal and private information only on
hard copies and in a secure place such as a safe. Never in a
PDA, cell phone, or computer hard drive.
Be very careful with email use a hotmail account for general
use. Open only E-mails from known sender’s. This applies
to any email attachments as well.
Use only secure and reputable web sites when purchasing
online. Always use strong passwords at least six characters
and use numbers and upper lower case letters.
Never send sensitive information in emails or IM messages.
These are in the clear and can be seen by a protocol analyzer.
If you need to clean up the mess.
Place a fraud alert with the three credit bureaus.
Notify any entities that are named if you have been Phished,
such as bank, PayPal, or Ebay. If people report this more
rather than ignore it these companies can work towards
prevention. Notify the Internet Crime Complaint Center
and forward the e-mail to spam@uce.gov.
Identity Theft Victim?
Make an identity-theft report to the police and get a copy.
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
Start a seven-year fraud alert or, if the state you reside in
allows it, a "freeze" on your
credit reports.
Close all accounts that have been tampered with. Contact
each and every company by phone and again by certified
letter. Make sure the company notifies you in writing that
the disputed charges have been erased.
Document all conversations and communication and keep
all of the records FOREVER. I say this loud because it WILL
come back and haunt you. It may be two years or twenty
years. It has happened.
Begin the process of having the fraudulent information
removed from your credit reports. This can be done by
asking the credit bureaus to verify the information as correct.
Find victim support at the Identity Theft Resource Center.
About the Author:
http://www.easyworkathomebiznow.com/
http://www.home-business-tactics.blogspot.com/
“Work from Home, Just do it”
Use this but keep it fully intact. Thanks.
posted by Bryon Zirker @ 2:56 PM
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