Top 5 Tips to Prevent Credit Card Fraud
If you are worried about credit card fraud you are well on your way to protecting yourself from being a victim. The truth is anyone can easily be a victim of fraud because of the careless ways we handle our personal information. Here are the top 5 ways you can avoid becoming a fraud victim.
Never give solicited personal information to a stranger
We always tell our children never to speak to strangers. Yet when someone calls and talks to us in a friendly way, most of us will be glad to give out any information the caller requests. In order to avoid letting your personal information be used against you, never provide vital information about yourself to anyone that you do not fully trust. In other words, do not give your social security number, your driver’s license, your full address, your credit card number or any combination of the above to a stranger.
Do not share unsecured personal information over the Internet
During the early days when the Internet was young and most users were naive, junk mail was one of the easiest ways to obtain personal information from unknowing surfers. False promises of a lottery win or a special prize can easily convince surfers to part with their private information for something trifling or nothing at all. Whilst most of us have better common sense nowadays, you should still never provide any form of personal information to anyone over the Net, especially your credit card details.
Beware of Phishing sites
Phishing is a term related to websites that were made to mimic real websites (like those of online banking sites) with the sole purpose of getting information from you. A mail will be sent to you informing you of a need to access your online credit card account for certain transactions. The mail will contain a link, with a page that looks like it will connect you to your account site. In reality, this page links to a Phishing site, which functions to collect your personal information illegally. Finally, your details will be utilized by these criminals for online shopping, or even for credit card duplication purposes.
Check your monthly statements
It could be months before you discover that someone else has been using your credit card without your knowledge if you do not regularly check your monthly statements. As you know your spending patterns, you will definitely be able to sniff out something fishy when your outstanding totals jumps a grand or two. Provided that you don’t have family members with uncontrollable spending needs, it is a definite way of knowing that someone has been using your card illegally.
Protect your mail
Most of us take our mail for granted. We don’t usually lock our mailboxes when in fact, we should. Our mail contains much of our personal information, especially mail that comes from banks, insurance companies and credit card companies. If anyone were to steal any of your mail which contains your personal information, you would have lost your identity to these thieves even before you got your morning mail.
Adam Goldman recommends Find Credit Cards for finding an American Express card application. See http://www.findcreditcards.org/issuer/american-express.php for more information.
Fraud Prevention : Credit Card Do’s and Don’ts
What is better than cash? Stolen credit card is the answer. The situation worsen since the introduction of online shopping.
As such, it’s wise to be proactive in preventing such thing from happening to you. Furthermore, the responsibility always lies with credit card holders to safeguard their credit cards.
Here is a list of important Do’s and Don’ts to safeguard your credit card.
DO…
-Always treat your cards like cash.
-Keep your card number confidential.
-Sign up your new cards as soon as they arrive and cut up the old cards when they expire.
-Sign your credit card in permanent ink as soon as you receive it.
-When making a purchase, ensure that the salesperson processes your transaction in your presence.
-Check your card when it is returned to you by the cashier to ensure that it is yours and that it has not been tampered with any way.
-Total your charge slip before signing in, as blank spaces serve as an invitation for unscrupulous individuals to ass additional amounts.
-Always retain your receipts so that you can check them against your statement.
-If unfamiliar transactions are posted on your statement, inform your card issuer straight away.
-Keep your statements in a safe place – they contain sensitive information.
-Before discarding old statements, even of closed accounts, shred them into small pieces.
-Inform the card issuer when you are travelling overseas.
-Notify card issuer of any change of address, so new cards/statements are not sent to the old mailing address.
-Should your card be stolen or is lost, inform card issuer immediately. Always keep card issuer contact number at hand.
-Only provide your SSN(Social Security Number) and credit card information to parties with whom you have initiated the call.
DON’T…
-Never allow anyone else to use your card. It is yours and yours alone.
-Never write your personal identification number(PIN) on your credit card.
-That way you can avoid any unauthorized cash withdrawals from the automated teller machine(ATM)
-Do not give any credit card information to individuals soliciting sales over the phone.
-If you receive calls from a party claiming to be your card issuer and the caller requests for your account number, do not give it. If the call is from your card issuer, the caller would know your account number.
-Do not sign a blank charge slip, draw a line through the lines above the total amount and destroy any carbon and cancelled receipts immediately.
-Do not leave expired card lying around.
Daniel Taylor is a financial information provider. His task includes updating, sourcing and assembling the best credit card offers available in the financial market for consumer and small business.
You can visit his website at http://www.applycreditcard-online.com for a comprehensive listing of free credit card offers in multiple categories. And save thousands on your credit card spending.
Categories: Lost social security card Tags: Card, credit, Do's, Don'ts, fraud, Prevention
Categories: Social Security Tags: 2009, Disability., fraud, Government, Part, Security, Social
Credit Card Fraud – 5 Tips To Prevent It Happening To You
You had a great weekend. You and your best friend went shopping the mall. At the mall, you picked up some cash at the ATM and you some great bargains at a couple of sales. Afterward, you went out for dinner and drinks to discuss the week’s events and gossip about the rest of the crowd. After dinner, you gave your credit card to the waitress, signed the bill, and went home for a good night’s sleep.
On Monday, life gets back to normal, and the job beckons. But this Monday is different. With today’s mail is your credit card billing statement. Relaxing from work, you review the statement. What’s this? There are purchases on the statement for things you know you didn’t buy. And the balance is through the roof! What is going on?
You call the credit card company to find out what’s happened. They are helpful but not very sympathetic. They note you’re near your credit limit and suggest you may a hefty payment this month. They don’t understand. You did NOT make those purchases. What can you do now?
If you’ve been through this before, you know you’ve been a victim of a crime. Call it identity theft or credit card fraud, it’s illegal, and it carries penalties IF the criminal gets caught. Somehow, someone has gotten hold of your personal financial information. They’ve used your credit and your credit record to steal from both you and the credit card company. The problem is, now the credit card company wants you to pay the bill. If you don’t, it will hurt your credit score and make it more difficult to get loans at a good rate or open a new account in the future. You’re in a jam, and the criminal who stole your identity is out partying on your good credit.
How could this have happened? Was there someone standing behind you at the ATM, observing you enter your PIN for cash? Or did the waitress leave your card unattended out on a counter at the restaurant? Did you forget your card at the restaurant? Better check your wallet to be sure. You feel violated, as if someone had broken into your home. And this criminal doesn’t have a face or a name. You have no idea who or where the identity theft is. And you don’t have a clue about what to do about it.
Criminals like this commit identity theft by getting access to your personal information. They can use your birth date, your social security or driver’s license number, your account numbers, your PINs, and your passwords to sneak into your accounts and rob you. In 2003, around 10 million people were victims of identity theft, and it cost them a total of $5 billion out-of-pocket. It also cost merchants and financial institutions $50 billion in that year. Each victim of identity theft ended up spending from $500 to $1200 and from 30 to 60 hours of personal time trying to resolve the problem. And these thefts took place over a three- to six-month period.
How can they get away with this malicious crime? It’s an increasing problem due to our wonderful technology and the internet. Often, buyers and sellers don’t have personal face-to-face contact. Transactions take place over the internet or telephone. The seller doesn’t see the identity thief and can’t identify them. All the criminal has to do is give them a different shipping address from your billing address. Some identity thieves even submit change of address information to your bank and credit accounts, making it more difficult for you to spot unauthorized transactions.
Why don’t people find out about identity theft sooner? You may be surprised, but most people don’t check their statements as soon as they get them. They may set them aside, making payments on the balance without reviewing the purchases and giving the thief even more time to run up a big tab.
Even when the theft is discovered, it’s very difficult to find the perpetrator. They’re using your address and information. Bogus shipping addresses may go to a post office box or postal service. They may even go to a non-existent address. All the thief has to do is monitor for deliveries.
Another reason it’s hard to prevent identity theft on your credit cards is that no one knows about it until the monthly billing statement goes out. As mentioned before, only the most diligent credit card holders catch these abuses quickly when they review their statements. Some people assume the credit card company’s records are accurate. They may even assume they made the purchase when, in fact, it was an identity thief. Normally, identity thieves who prey upon credit cards make as many purchases as they can in the days immediately following the theft. They can quickly reach your credit limit and often exceed it. You find out about it when your purchases are refused by the company or when the debt collector calls.
Having a little of your personal information gives access to the rest of your information. Identity thieves often misrepresent themselves, calling your bank or credit card company with a piece of personal information to learn more about your accounts. When this happens, you become even more vulnerable. Pretending to be you, they can transfer money out of your accounts, change your address, and apply for mortgages or loans. They may even rent apartments or apply for jobs, masquerading as you.
If you think you’ve become a victim of identity theft, you should immediately take action to stop the crime or maybe even catch the thief:
1. Immediately file a police report. Do not pass go. Do not wait a day or two. As soon as you’re aware of fraudulent purchases or misrepresentations, contact your local police. You can also call the local U.S. Attorney’s Office. Identity theft is often considered a federal crime, depending on the circumstances. When you’ve made your report, be sure to get and keep a copy of it so that you can provide the information to your bank and creditors.
2. File a report with the postal service. This may help you find out where goods were delivered and prevent the continued use of a bogus address.
3. Notify the credit bureau. Immediately inform at least one of the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian). You may qualify for a free credit report. You can also freeze your credit reporting. That way, you will be alerted if anyone makes a credit inquiry or tries to open a new account in your name. There is a small fee for freezing the report, but it’s well worth it to protect further abuses.
4. Notify your bank and all your creditors of the crime. Close your accounts and reopen them so that you change all your account numbers. If they’ll agree to do it, assign a special password to your account so that transactions can’t be processed without your express authorization. And make sure that check verification companies are aware of the problem so that they will not authorize the use of fake or stolen checks.
5. Change your PINs and passwords immediately. If you must keep a written list of them, keep that list under lock and key, and don’t share it with anyone. If you keep them in an electronic file, be sure to password protect the file. When you change your passwords, use new ones that combine letters, numbers, and symbols. And for heaven’s sake, don’t use the standard birth date, anniversary, or pet’s name. Think of something unusual, something people who know you won’t likely guess.
Identity theft is a serious, and increasing, crime. No one is immune. If you become a victim of this callous crime, you should act immediately to stop the activity and to help law enforcement catch and prosecute the perpetrator. Be sure that every company with which you have financial dealings is aware of the problem. Alert them quickly and get their cooperation in stopping and catching the thief.
We’ve all heard the nightmare stories from victims of identity theft. Tales of expenses and time lost to repairing good credit abound. In the most extreme cases, identity thieves commit other crimes using their victim’s personal information, so you can even get in trouble with the law as a victim of identity theft.
Be vigilant. Be suspicious when it comes to your financial information and accounts. Guard your information carefully. Review financial documents as soon as you receive them, and follow up immediately if you find problems. You may not be able to control every aspect of your financial record, but you can take many common-sense steps to protect it and prevent identity theft from making you the next victim.
Abhishek is a Personal Security expert and he has got some great Identity Theft Prevention Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 136 Pages Ebook, “Identity Theft – Don’t Be The Next Victim!” from his website http://www.Survival-Today.com/14/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.
Identity Theft Prevention | Credit Reports & Fraud Alerts
From the US Treasury Dept. Explains how to obtain free credit reports from the credit bureaus. Also explains how Fraud Alerts work and how to activate them. credit report online, free online credit report, credit free report score, 3 in 1 credit report, transunion credit report, creditreport.com, credit report personal, national credit report, cic triple advantage credit report, free annual government credit report Identity theft is a serious crime. It occurs when your personal information is stolen and used without your knowledge to commit fraud or other crimes. Identity theft can cost you time and money. It can destroy your credit and ruin your good name. Deter identity thieves by safeguarding your information. ■ Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you discard them. ■ Protect your Social Security number. Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give it out only if absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier. ■ Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you know who you are dealing with. ■ Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails; instead, type in a web address you know. Use firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect your home computer; keep them up-to-date. Visit OnGuardOnline.gov for more information. ■ Don’t use an obvious password like your birth date, your mother’s maiden name …
Categories: Social security card Tags: Alerts, credit, fraud, identity, Prevention, Reports, Theft
Social Security Number: a Key to Identity Fraud
Social Security has been one of the country’s most successful programs. It aids people from financial uncertainty especially in their trying times.
The program provides several protections such as:
• progressive benefit formula
• comprehensive insurance benefits that include disability
• survivors and retirement benefits
• spouses’ benefits
• a cost of living adjustment
• coverage until death
These protections will be placed at risk if fraud related claims continue to spoil Social Security.
Identity theft using the Social Security numbers (SSNs) is one of the common Social Security frauds that have been weakening the program.
History on the Use of Social Security Numbers
SSNs were first issued in 1936. The federal government assured the public that the use of the numbers would be restricted to Social Security programs such as calculating retirement benefits.
Today, however, SSN has become the de facto general identifier.
Government agencies and private businesses use SSNs even for a wide range of non-Social Security purposes. These purposes include:
• employee files
• medical records
• health insurance accounts
• credit and banking accounts,
• university ID cards
• utility accounts
The use of SSNs as both an identifier and an authenticator makes these numbers highly desirable to fraudulent acts, such as identity theft.
Social Security Fraud by Using SSN
Identity fraud is not all about money. The persistent use of SSNs as an identification mechanism gives the thieves many options.
Identity thieves seek SSNs so they can use these numbers to assume the identity of another person and commit fraud.
A thief can fraudulently use your SSN to assume your identity and gain access not only to your Social Security information but also to your bank accounts, credit accounts, utilities records, and other sources of personal information.
They can also establish new credit and bank accounts in your name, use your SSN for employment purposes or obtain medical care.
How to Prevent Identity Theft
Official efforts are under way to restrict use of SSNs. For instance, the Social Security Administration shortens SSNs on the benefit statements it mails each year.
While essential information can be acquired in credit card, bank accounts and other documents, SSNs are the most common way of getting personal information.
In California, for instance, a birth certificate (or many other types of documents) and a valid SSN are required to get driver’s license or identification card.
The following steps are essential in reducing identity theft using SSNs:
• Protect your SSN. Provide it only when necessary such as in tax forms, employment records, most banking, stock and property transactions. The SSN is the key to your credit and banking accounts and is the prime target of thieves.
• If business or establishment requests your SSN, ask if you can use another number instead.
• Do not have your SSN printed on your checks. Do not let merchants write the SSN onto your checks because of the risk of fraud.
• Do not utter your SSN aloud when you are in a public place. Speak softly or write it down on a piece of paper instead. Be sure to retrieve and shred that paper after use.
• Check your Social Security Personal Earnings and Benefits Estimate Statement each year to check for fraud.
• Do not carry your SSN card in your wallet except for emergencies.
• Do not carry wallet cards that display the SSN such as insurance cards, except when needed to receive healthcare services.
Theft identity entails a lot of damage. If you are a victim of it, consult a Social Security fraud attorney to help you in your tedious legal battle ahead.
If you have been a victim of Social Security fraud cases, do not hesitate to consult our responsible Los Angeles attorneys. Just visit our website and we will teach you how to protect your Social Security Number.
Obama 119yrs old? The social security number fraud
www.disclose.tv Is Obama guilty of felony identity theft? The information for this video was taken from the lawsuit filed with the federal district court of Columbus GA in the matter of the Army major seeking proof of Obama’s eligibility to serve as president. The private investigator hired by the attorney in the case discovered that Obama may have used up to 149 different addresses and 39 different social security numbers prior to becoming president. This video has nothing to do with whether Mr Obama is black, white, pink, yellow, purple or green. It has to do with his total refusal to provide not only satisfactory proof of fulfilling the Constitutional requirements of citizenship, but also not providing any college or university records, passports, Illinois legislative records, USsenate records, medical records…etc..etc.. We essentially know nothing about this man other than he is a andquot;community organizerandquot; and has been involved in Chicago politics and has associated with a laundry list of less than… +++ Description copied from www.disclose.tv +++
Social Security Identity Fraud And How To Combat It
Identity thieves are constantly on the lookout for any documentation they can use to smoothly acquire another person’s identity. The number one document that will open almost any door for these unscrupulous characters is your Social Security card. Once a thief has obtained your Social Security number, the path to assuming your identity is now wide open and ready to be trampled upon. Therefore, your Social Security number should always be protected at all costs. Don’t become a victim of Social Security identity fraud.
You will be required to present a valid Social Security card to the personnel office when you embark on a new job. Once your employer has recorded the number, the safest thing for you to do, in order to protect your identity, is to store your card in a secure location. Never carry your Social Security card on your person, in your wallet or in the glove box of your car.
But what do you do if, despite your best efforts, you discover someone is using your Social Security number for fraudulent purposes? You must act immediately. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission either by phone (1-877-438-4338) or via the Internet at www.consumer.gov/idtheft . Do not procrastinate on this as identity thieves are extremely adept at rapidly assuming your persona and they can cause unlimited damage to your credit rating in very short order.
If you suspect that someone else is using your Social Security number for work purposes, you should immediately contact the Social Security Office. Identity thieves can wreck havoc with your income tax and if left to their own devices can cause you untold grief with Uncle Sam and the IRS. It could take months or even years and probably a ton of money to prove you have been a victim of identity theft, so quick action on your part is essential.
Should you suspect that someone else is using your Social Security number fraudulently to retain employment, you can also go Online at www.ssa.gov/mystatement and check your Social Security Statement, which records all earnings posted to your Social Security record. Should your suspicions be confirmed and you discover errors on your statement, you should immediately contact your Social Security Department. Again, procrastination can be devastating as unravelling these records is time consuming and fraught with red tape.
Should the unthinkable happen and you can confirm that someone else has access to your Social Security number and is creating havoc with your credit, you will get little or no satisfaction from the Social Security Administration. Although they may be willing to eventually cancel your Social Security number and issue a new one (which, incidentally is no mean feat), they will offer no help in trying to repair your damaged credit rating. The onus is on you to try to repair any damage from Social Security identity fraud.
You should immediately telephone the fraud department of all your creditors and then follow it up in writing for your own records. Request that your account be flagged with a fraud alert so that no further credit card charges can be incurred without your express knowledge and authorization. Ask that the creditors forward a statement to the credit reporting agencies explaining your problem. Make sure this notation contains contact information, including your telephone number, so that you can be reached if any further charges show up on your record.
Request a copy of your credit report from each of the 3 major credit-reporting agencies. Be sure to contact all three as sometimes creditors are registered with different credit bureaus because of logistics and geographical restrictions. You may contact them On- line, but to be on the safe side, a telephone call – followed up in writing – may get you quicker results. Contact information for the three major credit-reporting agencies can be found at the bottom of this article.
File a police report – chances are that you are not the only one whose identity has been compromised by these criminals. Police Departments now maintain extensive files on known identity theft rings and they may be able to help you get your identity back a little quicker.
Social Security Identity fraud is a very serious matter. Dealing with the various government agencies to clarify your Social Security records is a time consuming and often frustrating experience. Therefore, to avoid having to deal with such a task, you should always, always make every effort to keep your Social Security identity is safe and out of the hands of criminals.
Contact information for Credit Reporting Agencies:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 www.equifax.com
Experian: 1-888-397-3742 www.experian.com
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289 www.transunion.com
The above Social Security identity fraud article is for information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice.
George Dodge is author and webmaster of Identity Theft Defense at www.Identity-Theft-Defense.com where you can discover more about the various forms and methods of Identity Theft and how to protect yourself from becoming an Identity Theft Victim.
Fraud in Social Security
Social Security Fraud refers to the act of dishonestly claiming of benefits. Due to the increasing number of fraudulent claims, the US government enacted a law that will protect individuals from these illicit conducts.
What constitutes Fraud under the Social Security Act?
The Social Security Act provides an outline for actions that are considered fraudulent. Some of those acts are the following:
• Knowingly and willfully makes or causes to be made any false statement or representation of material facts in the application for benefits under this title;
• Knowingly and willfully makes or causes to be made any false statement or representation of a material fact for use in determining any rights to the benefits;
• Having knowledge of any event affecting
o His or her right to the benefit
o The initial or continued right to the benefit of other individual in whose behalf he or she has applied for or is receiving benefit
o Having made an application to receive any of such benefits for the use and benefit of other and having receive it, knowingly and willfully converts the benefits for the use other than for what is intended
Information needed in filing Social Security Fraud
When planning to file a Fraud complaint, you need the following data:
• Name
• Address
• Social security number of the person you are reporting.
• Description of potential fraud incident
In cases where the Social Security number is not known, you need to secure his or her date of birth, age and the name of the parents. However, if you are reporting a concealed activity you need the name of the employer and its address and phone number.
How to report Social Security Fraud incident
The Social Security Administration takes seriously any report regarding Social Security Fraud. The Office of the Inspector General is the one who investigates incidents of Social Security Fraud. If you have any knowledge regarding these incidents, you can report it immediately by:
• Calling the Social Security Office hotline number
• Use the on line fraud reporting form
• Write to Social Security Office.
Yet, if you have been the actual victim of a fraudulent act, seeking legal assistance from a competent Social Security Fraud attorney is advisable. An attorney with sufficient in handing these cases can help you prosecute the law violators.
What is the Office of the Inspector General?
The Office of the Inspector General is the one directly responsible for meeting the statutory mission promoting economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the administration of Social Security programs. It is also responsible for preventing and detecting fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement in such programs and operations.
OIG also searches and reports systematic weaknesses in SSA programs and operations and make recommendations for improvements and corrective actions.
Penalties for the violation of the Act
Any person found guilty for Social Security Fraud shall be:
• Fined under the United States Code
• Imprisoned for not more than five years or both
The federal court in sentencing the defendant may in addition to any other penalty order restitution.
When can there be restitution?
The court orders restitution in any of the following instances:
• The Commissioner of Social Security order payment that should not have been made
• An individual suffers financial loss due to defendant’s violation of this Act.
Our Los Angeles attorneys are proven experts in handling Social Security Fraud cases. For free evaluation of your case, log on to our website and contact our legal staff.
Maribel Roncales, once aspired to become one of the member of the elite force in the military before she pursue her law studies. Her exposure in writing starts during her high school days. For now, she is pursuing her dream to become a lawyer while working as a writer in a Los Angles based law firm.
Categories: Health Care Tags: fraud, Security, Social
The social security card application process: identity and credit card fraud issues.: An article from: The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin
Product Description
This digital document is an article from The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, published by Thomson Gale on May 1, 2007. The length of the article is 2132 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: The social security ca… More >>
Categories: Social security card Tags: application, article, Bulletin, Card, credit, Enforcement, fraud, from, identity, issues., process, Security, Social
