| |
| |
|
Personal Finance Information |
|
10 Steps to Take if You Are a Victim of Identity Theft
There have been an estimated 9.9 million victims on America and over 40% of all consumer complaints in the U.S. involve identity theft. About half of the victims do not know how the thief obtained their personal information. The Boston Globe and Newsweek have both covered Identity theft this month telling us how important it is for us to educate ourselves on preventing and protecting ourselves from this type of robbery. Identity theft can happen anytime, anywhere and to anyone, individuals or businesses. Everyone must be educated and aware so it can be avoided. Michael Blanchard, US Postal Inspector says postal money orders and business or certified checks are one way you can be at risk. Most identity theft involves the U.S. Mail which is why the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is a lead agency in investigating Identity Theft. Identity Theft is a criminal offense. What can I do if I am already a victim of ID theft? ? Contact the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus, to place a fraud alert on your credit file. ? Close all accounts that have been affected and request copies of fraud-dispute forms and complete and return immediately. Keep copies! ? File a police report in each jurisdiction the theft occurred ? Send copies of the report to your creditors or anyone that requires proof of the crime ? File a complaint with the FTC (800-IDTHEFT or www.consumer.gov/idtheft) and Post Office ? Contact the Identity Theft Resource center at 858-693-7935 or www.idtheftcenter.org ? Request a new driver's license from the state of motor vehicles and have a fraud report attached to your driving record. ? Notify check-verification firms about any fraudulent checks: International check service 800-526-5380 ? Call 1-888-CALL-FCC and file a complaint. ? Change your passwords and PIN immediately. Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in credit and debt collection. She is the founder of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter. Michelle started M.A.D. Collection Agency and ran is successfully for 7 years. She owns and runs Credit & Collections.com a free online community for credit and business professionals. She has written 5 books in her Collecting Money Series and is currently writing a book for the Streetwise Series, part of the Adams Media Corporation. For more information on Michelle's services or to order any of her books please email her at michelle@michelledunn.com or visit http://www.michelledunn.com & http://www.credit-and-collections.com
MORE RESOURCES:
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Personal Finance - Have Consumers Had a Belly Full of Personal Debt? For months, we were trigger-swipe happy, putting our groceries, clothes, holidays and service charges on our credit cards. We wanted mortgages, we took out loans, we watched Property Ladder and What Not To Wear. Is There A Retirement Crisis? When people speak about the increasing age expectancies, they generally do so with positive connotation. This author agrees-there's nothing wrong with living longer, especially if we can sustain our quality of life at each period throughout our lifespan. The Benefits of Banking Online How many drawers did you have to look through to find a bank statement the last time you needed one? Chances are you did not lay your hands on it as readily as you would have liked. If that is a familiar scenario in your home, help has arrived in the form of online banking. Save Money on Groceries: Part I One universal of humanity, no matter who you are or where you come from, you have to eat. Unless you grow your own food, you will have to go to the grocery store to get it. Check Fraud and Verification Before buying personal or business checks you should inform yourself of the best ways to protect yourself from check fraud. Since man has written checks check fraud has existed. Developing a budget? Watch out for Those Budget-Bursting Gremlins If you've developed a household budget to get your spending back in line or to just reduce stress, good for you! Creating and sticking to a budget isn't easy by all means. But it represents the best way by far to manage your finances so you can relax and worry about other things. Ways to Save Energy and Slash Electricity Bills 1. Lighting & Light Bulbs Install low energy light bulbs in rooms you use regularly - they last up to 15 times longer than a normal light bulb and provide the same lighting for a quarter of the running cost. Resources to Help You Learn About and Protect Yourself from Identity Theft There is a new bill that is being passes, it is a very weak bill but if passed, it will prohibit using a social security number for identification purposes. This bill should take affect in 2006. Credit Card Debt - Watch Your Credit Report and Your Bill Most consumers are aware of the importance of their credit report. This document, offered to consumers and lenders by the three major credit bureaus, offers a fairly complete list of financial transactions and debts incurred by a consumer. Creating A Household Budget Creating a budget can be a very difficult task. Although we as consumers know that we need to pay our bills, buy our necessities, and put money away for savings, we don't really know how to start. Debt Management - More Ways to Save on Gas Consumption The price of gas continues to climb, and with continued uncertainty in the Middle East, they will probably continue to do so. In California and elsewhere, prices for some grades of gas have now reached the previously unthinkable three dollars a gallon. Why Live Frugally What is it about being frugal, why do it at all? Actually, some people don't do it at all, they have decided that what they want and desire is what they are going to get and they feel they deserve it. I have no trouble with that; more power to ya, live long and prosper and may you die with the most toys. Do You Know What Tomorrow Will Bring? I've been sharing the following idea with people for a few years now, and realized recently that I had never written specifically about it. So here it is:"I cannot predict the future. Introduction to Australian Superannuation Australians, in general, constitute some of the worst savers inthe world. Current estimates suggest that, on average, Australianssave just 4% of their income. Budgeting your Savings - Did You Let Your Piggy Bank Get Away? I think most of us have at some point in our lives. Some how we forget to feed the little piggy. Roth IRA Contributions - IRS Rules Confused about whether you can contribute to a Roth IRA? Try using these simple rules:IncomeTo contribute to a Roth IRA, you must have compensation (e.g. Save On Food - Ten Tips To save on food, be an opportunist. Buy what you like, but buy on sale. How to Save for A Down Payment Saving for a Down Payment is hard work, so it's a good idea to really want to own your own home by the time you begin your Savings Account. It's difficult to turn down a weekend in the Bahamas (or Downtown at the Clubs!) when you don't have a definite goal. Identity Theft - More Tips on How it Can Be Avoided Recent security breaches at several credit card companies continue to worry Americans, as stolen financial information can lead to identity theft. Identity theft occurs when someone obtains your Social Security number and/or other vital information and uses it to pose as you. Im Broke, How Can I Afford... I'm still amazed every time someone comes to me complaining that they don't have any money to put into their business and that they're broke.I mean what have you been doing with your money man?!?Plain Truth: If you don't have any money you won't make it my friend? it's that simple.
|
| home | site map | contact us |
