How Identity Thieves
Operate
Protect Yourself From Identity
Fraud
Featured Writer: Barbara Woodcox
Identity thieves have lots of ways to steal
personal information from unsuspecting victims. Here are some tips to
help protect you from identity theft.
Dumpster
Diving
Social security numbers, credit card numbers,
bank account information and medical insurance papers are like gold to identity
thieves. That is why some of them are willing to dig
through garbage cans and dumpsters to get personal information from
their victims. The best way to avoid this form of identity
theft is to shred all documents before throwing them away.
Internet
Phishing Scams
Identity thieves
have tricky ways of getting people to voluntarily provide personal and
financial information. The most common way is through emails. Identity thieves send emails that appear
to be from the victim's bank, credit card company, utility company, mortgage company,
etc. They say they need information to update or verify their
records. The emails have links that send people to websites
that look exactly like the company websites. On these
spoof websites the victims are prompted to enter their social
security numbers, dates of birth, bank account numbers and
other sensitive information. To prevent this kind of identity theft,
never give personal information of any kind through an email.
The same applies for other solicitations sent by email. Don't
buy anything or make charitable donations in response to an
email. For example, if you want to donate to the ASPCA, go
directly to their website. Don't follow links from
emails.
Telephone
Vishing Scams
Identity thieves call people and pretend to be representatives of well
known companies. Like the email scams described above, they say they
need information to update or verify their records. To avoid
this kind of identity theft, never give any personal
information in response to an incoming
telephone call.
Computer Fraud
Identity thieves operate websites that
download spyware into the computers of unsuspecting victims. Spyware
is often used as an unscrupulous marketing tool. However, it can also be
used to get financial and personal information from the victim's
computer. To prevent this kind of identity theft, invest in a
good anti spyware software program.
Lottery and
Sweepstakes Scams
People are especially vulnerable to
scams that promise large sums of money, especially in
these tough economic times. Identity thieves lure their
victims into giving financial information in order to get a
large monetary prize. Legitimate contests never require
winners to provide financial information. To avoid this kind
of identity theft, never give personal information to someone
who tells you that you won a prize.
Credit Card
Scanning
When you use a credit or
debit card at restaurants, stores, movie theaters, etc., the
magnetic strip on your card is scanned and information is sent
to your financial institution. When this information is
transmitted to your financial institution via wireless technology
it is possible for identity thieves to intercept the information from
your card. To prevent this kind of identity theft, pay for
things the old fashioned way and use cash.
Mail
Fraud
Identity thieves raid
mail boxes to get personal information to open lines of credit in the
victim's name. The victim's bills and account statements
suddenly stop arriving because the identity thief is having
them sent someplace else. To avoid this kind of identity
theft, always make sure your mailbox is locked or you have
your mail sent to a PO Box address.
Avoid Identity
Fraud
In summary, the best way to
prevent identity theft is to never give information in
response to an email, incoming phone call or snail
mail solicitation. Shred everything before throwing it away, protect your
computer from spyware, Use cash whenever possible and make sure your mailbox is
locked.
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