Identity Theft - Red Flags That May Indicate You're a Victim
by: Debbie Pettitt
You've heard the "buzz" about identity theft, but what
exactly is identity theft? According to Wikipedia, identity theft
(or identity fraud) is the deliberate assumption of another person's
identity, usually to gain access to their finances or frame them
for a crime. "Dumpster diving" (someone going through
your trash), "shoulder surfing" (someone watching from
a nearby location as you punch in your credit card number or ATM
PIN # or eavesdropping as you give your personal information over
the phone) and "phishing" (someone sending an email that
appears to be from a legitimate business) are only a few ways of
obtaining your personal information. Once they have obtained your
personal information, identity thieves often change the address
on your bills, keeping you unaware that your identity has been
stolen unless you are aware of when your bills normally arrive
in the mail, keep track of what you charge and check your credit
reports annually.
Here are several red flags that indicate you may be a victim of
identity theft:
1. You check your credit reports annually and find there are new
charge cards showing with companies you don't know.
2. You receive a bill for a credit card account you didn't open.
3. You notice charges on your credit card statement you did not
authorize.
4. You haven't received your bills or credit card statements when
they normally arrive.
5. Your bank statements show unauthorized transfers or withdrawals.
6. You receive a call from a collection agency about an account
you never opened.
7. You receive calls from businesses about merchandise you didn't
buy.
8. You're denied credit because debts show up on your credit reports
that don't belong to you.
If you notice any of these red flags, don't panic - there may
be a logical explanation. But DO follow up on it right away. If
it appears you may be a victim of identity theft, go to http://understandingidentitytheft.com/articles/article-67.html for
a list of steps you should take immediately to rectify the situation. |
