| There are literally thousands of methods idetnity | | | | rendered ineffective. You may only find out it has |
| theives enlist to stealing vital personal information | | | | occurred when purchasing groceries or fuel for |
| from consumers and small business owners. | | | | your car and having you credit or debit card |
| "Phishing" scams sent via email, shoulder surfing at | | | | declined. A rude awakening indeed. |
| ATM machines, fraudulant telemarketing calls, | | | | Needless to say, the most effective way to |
| public records acess through local government | | | | avoid this finacial nightmare is to prevent it from |
| agancies, identity theft at the workplace: the list | | | | happening in the first place. Though ID theft is |
| goes on and on. Suprisingly, it doesn't always take | | | | growing problem for consumers and small |
| someone who is technologically proficient to get | | | | businesse alike, it is not an inevitable part of |
| their hands on your social security number, credit | | | | modern life. Hence the old saying, "an ounce of |
| card information or home address. The chain of | | | | prevention is worth a a pound of cure". And that |
| theivery commonly starts with a method that | | | | ounce of prevention begins right at home, in your |
| existed long before the internet, email, | | | | mailbox. |
| telemarketing or ATM's: the dreaded "Junk Mail | | | | Over 4 million tons of paper "junk mail" are mailed |
| List". | | | | in the U.S. every year, and 50% of it is never |
| Dumpster diving identity theives and computer | | | | even opened. These are staggering stastistics and |
| hackers represent only a small fraction of the | | | | only grows as time goes by. Here are several tips |
| faceless armies constantly working to ruin your | | | | and tricks to drastically reducing or eliminatiing bulk |
| financial identity. Contrary to popular belief, junk | | | | mail and credit card offers, thus aiding in the |
| mail, specifically credit card offers, are typically | | | | prevention of identity theft. |
| the culprit. In fact, every credit card offer you | | | | Credit Card Offers- The major credit agencies all |
| recieve is an invitation to have your identity | | | | sell credit information to the highest bidder. Direct |
| stolen, and your credit ruined. These "mail box | | | | mail and credit companies generate mailing lists |
| maruaders" are probably the most brazen identity | | | | based on certain demographic information including |
| theives, right up there with common burglar. | | | | you zip code, annual income and general credit |
| Stealing mail directly from your mailbox is by far | | | | history. Stopping these types of offers are usefull |
| the riskiest method, which leaves the potential of | | | | in preventing identity theft for two reasons: First, |
| being identitfied from eyewitnesses. Never the | | | | it narrows down and seperates the "legitimate" |
| less, it does in fact occur and is a federal offence. | | | | offers from potentially fraudulent offers. |
| Once your financial information has been obtained, | | | | Second, it simply cuts down on the amount of |
| the two of the most common methods for | | | | mail you recieve, thus reducing the potential for |
| setting up shop with your good name are | | | | information to be physically stolen from your |
| "application fraud" and "account takeover". | | | | mailbox. |
| "Application fraud", or "real name fraud" usually | | | | Simply contact the three of the major cedit |
| leaves identity victims unaware of fraudulent | | | | bureaus, Equifax, Trans Union, Experian and |
| abuse of their personal information for long | | | | Innovis with your current address former address |
| periods of time. This is due to the fact that the | | | | within two years, and social security number. |
| credit card statements are mailed directly to a | | | | Request to be "opted out" of these mailing lists. |
| forwarding address set up by the imposter. | | | | These requests will be granted immediately as |
| Another factor that leaves victims unaware is the | | | | required by law. |
| time lag between the fraudulent transactions | | | | First Class Mail- This is a sneaky tactic used |
| themselves and when they are reported to credit | | | | sometimes to make a credit card offer seem |
| bureaus, such as Transunion, Experian and Equifax. | | | | exclusive or more appealing. After you recieve |
| This leaves a "time gap" for ID thieves to do as | | | | one of the first class offers, simply cross out the |
| much damage as possible before it is detected, | | | | address and bar code, circle the first class |
| even if your regularly check your credit reports. | | | | postage and write exactly this: refused: return to |
| All these criminals may need to commit application | | | | sender. Mail it in any mail box and it will be |
| fraud is a utility bill or bank statement, authentic | | | | returned directly to the sender. |
| or counterfeit, to piece together a complete | | | | Bulk Mail in General- Your local post office will |
| application. This is a methodical and effective form | | | | always dispose of bulk mail it cannot be delived, |
| of identity theft. | | | | so "returning to sender" does absolutely no good. |
| Conversely, "account takeover" can happen | | | | The USPS actively provides for bulk mailers to |
| almost intantaniously. This occurs when containing | | | | accumulate their mailing lists. As hard as it is to |
| key personal information allows ID theives to | | | | belive, they actually encourage it. Simply write |
| actually takeover the running of your existing | | | | "address correction requested" circle it, and drop it |
| account. They will actually pretend to be you, | | | | in any the mail box. |
| making transactions and purchases as they see | | | | If Bulk Mailing persists, simply send a letter or |
| fit. To compound this problem further, these | | | | postcard to the Mail Preference Service, |
| criminals may instruct your bank or credit card | | | | There address is: Direct Marketing Association, PO |
| company to change you home address in the | | | | Box 643, Carmel, NY 15012-0643 |
| account and have cards and checks sent to | | | | Be sure to include your full name, current address, |
| another address. Once again this buys valuable | | | | zip code and request to "activate the preference |
| time for these imposters to be detected and | | | | service". This will stop mail from all of it's member |
| stopped. | | | | ogrganizations for up to five years. |
| So far as online purchases go, many online | | | | A Secure Mail Box- Obvouisly, this is probably the |
| merchants have added an extra precaution to | | | | simplest method protect mail from being stolen |
| stave off fraudulent account activity with the | | | | out of your mail box. Don't be afraid to buy a |
| CCV number. This is a three digit number on the | | | | lock for your mail box. Get to know your |
| back you credit card next to the signature box. | | | | neighborhood delivery schedule and your mail |
| Providing this number makes the assumption that | | | | carrier. |
| your credit card is physically in front of you. Once | | | | Your home is the front line in the ongoing battle |
| again, if new cards have been ordered in your | | | | against identity theft, pure and simple. |
| name unbeknownst to you, this safe-guard is | | | | |