10 Ways to Protect Your Financial Identity Being Used For Someone Else's Shopping Spree

Someone impersonating you could be spendingeach moth for any unauthorized use. And
your hard-earned money.compare your ATM receipts and cashed checks
Impossible! Not really, check, loan, and identitywith your periodic bank statements to check for
fraud are a real problem. In 2002, the federalunauthorized transfers or charges.
trade commission estimated that identity fraud9. When filling out a loan or credit application, ask
affected and estimated 3.3 million Americans;how the company disposes of them. When you
costing consumers $3.8 billion and business $32.9receive one of those pre approved credit card
billion.offers in the mail make sure to cut it in small
Here are 10 ways to protect yourself frompieces before throwing it away.
having your financial identity used for someone10. When creating passwords or Personal
else's shopping spree:Identification Numbers (PIN) choose something
1. Order your credit report once a year fromdifferent from your address, telephone number,
each of the three credit bureaus to make suremiddle name, the last four digits of your Social
that you are familiar with all of the reportedSecurity number, your birth date or any other
transactions and that there isn't any unusualinformation that could be easily discovered by
activity. Call (888) 5OPT-OUT to request to havethieves.
your name removed from their marketing lists.Bonus- Always write checks using a fine point
2. Cancel all unused credit card accounts, andpermanent marker and put a line before the
make sure to keep a copy of your credit cardswritten amount so that no one can add
and the toll free contact numbers so you cansomething in once you've written the check.
report the card number immediately if it is lost orResources:
stolen.Credit reporting bureaus:
3. Don't carry extra credit cards, your socialEqifax- P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta GA 30374-0241.
security card or passports in the same walletTo report fraud 800-525-6285
except when completely unavoidable.To order a credit report 800-685-1111
4. Install a locked mailbox at your office or homeTo opt out of pre-approved credit offers
to keep people from snatching your mail. Don't888-567-8688
drop paid bills in the mailbox; take them to theExperian- P.O. Box 2104 Allen TX 75013-2104
post office to be mailed.To report fraud or to order a credit report
5. Ask your bank about its privacy policies and888-397-3742.
information practices. Find out the circumstancesTo opt out of pre-approved credit offers
under which your bank would provide your888-567-8688
account information to a third party.Trans Union- P.O. Box 390 Springfield PA
6. Always save your credit card receipts to19064-0390.
match against your monthly statement. KeepTo report fraud 800-680-7289.
track of when your cards expire to make sureTo order a credit report 800-888-4213
your new card arrives in the mail.To opt out of pre-approved credit offers
7. Never have your social Security number printed888-567-8688
on your checks. Never put your accountCheck verification companies: To verify if there
information on the outside of an envelope or on aare any activities on your account from fraud
postcard. Give your Social Security number onlycontact these verification companies.
when absolutely necessary. Ask if you can useCheckRite- 800-766-2748
another type of identifying number wheneverChexsystems- 800-428-9623
possible.National Processing Co.
8. Review your phone bills and cellular phone bills