| The crime of identity theft increases daily and | | | | they could send statements electronically via a |
| therefore so do the chances that you will become | | | | secure connection to your secure emailbox. |
| a victim of it at some point if you do not take | | | | You should place a fraud alert on your credit |
| precautions to protect your personal information. | | | | report, even if you are not a victim of identity |
| Identity theft, as much as being a crime being | | | | theft. There are different names for this service, |
| committed regularly, is a royal pain in the backside | | | | but it will require you to be contacted if anyone |
| to get straightened out, often taking as long as | | | | (including yourself) applies for credit using your |
| months and even years to get these bogus | | | | name. This needs to be done with each of the |
| entries removed from your credit reports. | | | | three major national credit bureaus - Equifax, |
| Identity theft is by no means limited to online | | | | Experian, and TransUnion. If they give you any |
| transactions. Reports and studies indicate that it is | | | | trouble with this, you are encouraged to report |
| just as rampant for offline activities. How about | | | | them to your state's division of financial regulation. |
| those offers for pre-approved credit cards or | | | | You are trying to protect yourself, they are |
| reduced rate mortgages that you get much more | | | | providing a service, and if they are uncooperative, |
| often than necessary delivered via US mail? What | | | | you do not need to put up with it. |
| do you do with them? Of course, you have | | | | One point to be taken very seriously is that if |
| purchased an inexpensive paper shredder from | | | | you have become a victim of identity theft, do |
| your local office supply store like Best Buy of | | | | NOT make any payments on any of the bills |
| Office Depot and shred them, right? Please don't | | | | opened by the thief. If you do, this action could |
| tell me that you just throw them in the trash, | | | | be used by the creditor to claim that it really is |
| because that is a prime place for identity theft | | | | your account since you made at least one |
| robbers to get the information that they need to | | | | payment on it. As ludicrous as that sounds, you |
| make YOU a victim of their antics. | | | | need to understand that the creditor realizes that |
| From an offline perspective, you are encouraged | | | | if identity theft can be proven, they will most |
| to look over your credit card bills when they | | | | likely not even be able to collect as much as a |
| arrive in the mail. This includes bank statements | | | | penny on the dollar for the balance owed. So the |
| and your mortgage statements every month. If | | | | creditor will make every attempt possible to claim |
| someone were to steal the mail out of your | | | | that the fraudulent account really is yours, and if |
| mailbox while you were at work, is there enough | | | | you make any payments on it, that will only |
| information on any of those statements to enable | | | | service to substantiate their claims. |
| an identity thief to open new accounts using your | | | | Be vigilant! You have rights and you need to be |
| identity? If so, you may wish to have your | | | | aware of what they are. You should also be |
| statements sent to a PO box that is much more | | | | aware that identity theft protection is available if |
| secure than your mailbox standing out by the | | | | you wish to utilize that route to protect yourself |
| road all day long where someone could steal your | | | | against identity theft. |
| mail, or even check with your lender to see if | | | | |