Posts Tagged ‘identity theft protection’
Guard yourself from medical identity theft
Friday, February 3rd, 2012
Child safety – It’s every parent’s responsibility
Monday, January 23rd, 2012Some people think they can do what LifeLock does for themselves – and they can do it for free. But in order to monitor your information just as LifeLock does, you’d have to invest a considerable block of time. And if you’re also concerned about the identities of your family, then it will require even more time and energy.
Think about it. Child identity theft accounts for about 5 percent of all identity thefts reported each year. But that’s only the ones that are reported – there are many more that aren’t reported because the ones perpetrating the crimes are family members or friends, and it gets sticky when you point the finger at family or friends. Then there are thousands of cases each year that occur, but aren’t reported because child identity theft can go undiscovered for years.
But monitoring your children’s identities is incredibly important, because their Social Security numbers are given out almost as often as yours.
If you have LifeLock, then consider adding your kids for just a small amount per month. You can pull your child’s credit report each year as well, but the peace of mind you’ll get from knowing that LifeLock is checking 24/7 to be sure your child’s information is safe is worth the extra couple of bucks you’ll pay per month.
It’s a parent’s responsibility to watch out for the welfare of his kids. We all know to make sure they are fed, clothed, get an education and are healthy. But how often do we think about protecting their personal information? It should be on the forefront of every parent’s mind. Ignoring the possibility won’t make it go away. If you already are signed up with LifeLock, take the extra step to protect your whole family today.
Identity theft rampant during the holidays
Friday, December 9th, 2011Signing up for LifeLock is easy
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011There’s no question about whether you need identity theft protection – in this day and age, you can’t afford to be caught without it.
Let’s say you’ve narrowed your choice down to the industry leader, LifeLock, and you want to sign up, but aren’t sure which one of LifeLock’s service plans are for you. Here’s some help.
When you enroll with LifeLock, a quick and easy process, you’ll find that there are two choices: LifeLock’s Command Center, priced at $15 a month or $165 a year; of LifeLock’s regular service at $10 a month or $110 a year.
LifeLock’s Command Center is your best value, as it not only offers LifeLock’s industry-leading identity theft protection and $1 Million Total Service Guarantee, but it also offers LifeLock’s Command Center protection suite and advanced protection against identity theft.
With LifeLock’s regular service, you get identity theft protection service and the $1 million guarantee. You’ll be notified about attempted uses of your credit, get wallet remediation services, have access to fraud resolution teams, and LifeLock will monitor criminal websites for the illegal trading of your information.
For only $5 more a month, you can sign up for the Command Center, which would offer you the following: You’ll be notified of any attempted use of your credit, monitoring for use of your information on known criminal websites or the illegal use or sale of your information, stolen or lost wallet remediation, fraud resolution assistance, monitoring of public records and aliases, and monitoring of file sharing sites and payday loans.
You can also sign up to protect your family. Child identity theft is a growing problem, and LifeLock offers protection for your children, as well as yourself.
Give LifeLock a try today – your peace of mind, as well as your family’s, is so worth it.
Are you getting your money’s worth when it comes to credit card ID theft protection?
Monday, October 3rd, 2011Discover Financial Services is facing charges by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation over the way the company sells payment and identity theft protection.
In a regulatory filing last week, the credit card company said the investigation began several months ago, and that it is cooperating. The FDIC notified the company’s banking division, and a spokesman for the Riverwoods, Ill.-based company said action will be taken.
A series of lawsuits in various states have challenged the company’s marketing policies. Discover said in June it reached a preliminary global settlement int eh eight pending lawsuits, which are awaiting judge’s approval.
Credit protection makes up about 3 percent of Discover’s total revenue. The company’s shares have dropped 23 cents, since news of the investigation broke.
Be sure to check with your credit card issuer to see whether you are covered in the event of identity theft. Some credit card companies offer this protection, but there are some that aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. Charges vary, so be sure you are getting what you expect and what you are paying for.
Read the fine print, and contact your issuer if you have questions.
Insurance coverage against identity theft? May be worth it for you
Friday, September 30th, 2011Take precautions to reduce your risk of identity theft
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011Want to prevent identity theft? Who doesn’t? Protecting yourself from identity theft is kind of like keeping your children safe from “worldly” influences – it’s virtually impossible. But you can minimize your risk.
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, with criminals using stolen information for everything from simple fraud to criminal enterprise. The latest data from the Federal Trade Commission shows that in 2009, more than 11 million consumers fell victim to this crime.
Methods used to defraud victims include phishing, vial e-mail and telephone, the use of skimming devices on ATMs and other card swiping machines, and digging through mail, discarded documents and unprotected computer files for personal information.
In most cases, the victims are the ones that are responsible for clearing their own names. The average victim spends 600 hours and $16,000 worth of time in dealing with the issue.
But experts say that safeguarding your identity should be a part of your daily routine. You should check your credit report at least once a year, and verify the information on your bills and statements when they come in the mail.
You should also use a locked mailbox or post office box to prevent mail theft, and limit the amount of information you carry in your wallet, in addition to shredding any documents that contain your personal or financial information before you discard them.
Consumers should also be cautious when using and ATM or gas pump, being careful to check the device before inserting your card. Crooks attach devices to them that steal your information. Be sure to double-check the device, making sure it’s not loose or that it doesn’t look out of place. Tug on the device, and if it comes out in your hand, it’s a skimmer.
Taking the extra time each day to protect yourself won’t prevent identity theft – but it will help minimize your chances of falling victim.
Elderly targeted for identity theft – But why?
Wednesday, August 17th, 2011Identity theft crimes against the elderly accounts for as much as 10 percent of all identity theft cases, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Identity theft among the elderly is sometimes called the “silent crime,” because seniors are often embarrassed about what happened or too confused to report it.
A recent report stated that people over the age of 50 control more than 70 percent of the nation’s household wealth. This alone gives identity thieves reason to target them.
Some of the common scams include calling a senior and pretending to be from his bank, pretending to be a grandchild in trouble and in need of money, and asking for charitable donations. There’s also a growing number food stamp identity theft, in which a person calls a senior, claiming to need personal details in order to “re-certify” the senior in the food stamp program.
One of the most common scams happens to those seniors in care facilities or those taken care of at home by caregivers. In this circumstance, the caregiver steals the personal information of the senior, and proceeds to open new accounts in his name.
The elderly are targeted because they are more trusting, and many live alone and have no one to protect them. They also often have great credit, and may keep large amounts of cash in their home. Many seniors are not tech savvy, and know little or nothing about computers and how they work.
If you know a senior, help educate him about identity theft and how he can protect himself. Help the senior by keeping an eye on him, checking in periodically. Encourage the senior to verify facts before handing over any personal or financial information.
College students eager to get back to school – and identity thieves can’t wait, either
Monday, August 15th, 2011Students all over the country are packing up and returning to college. And chances are that in the next few weeks, they’ll get a lot of pre-approved credit offers in their dorm mail boxes.
College students are at a higher risk for identity theft, mostly because students just don’t think about checking their credit report or even know what their credit score is. They’re also at risk because when they get those pre-approved offers, they just throw them away, rather than shred them. This leaves students wide open for identity theft.
Identity thieves often go through trash, looking for personal information. When they find a pre-approved credit offer, they simply fill it out with their own address information or some other address, and then sit back and wait for their new credit card to arrive. They then rack up hundreds or even thousands of dollars of debt – all in the name of their victims.
College students can protect themselves with just a few tips. First of all, be careful what kind of personal information you share on social media sites. Don’t cosign for a friend on any purchase. Protect your computer by making sure you have the latest in anti-spyware and anti-virus protection.
You should also make sure you select passwords that are difficult to decipher, and change them often. When going online to make purchases, only do so on secured sites.
Shred documents that contain personal information, and don’t keep things in your dorm room that contain your personal information. Lock those documents up. You shouldn’t receive mail at your dorm – it’s too easy to break into those boxes. Get a post office box instead.
