You’ve taken on board the warnings about identity theft, you have your own personal shredder in the house as well as the office and you destroy any paperwork that includes personal information prior to tossing it in the trash.  (more…)

Over the past five years the rise of identity theft has been astronomical. It has been consistently rising every year for the past 5 years and it has literally affected millions of people in America.

The rise of identity theft can also be attributed as a bad side effect of the internet. Due to the fact that as long as you have correct information anyone can use your account to buy products, transfer/pay accounts and access online credit information. (more…)

Christmas is fast approaching and everyone is going out spending, albeit for Christmas shopping and of course travels during the holidays and other types of indulgences. Often times we find ourselves swiping more of our credit cards to give in to some impulse buys and last minute decisions (especially when it involves the last toy available in the store!) (more…)

In the recent years, the credit card has become the most common means to pay for our purchases, from grocery shopping to online transactions. With our increasing usage of credit cards and the increasing number of ways a credit card can be used, it is not surprising that credit card fraud has also become more prevalent.  (more…)

Security software is a must for your computer to help thwart identity theft in its tracks.  Since there are several different types of security software, let’s look at the most important kinds that you need. 

Firewalls – A firewall is like a shield for your computer.  It stands out front, and protects your computer from hostile internet traffic.  Without one of these, hackers can get into your personal computer and take whatever they want.  Credit card numbers, names, birthdates and social security numbers are all available to identity thieves if your computer isn’t being protected by a firewall.  It stands between internet traffic and the connections to get into your computer, keeping out bad traffic, but letting regular or non-threatening internet traffic travel freely. (more…)

It isn’t unusual these days to hear about someone losing large amounts of money through buying and selling on the internet.  It is a real concern, but there are ways to avoid becoming a victim.  Here are some tips on how to safely buy and sell on the internet and still enjoy doing business from the comfort of your own home.  (more…)

Identity theft is something we all worry about in today’s world. Credit cards and debit cards are used by more people than just cash. It is a lot more convenient to use your bank card or a credit card to pay for expenses than it is to constantly keep cash on you.  Even if one uses cash all of the time they could still have their identity stolen through other ways such as by someone else using their social security number to get loans, credit cards, and more. The numbers of people buying merchandise and necessities online are increasing every year. It is a great, convenient, and time saving way to buy what you need and shop around without leaving the comfort of your own home.  (more…)

We all understand how important it is to protect you identity, but sometimes even the most careful of us can fall prey to increasingly equipped identity criminals. If you feel your identity may have been compromised, then here are the steps you should follow:

*Get in touch with credit card companies, banks, eBay, PayPal or similar organisations to let them know you think you have been compromised and ask what you can do. Be specific about what has happened and do anything they ask,

* Contest any payments you believe to be unauthorized on any of your accounts. You may have a fight on your hand, but at least you have taken the first step to resolving the problem.

* Advise the police so they can begin an investigation of any criminal activity.

*Cancel your credit cards and get them replaced with new card numbers.

* Change all PIN numbers and passwords. This may stop your accounts being hijacked completely if they may have been compromised.

* If you have lost documents like your driver’s license, passport or social security card- get them replaced.

* Scan your computer for spyware or viruses and change all account passwords.

* Make a file of all correspondence and evidence relating to the alleged identity theft that you can produce if needed.

They always say that prevention is the best cure, one way to prevent identity theft is to enroll with a company like Lifelock.  More about Lifelock here.

There are many scams out there on the internet, and criminals do come up with new ideas everyday. However, many scams are rehashed, and this article contains 4 of the most common scams on the internet to steal your identity or money.

• Online Auction Scam - With the advent of eBay, this scam really took off. You win an auction on a site like eBay and send off your money. Unfortunately you receive a fake or, even worse, nothing at all! Luckily, eBay has improved things with their seller ratings and with buyer protection measures. (more…)

Identity theft is a growing concern for Americans today. Thieves are able to hack, steal and obtain your personal information in ways you can’t even imagine. Once this information is compromised, your financial life and your good credit can be ruined for years. It takes a lot longer to get it fixed than it did for the thief to ruin it. Most of the time, the thief is never caught and he is free to move on to the next victim. This article will give you some useful information on how these thieves can obtain your identity so that you can protect yourself.

 Dumpster diving has long been a favorite way for thieves to obtain personal information about you. They will simply go through your trash for old utility bills, credit card statements, credit card offers and any other piece of mail with your personal information on it. Once this information is obtained, the thief can then use it to obtain new credit cards, apply for loans in your name and even wipe out your checking and savings account. The best defense against this is to shred all documents, even your junk mail. Use a cross cut shredder instead of a straight line shredder. These thieves have been known to be able to piece together the strips from the straight line shredders to get your information. (more…)