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It's that time of year.
This is when we all start getting those emails that want to steal our
secret codes and passwords. You know the ones: "Your Account Is
About To Be Closed," "There's A Block On Your
Account,", "Congratulations – You've Won The Lottery (that you never
entered)."and my favorite "Could You Help Me Claim My Funds?".
This is also the time of year when we start shopping for gifts and
the last thing you need is for your bank or credit card accounts to
be stolen by "cyber grifters". They are counting on some of us to
follow the instructions in the email.
First and foremost, DON'T FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE EMAIL! If
you think there might be a problem, access the account in question as
you normally do on your PC and not with the link supplied in the
phony email.
I've had some very authentic looking email supposedly from banks,
that even went so far as to copy the colors of the bank logo and
stationery style. But, don't fall for the scam. In fact, don't even
open the email, because many are just set to loose a virus program on
your computer by being opened. Simply forward the suspicious email
to the "spoof email" address supplied by your bank, or credit card
company.
Identity Theft is a worldwide epidemic. According to the Better
Business Bureau and Javelin Research, almost 9 million Americans fell
prey to identity theft this year with fraud costing businesses and
individuals over $56 billion dollars.
There are ways to reduce your chances of identity theft:
1. Understand debit card dangers: When it comes to fraud, debit
cards carry much greater personal liability than credit cards,
depending on how quickly you report the loss of the card. If you
fail to report unauthorized use within 60 days of receiving your bank
statements, you could lose all the money in the account and be held
responsible for the amount of money that has been tapped from your
line of credit.
2. Rethink check writing: That little slip of paper has way too much
information. Some experts advise against check writing because it
gives away your address, bank account number, signature and license
number to complete strangers. On top of that, there's no federal
legislation to limit your liability for forged checks (each state has
its own set of rules). Experts advise that you look into automating
your bill paying.
3. Secure your mail: Your mailbox is a goldmine of information.
Between bank statement, bills, and all those pre-approved credit card
offers, your mailbox is loaded with personal data which identity
thieves can use to easily apply for a credit card in your name.
Unless you diligently check your credit report, you may never even
know about it. One way to avoid this is to have your mailbox under
lock and key, but most of us in Santa Clarita have our mailboxes at
the curb in front of our house and the postman frowns on carrying
dozens and dozens of keys around. The other solution is to have a
rented mailbox, or to foil "dumpster-diving" thieves by buying a
shredder and destroy documents before discarding.
4. Go virtual: For shopping online, there are "virtual" card
numbers. These are randomly generated credit card numbers that are
disposable and that on-line shoppers use once and throw away. It's
linked directly to your real credit card account so purchases show up
on your monthly bill. The service is easy to use – and it's FREE!
All you need to do is register with companies offering the virtual
card, and they are MBNA, Discover, and Citigroup.
5. Create an emergency identity kit: Would you know how to contact
your credit card company in an emergency? Create an emergency kit
that contains: your account number, expiration date, issuing company
name, and emergency contact number for each card you own. While
you're at it, make copies of your driver's license, social security
card, birth certificate and passport and store them in a locked box
or file cabinet, or a safe deposit box. I like the safe deposit box
best, because this gives you protection in the event of a catastrophe
such as fire, earthquake, etc.
This may all seem like a lot of unnecessary work, but if you're ever
the victim of identity theft – even just once – you'll realize that
it's well worth the effort.
Many of us forget that were it not for what we carry in our wallets
or in our purses, we're all John and Jane Doe's if we can't speak due
to injury or are unaccompanied by someone who knows us. How much
less stressful is it to know that in a bank box, no matter where you
are, there are items that can verify your identity. Better to be
safe, than sorry!
Daryl Campbell invites you to check out
http://fightidtheft
More free tips, resources, feature articles and advice from security
experts plus up to the minute news and information to help you
protect yourself against identity theft and credit card fraud.
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