Identity Theft - Red Flags That May Indicate You're a Victim
You've heard the "buzz" about identity theft, but what exactly
is identity theft? According to Wikipedia, identity theft (or
identity fraud) is the deliberate assumption of another person's
identity, usually to gain access to their finances or frame them
for a crime.
"Dumpster diving" (someone going through your trash), "shoulder
surfing" (someone watching from a nearby location as you punch
in your credit card number or ATM PIN # or eavesdropping as you
give your personal information over the phone) and "phishing"
(someone sending an email that appears to be from a legitimate
business) are only a few ways of obtaining your personal
information.
Once they have obtained your personal information, identity
thieves often change the address on your bills, keeping you
unaware that your identity has been stolen unless you are aware
of when your bills normally arrive in the mail, keep track of
what you charge and check your credit reports annually.
Here are several red flags that indicate you may be a victim of
identity theft:
1. You check your credit reports annually and find there are new
charge cards showing with companies you don't know.
2. You receive a bill for a credit card account you didn't open.
3. You notice charges on your credit card statement you did not
authorize.
4. You haven't received your bills or credit card statements
when they normally arrive.
5. Your bank statements show unauthorized transfers or
withdrawals.
6. You receive a call from a collection agency about an account
you never opened.
7. You receive calls from businesses about merchandise you
didn't buy.
8. You're denied credit because debts show up on your credit
reports that don't belong to you.
If you notice any of these red flags, don't panic - there may be
a logical explanation. But DO follow up on it right away. If it
appears you may be a victim of identity theft, go to
http://understandingidentitytheft.com/articles/article-67.html
for a list of steps you should take immediately to rectify the
situation.