Bargains On The Net (Pt.3)

This is the final part of the series about ID theft and Internet fraud. This will be more or less an overview and a tutorial on how to prevent, or take proper step to lessen your chances of getting your personal information compromised. Being a victim of such a crime , I devoted myself to letting the public know how to avoid the pitfalls and stay away from scum. Usually, in most cases the criminal impersonates the individual rather then removes his identity for personal financial gain. I trusted a few people that came from my country to help me get a great business going with unlimited potential and I got screwed in the process.

Ways to steal your ID.

• stealing mail or rummaging through rubbish (dumpster diving in the USA)
• eavesdropping on public transactions to obtain personal data (shoulder surfing)
• stealing personal information in computer databases
• infiltration of organizations that store large amounts of personal information
• impersonating a trusted organisation in an electronic communication (phishing)
• Spam (electronic): Some, if not all Spam requires you to respond to alleged contests, enter into “Good Deals”.

You have to ask yourself, how does this impact our economy or services? You will see unbelievable statistics in a few lines.Many of us are ignorant to the fact that we are not as savvy as we think we are. The are people that devote themselves to the life of crime, and the first thing they thin about when they wake up is how am I going to get all the money that someone has or buy goods for myself without paying for them. For these “outstanding citizens” it is a regular job just like you and me going to work everyday.

In 2006 the loss due to fraud rose to over $56 billion, and the average fraud per person rose from $5300 in 2003 to almost $6400 in 2006. Some of these guys are living in Hawaii I bet, or in Mexico living it up on honest peoples expense. Does this effect you physically or physiologically? A survey was conducted by ITRC and here are the results below.

The 2003 survey from the Identity Theft Resource Centre found that :

• Only 15% of victims find out about the theft due to a proactive action taken by a business
• The average time spent by victims resolving the problem is about 600 hours
• 73% of respondents indicated the crime involved the thief acquiring a credit card
• The emotional impact is similar to that of victims of violent crime.

I am too smart to get my identity stolen, I take good care of my personal information, Everything in my house and bank is secure. Do any of these quotes sound familiar? If anyone has been a victim of fraud, they will tell you that there is always someone that is clever enough to beat the system or get information that they need, especially with the Internet emerging as the number one source of information to the general public. Here are some of the ways to avoid becoming a prey to these “animals”.

The following precautions are recommended by the US Federal Trade Commission ^[12] :

• Shred documents and paperwork which contain personal information before you discard them.
• Don’t give out personal information unless you know who you are dealing with.
• Never click on links in unsolicited emails; instead, type in a web address which you know
• Use firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect your home computer;
• Don’t use obvious passwords like your birth date or your mother’s maiden name
• Keep your personal information in a secure place at home
• Be alert for discrepancies in your financial bills and statements and query them immediately
• Report fraud as soon as you detect it

The following have also been recommended

• Collect delivered postal mail as soon as possible.
• Use reliable ATM’s at reputable sites only.
• Look for any suspicious attachments to an ATM and if in doubt, do not use the ATM but report the problem.
• Be aware of your surrounding when using an ATM. Hide what you type on a keypad from others.
• Limit the amount of personal information you publish on the web.
• When shopping on-line, make sure the company is reputable and displays an approved security symbol.
• When handing over your credit card, do not let it out of your sight.
• If you are traveling, tell the post office to hold your mail until your return or have someone you trust collect it

The following are specific to the USA :

• Protect your Social Security number. Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give it out only if absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier.
• Don’t order checks pre-printed with your driver’s license or social security number.
• Don’t carry your social security card unless absolutely needed. In states where your driver’s license number is your social security number, be equally careful about who sees your license.
• Freeze your credit, if available in your state so that no one can open any form of credit in your name.
• Request your own credit report each year and check the reports for inaccuracies and new lines of credit issued that you did not request.

Hopefully this article will help a few people and if I can help just one person to avoid this drama and a terrible experience then I have done my job as a good Samaritan and a kind human being.