Identity Thieves Also Target Mailboxes

Category: Finance, Credit.

Will we ever get a break? In San Diego, police arrested a postal worker for stealing mail and trading it to identity thieves to support his drug habit.

Not right now. Another arrest involved the hacking of wireless carrier T- MobileUSA s network. Then there s Choice point. According to Fox News, the attacker gained access to a database of 16 million customers including the personal information of the Secret Service agent investigating the break in. When last we left the information giant, criminals broke into their 19 billion records database. Yet while no 100% guarantees exist online or off, safeguarding can t hurt and one of the best ways for fighting identity theft exist in your own home.

Choice point now acknowledges previous attacks that date back to the year 200 The number of identity theft victims as well as the methods of getting personal information continues to increase sharply. Check your trash. The Department of Justice refers to this as" dumpster diving" Check everything you throw away then check it again. Going thru your garbage has turned into an exact science and a major goldmine for the identity thieves. Mark any information including financial statements, driver s license, address and especially your social security# "Sensitive" then shred it. Throw it away in different garbage cans on different days. I recommend a crosscut shredder.

Shred junk mail credit card offers and get taken off the major credit agencies marketing lists. Identity thieves also target mailboxes. If you re not doing it already, get into the habit of taking your mail particularly any bill payments directly to the Post Office. They frequently stake out the area and wait for the optimum time. Use anti spy ware, a firewall and antivirus programs on your computer system. Getting a locked mailbox doesn t hurt either.

If performing a transaction online makes sure the company provides a secure server. Guard your plastic. They should tell you but if not look for the yellow lock at the bottom of your screen. Examine your credit card statements and request a copy of your credit report. If you request more than one, you get charged a fee anywhere from 9 to 20 dollars depending on the credit bureau. Agencies will send you one free copy per year. Handle this with care.

Joining a credit monitoring company can remove that obstacle. Even though you re doing the right thing in trying to protect yourself, too many inquiries are frowned upon by these agencies and could impact your credit negatively. One caveat. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that 60% of all identity theft cases do NOT involve any existing accounts. You should exercise vigilance in protecting your credit cards but it s not the total solution that some experts claim. Guard your plastic but make guarding your Social security number the top priority.

According to the Better Business Bureau s 2005 Fraud Survey Report, family friends and neighbors account for half of all identity thieves. These methods of protection take on a special significance. due to the identity of the criminals. You don t want to turn someone you know and love over to the authorities so do your best to eliminate the temptation. You make transactions at the restaurant, gas station and, corner store a host of other places. Again, no 100% guarantees exist. We all need to deal in this world so there s always a risk factor.

Because at all costs you want to avoid what many victims rank as the worst part of identity theft. Stay vigilant on the things you control and the chances of identity theft can decrease. The nightmare of recovery.

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