17. 8 Steps You Can Take To Reduce Your Exposure to Identity Theft Be guarded with personal information- Verify before you give SSN or DOB information over the phone, mail or on the net. You don’t have to give information just because someone asks for it. Monitor your credit reports- You are entitled to one free report per year: Experian Trans Union Equifax Be careful with your mail- When mailing personal or financial information do not use an unsecured mailbox. Remove mail from your own mailbox promptly. Put a hold on your mail when you plan to be away from home for a while. Guard your trash- Identity thieves have been known to gather personal information from trash receptacles. Shred any documents that contain personal information before you throw them away or recycle them.
18. 8 Steps You Can Take To Reduce Your Exposure to Identity Theft 5. Only give your Social Security number when absolutely necessary- There are some legitimate reasons why you may be asked for your SSN. Your employer or financial institution may need it for wage and tax reporting, and it’s necessary when a credit check is required. Be sure to ask why and how it will be used. Pay attention to billing cycles- If your bills don’t arrive on time, follow up with creditors/banks. A missing statement could mean an identity thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address. Exercise caution online- Don’t share too much information about yourself and address online via chat rooms, social networking sites, blogs, etc. Use all the safety features and privacy settings on your computer. Use discretion on photos so as not to share more information than you intend. Before making purchases online, look for the lock icon in the lower right of your browser window. Don’t respond to email messages that ask you to provide personal information. Legitimate entities will not ask you to provide personal information via email.
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20. Use a “wipe” utility program that meets DOD standards
21. Install and keep up-to-date firewalls and other security features like anti-virus and anti-spyware programs on the computer
22. Use only your own secure computer when working with your personal or financial data
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24. There are no guarantees that it won’t happen to you! An estimated 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year ATM’s can be rigged to copy bank card account numbers and PIN numbers Dumpster divers also target trash cans for copies of checks, bank statements, and other personal paperwork Identity theft criminals do not discriminate because of age Online exchanges only represent a small percent of this crime; most fraud occurs through paper documents and stolen information
25. Identity Fraudsters Take More Than Money It can take minutes to steal your identity, but years to repair the financial damage Almost one quarter of victims of new account and other frauds did not discover the misuse of information for at least six months after it started 37% of victims experienced problems beyond the time they spent recovering their out of pocket expenses. Problems include being harassed by debt collectors, unable to use existing credit cards, subjected to criminal investigations and having difficulty accessing bank accounts
26. Identity Theft Shield TM Marketed by Pre-Paid Legal Services Inc. Service provided by Kroll Inc. You will receive an up-to-date credit report through Experian at no charge Credit files will be regularly monitored and suspicious activity will be brought to your attention You will receive prompt notice if any new accounts are opened in your name or if derogatory notations are added to your credit report
27. Identity Theft Shield TM Restoration services provided by Kroll If your identity is stolen you need more than just information about how to restore your name and credit rating Fraud alert notifications will be sent on your behalf and applicable follow up will be done with affected agencies and institutions Proactive searches of applicable local and national databases will be made on your behalf to look for information you may not have detected Kroll employs ex-FBI and Secret Service agents and retired Law Enforcement that conduct investigations in these cases
28. Safeguard for Minors Children under the age of 18 have a much higher risk of identity theft than is commonly realized. Thieves target them because the child’s information may be used for years without discovery…until the minor is old enough to establish credit Education, early detection, and expert consultation make for a powerful package of tools to minimize the risk Up to four minor children can be enrolled for monitoring to detect existing credit files and it will cost the member only $1 more per month per family All dependent children up to 18 are covered
30. Alan F. Greggo, CFE CPP Profit Rx LLC Profitability remedies for retail and healthcare professionals since 1980 Mason, OH (513) 236-2642 Alangreggo@zoomtown.com Alangreggo@Prepaidlegal.com