Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com and author of "99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen," shares his best tips for preventing your identity from being taken.
Here are seven tips to help keep you safe.
Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments.
When you enter your name and email address, you'll be sent a link to confirm your comment, and a password. To leave another comment, just use that password.
To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put 1 URL in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br /> tags.
Comments
Anyone can be a victim of identity theft. Perhaps the best identity theft protection plan available today is LegalShield's Identity Theft Shield. Their plan provides the following coverage for you and your spouse for only $12.95 per month ($15.95 for all three credit reporting agencies):
1. Your up-to-date credit report based on data from Experian.
2. Your personal credit score and analysis.
3. Continuous monitoring and alerts if anything changes.
4. Identity Theft Consultation and Restoration Services.
That last item is a huge benefit. They actually assign a licensed investigator to consult with you and, with your permission, they will work on your behalf to correct identity theft issues and restore your credit. Saving you time, money and stress from trying to do it yourself.
Please visit the following URL for details and help getting protection: taking.legalshield.com
I was watching todays show about identity theft. Three months ago, I wasn't able to use my long distance calling. After calling Time Warner cable several different times, on the the third month call the other gentlemen inform me that my home phone number had been highjacked and to give them a few days to get this matter taking care of. Well, I have gave them a week and still nothing has been done to fix this matter. I was wondering if you had any advice?
On the show, May 16, regarding identity theft, there was a gentleman that was harrassed by a credit collector,then sued them winning the judgement, then started a credit repair company. Can you supply his web address that was shown on the show?
I woud like to receive two of the cards that onc can put in the wallet or charage card holder so the credit card number
can't be read.
I am an identity theft victim. My identity fraud is probably the worst you or anyone I know has EVER seen. There are drivers licenses issued in my name, computers bought, homes rented, utilities, etc. So much so, that when I applied for credit (I hadn't need to for years & years, because I was a stay at home mom & my husband paid for everything). I went to the mall to Lenscrafters to buy my daughter a pair of glasses & when they ran my credit, it was turned down, and I thought it was because I hadn't used my credit *& that maybe I hadn't established credit. So, about a week later I got a call from Citibank (?), asking me who I was! & I explained that I was who I am and he became defensive and asked me questions and then when he had figured out that I was the REAL T-----A M-----N, then they researched it on their hand, and tried to stop delivery of a computer they had just purchased from Gateway, but it was too late. Then Mastercard told me to file a police report with my police department so they could take the debt off my name. So I went to my police department, in Bourne Ma. & they told me NO they couldn't take a police report, that I would have to file the police report where the crime happened! I told them that was California and they just shrugged it off. So then I finally figured out what town the people had reported as their address from where Gateway had delivered the computer and that police department told me I had to file the report with my police department and then the detectives from my police dept would have to call the California dept back and they would take the complaint & investigate with my police department. so, I went back to them and they still wouldn't do anything. So- I found the FIRST problem with identity theft is that law enforcement doesn't know how to handle it or investigate it. In fact I pretty much got a "so what" attitude about it. Then I requested copies of my credit report and learned there were drivers licenses issued in 3 states (besides my own). That REALLY had me upset. I am an honest person, just a mom, volunteer, housewife, etc. and now I have to worry that if I get pulled over and there is a warrant out for the arrest of someone stealing my identity, I could be arrested! My car could be impounded, my kids whisked away by the cops and then have to convince the police that I am no the person they were looking for....I STILL LOOK OVER MY SHOULDER. I couldn't even buy a car- still cant-not financing it, anyway. When I did go through with the purchase of a car (and my credit was otherwise good enough to buy almost anything, if it wasn't for the id theft). To buy my car, a Ford Focus, my payment would have been $134, but because of the i.d. theft, I had to pay a car payment of $375, and I had to get a co-signer. This is just killing me. Since the time I found out, my life has been fighting businesses and proving my identity to clean my credit up, only to have it all happen again! It is like Groundhog day, but worse!
It is a good public service, usually people are completly unaware. Part of your home work is to learn how to protect your identity your privacy.
I very much enjoyed your speech and advice. I try to be
on my toe all the time. Thank you again.
I JUST HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE COLLECTION AGENCY SAYING I OWED MONIES FOR ACCOUNT I HAD CLOSE OUT AND PAID OUT IN 2010 AND WANT TO MY POST OFFICE OF FEB/2012 SAYING THAT 287.00 WAS IN COLLECTION BUT I DO NOT THROW AWAY PAPERS SO I PROVE TO THEM AND ALSO GOT CONSUMER AFFAIRS IN IT AND THEY GOT THEM TOLD THAT IT WAS PAID AND NOT TO CALL ARE SEND ME ANYMORE MAIL ALS I HAD TO COLLECTION AGENCYS TRYING TO COLLECT.I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT EVEN WAS ON MY CREDIT REPORT WASN'T LAST YEAR BUT THIS YEAR AND THAT TO WAS STRANGE BUT IT IS ALL SETTLE.AND IT ALSO SHOULD BE TAKEING OFF OF MY CREDIT REPORT.
I so appreciate your show on ID theft and scammers. I do wonder if you've investigated on line predators looking to deceive for the sake of love on websites such as Match.com?? Very smooth-rip at heart strings- promissory notes-lawyers-travel agents-accidents - arrest -hopital bills - American in forein coutry on business who fell prey to laws unknown or travel with children that went arry ..any ploy to coerce assistance due to dire circumstannces while claiming intentions of love with quite intricate sonets of love. Taking online dating as a window to available persons. And emails; until they request the sincere want to have interaction via. Yahoo IM! They DO love yahoo IM seems. No oversite even for "hot emails" listed in scammer websites. For a loving, caring person it is a test of character that they prey on.
I was scambed one time. a person called me and said I won a gift card from lowes or walmart or something and all I had to do was try some magazines, but i could decline if I didnt want them. she asked for my debit card number and I told her I didnt want to give it to her but she kept on and I was busy at work so I went ahead and gave it to her. they ended up deducting the money from my account 29.95. before the 30 days was up, I could not contact them on the phone. mail box was always ful so I finally had to cancel my card before they deducted any more money. I never got a gift. When I looked them up on the internet could not find that company and the first thing that popped up was someone saying it was a scam!
World is not big on the NET, I met my BF via ___R i'chMingle . ^C 0 Ｍ___, a nice place for all men with much money and beautiful girls. He is a banker in NY. You check out me under sissyll77 and we can have a chat.
These 7 tips are for overall safety. Yr title says that this article was going to give us 7 tips specifically about how to keep safe from identity theft.
Nothing at all new in this article.