Feb 19 2008
Your heart may be up for grabs this Valentine’s Day, but what about your credit?
February is well known for sweethearts and Valentines. It is that time of year that someone may steal your heart. Just make sure they don’t steal your credit at the same time!
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. In 2008 someone in one of every three households will become a victim. Every day identity thieves are coming up with more clever ways to access your credit and bank accounts. And once a victim of identity theft it takes the average person up to two years to clear everything up. While no one is immune to the possibility of identity theft there are things you can do to protect yourself.
You think the big blue box on the street corner is a safe place to put your mail right? Wrong. The newest way to steal mail is to take a tennis ball, wrap it with duct tape with the sticky side out, tie a string around it and put it in the mailbox. When it’s pulled out it can have several letters attached to it. If the slot is too small to get a tennis ball through, then some just steal the entire mailbox. No, I’m not kidding. Secure your mail. Mail it at the post office if possible. And never put mail to be picked up in a mailbox in front of your home. If the mail person can pick it up, anybody can.
Shred! Shred! Shred! Along with that box of candy you buy for your sweetheart give them a shredder. They’re inexpensive yet vital to protecting your identity. All the junk mail you get: credit card offers, promotional checks, also credit card statements, receipts, etc – don’t just tear them in half and throw them away. Shred them. “Dumpster diving” is becoming a very popular “sport” and is a very easy way to have your identity stolen.
Know who you are dealing with. On the phone or over the Internet – be very careful of what personal information you give out. Never give out account numbers or social security numbers unless you absolutely know who you are talking to. Also never carry your social security card with you. Keep it locked up at home.
Medical ID theft is also something to be aware of. Unless needed, don’t carry your insurance card with you. Imagine, all of sudden getting a bill in the mail for a $30,000 operation that you never had! It happens. And it’s happening more and more. Recently, a gentleman received a bill in the mail for a gall bladder surgery yet his gall bladder was completely in tact. He had to jump through hoops to prove he still had his gall bladder and convince the hospital that it was not him and that his insurance card had been stolen.
It is a very good idea to monitor your credit report every year. Once a year you can get a free copy of your report from all three bureaus by going to www.annualcreditreport.com. From here you will have instant access to your report and you can dispute any inaccuracies from this web site. We advise staggering it throughout the year. For example, in January order your report from Experian and then in April order from Equifax and in September order it from Trans Union. This way you can monitor your credit all year.
If you ever do find yourself a victim of identity theft you should immediately contact all three bureaus and have them put fraud alerts on your credit report. You should also contact your bank, your credit cards and the Federal Trade Commission. They track identity theft and you can contact them at www.ftc.gov.
While there is no way to completely prevent identity theft, with a little precaution and common sense we can certainly stave it off to the best of our ability. So this Valentine’s month, while you’re heart may not be so protected, let’s protect our credit so we can focus on the more important things in life!
Mindy Leisure, mindy@advcredit.com, and Jim Kaiser, jim@advcredit.com
Advantage Credit Inc. of Colorado www.advcredit.com