| |
| |
| Credit Information | |
|
|
|
Avoiding ID Theft and Credit Fraud
Article excerpted from the new book, "How to Do Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain" TM copyright 2004, all rights reserved, by Eve Abbott, the Organizer Extraordinaire Each year billions of dollars in credit fraud is perpetrated on unsuspecting citizens. With so much personal information publicly available (or easily available to someone with medium computing skills) it is essential to develop good habits to prevent your information from falling into criminal hands. It is possible for someone to create an entire identity (get driver's license, etc.) based on just a few pieces of information. I know of an employee who sustained an on-the-job injury then applied for disability. He was shocked when they turned him down. According to Workmen's Compensation records he had been collecting disability for the last year and a half. Someone had gotten their hands on enough information to drain his account! It can take years and thousands of dollars to correct an identity theft, credit fraud or a simple key entry error by a clerk at a Credit Bureau. It takes minutes for you to do these simple tips: Destroy all pre-approved credit offers you get in the mail before you discard them. Otherwise, someone can fill out a new address and get credit in your name. Use a paper-shredder for all documents with your financial or legal information included. Sign all your credit cards with 'Please ask for photo ID' instead of your signature. Never give out your SSN or credit card information on the phone unless you initiate the call and you know to whom you are talking. Never carry your social security number in your wallet. You don't have to give your SSN to businesses that request it, although they do have the right to refuse service. Only government agency, and employment or tax related inquiries must be answered. Reduce the number of pre-approved offers you get by requesting these credit bureaus remove your name from their lists: TRW (800) 353-0809, Equifax (800) 219-1251 and TransUnion (800) 241-2858. Once a year carefully check out your free credit report from Experian (800) 682-7654 and free Social Security file (800) 772-1213. If you are denied credit based on your report, the issuing credit bureau must provide you with a free copy upon request - even if they usually charge for it. If you don't have a 'business of having a life' filing system, check out the cost-effective Home and Small Business File Kits that I use in my own business, which makes it easy for me to guarantee your satisfaction. (www.organize.com) Do not give out confidential information on e-mail or do financial transactions on the Internet unless it's secure and encoded. (Look for the SSL reference) Check guarantee and check verification agencies must provide the same protection as credit bureaus, such as access to your report and correction of errors. If your check is refused, get the agency name. For assistance in re-establishing good credit and correcting errors, the non-profit Consumer Credit Counseling Service may be able to help you. To find the office nearest you call (800) 388-2227. More free time-saving tips are available at http://www.organize.com For over 15 years, Eve Abbott has been writing, speaking and consulting with executives, managers and business owners on boosting their effectiveness with organizing tools and techniques to melt the paper blizzard and tackle e-mail overload. Eve is the Organizer Extraordinaire, a personal productivity expert whose wisdom has reached the pages of the New York Times, Working Woman and Home Office Computing.
MORE RESOURCES:
Credit - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Tips for Credit Card Surfers Moving money from credit card to credit card to take advantage of interest free balance transfers and effectively borrowing money for free. It's even possible to make money by borrowing money, transferring the debt to an interest free card and investing the cash in a high interest savings account until the interest free period expires. Boosting Your Credit Score To Get The Best Credit Card Deal Making Your Credit Rating Work For YouOne of the basics of getting the most competitive credit card deal in the market is to ensure you have the best credit record possible. Few of us are lucky enough to be earning a six-figure salary, and many people are likely to have other financial undertakings that a potential lender will want to take into account. Convenience Can Be Costly You've just opened your credit card bill and attached to your statement you find a "convenience check" included. It may already be filled out with a dollar amount such as $300, $500, or even $1,000. Credit Card Benefits and Drawbacks Credit cards have both benefits and drawbacks. It is wise to consider both before applying for a credit card. How Your Credit History Can Affect Your Life Your credit history is an important aspect of your life. Maintaining your credit rating is very important to your future and to your lifestyle. The Ghost of Expected Surprises Here, Cratchet, what do you think you're doing?Uh, er, leaving sir.Leaving? It's 5 minutes to the hour. The Hitchhiker's Guide To Insanity A new sickness is plaguing the UK called Denial. Denial has resulted in a national personal debt of almost £1. Credit Verus Debt Secured and unsecured debt - what's the difference?It's easy to just think that debt is just debt, but in reality, there are different types of loans, and it's important to know what which type you have.You will need to understand the differences in order to be a good money manager, or, if the worse happens and you find yourself turning to credit or debt counseling, you'll need to understand how different types of debt can be handled. Credit Report - How Your Credit Score is Determined Most consumers are aware that they have something known as a credit report that is used to determine whether or not they would qualify for a loan. Fewer are familiar with the FICO score, a creation of the Fair, Isaac, and Co. Balance Transfers Introduction Credit card balance transfer involves using a credit card to pay off the amount outstanding on one or more credit/store cards. The total debt then moves to one card. Which Business Credit Cards with Reward are the Best? Thinking of applying for a credit card with a reward program to help you and your business? Here is a brief guide to some of the best programs on the internet.The Platinum Business Credit Card with rewards from American Express is a great offer. Know Your Credit Card Rights When you apply for a credit card, the application that you sign is also a legally binding contract laying out all the termsbetween you and the bank, such as the interest rate and how its calculated, the grace period, whether there's an annual fee, etc.While you have to agree to the terms and sign if you want the credit card and while the lender will certainly hold you to the terms, the lender doesn't feel similarly committed. Credit Repair Scam - How To Avoid Being A Statistic? A good credit history is critically important for the consumer. A bad credit will prevent you from getting a business loan, owning a home, or even a job. SuperCharged Secret 4, Credit Card Utopia YOU SCRATCH MY BACK, AND I'LL BUY SOME MORE BEER!Let's just take a brief moment to recap:If you've been following along on this journey with me, learning the 5 Super-Charged secrets to Credit Card Utopia, then you now know 3 very important things:You now know how to take advantage of zero to low interest credit card offers.You now know that there is safety in numbers, and you know the magic "Who's Who" of the major credit card companies. What You Didnt Know About Your Credit Card Numbers Have you ever really looked at your credit card and tried to figure out what that huge string of numbers really means? Do these card issuers have so many customers that your account number has to be 16 digits long?You may be surprised to know that all those numbers you see actually do stand for something, and it's not just who you are. Let's take a look. How to Dispute Credit Report Errors Your credit report--a type of consumer report--contains information about where you work and live and how you pay your bills. It also may show whether you've been sued or arrested or have filed for bankruptcy. Small Business Credit Cards So what do you look for when applying for a credit card for your small business? One thing is for sure, wasting money isn't an option because it can make or break your business. Things to look for are low interest rates and good customer service. Figuring Out the Ever Nebulous Numbers Called Credit Scores Credit Score FactorsThe information contained on our credit reports affect every aspect of our lives; including employment, insurance, and even interest rates (mortgage, credit cards, automobiles, etc.). Tips for Choosing a Credit Card Company Credit Cards are essential for any consumer today. However, when choosing a new credit card company, many people do not know what to look for. Credit and Banking Money Saving Services The first rule when applying for banking and credit services is to always read the fine print and to understand all of it. Read up, take it home, and analyze it, ask the banking manager questions.
|
| home | site map |
| © myfinancialsolutiononline.com 2007 |
