| 'Tis the Season for Financial Crimes Against Seniors
Not everyone is full of goodwill during the holidays. Unfortunately, the holidays are a prime time for financial crimes like identity theft, robbery and fraud -- and seniors are often the target."Consumers are reminded to shred, sign up, suppress and be sensitive," says Steve J. Bernas, President/CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois. To safeguard against financial crimes this holiday season the Chicago Better Business Bureau offers these timely tips for seniors and those who care for them:-- Hang on to your personal information. Do not give any personal information over the phone or Internet to an unfamiliar company or caller. This includes your credit card numbers, but also the credit card expiration date, your Social Security number, driver's license number, bank account numbers, and personal information, such as your mother's maiden name.
Identity theft makes couple helpless
CLIFTON -- Identity thieves are lurking this holiday season -- online and off -- so be on the alert. According to the Federal Trade Commission, as many as 10 million Americans a year suffer from identity theft. A person's identity is stolen when someone uses information such as name, Social Security number, or credit card number without permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. .
How to leave identity thieves out in the cold
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. � It could happen to you. Somebody swipes your Social Security number, then uses it to open a credit card in your name. Before you know it, you've become a victim of identity theft and have a pile of bills for things you didn't buy. Sylvia Coates has found a way to prevent that unpleasant scenario from happening by freezing her credit reports. ``I can't tell you how wonderful it is. I think it is the only foolproof way,'' she said. Coates, who lives in Orinda, Calif., applied for a credit freeze soon after that option become available in 2003, thanks to passage of a state law there that requires credit reporting bureaus to let consumers initiate a credit freeze. Having a credit freeze means that access to your credit reports and credit scores cannot be shared with potential creditors or lenders unless you give permission.
Shred-A-Thon Serves Important Role in Keeping Your Identity Safe
Person after person walked up to the monstrous truck, all carrying the exact same thing in their arms; boxes full of paper documents ready to be shred. The Triad S.A.L.T. Council of Montgomery County sponsored a Shred-A-Thon on Nov. 3, at the Christiansburg Recreation Center. The Triad S.A.L.T. is a council consisting of the local law enforcement and seniors in the community that agree to work together to reduce criminal victimizations of the elderly. Christiansburg Parks and Recreation’s Tammy Caldwell was in charge of public relations for the event. Caldwell said the main purpose of the Shred-A-Thon was to allow the citizens of Montgomery County the opportunity to shred documents that contain valuable information such as social security numbers, bank account information or any other personal information that could cause one to fall victim to identity theft.
EMBARQ Warns Customers: Don't Get Hooked by Phishing Scam
OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- EMBARQ (NYSE: EQ) is warning customers not to fall prey to a scam that could result in identity theft or loss of financial assets. The scam is called "phishing," and most often comes in the form of an email or phone call from a legitimate-looking/sounding source seeking personal information. "The victim receives an email or phone call that appears to have come from a legitimate company asking them to provide information such as bank account numbers, credit card numbers, account passwords, social security number, and date of birth so they can allegedly update their records," said Dallas Hayden, manager of Investigations and Law Enforcement Support at EMBARQ. "In reality, the message is from a scammer who is trying to steal the victim's identity," said Hayden.
Identity theft targets kids, and relatives often the perpetrator
While only a small percentage of identity-theft victims are children, the number is growing, and the impact on the victim's credit, confidence and relationships could be devastating. The crime can go undetected for years and is most commonly committed by a family member, according to a report released this week by the Identity Theft Resource Center, a San Diego nonprofit organization. Fortunately, simple precautions, such as keeping your child's Social Security number secret, can prevent some of the abuse. For instance, you can check your children's credit reports at credit bureaus to nip identity theft in the bud. .
Keep Grinch at Bay During Holidays With 12 ID Theft Tips of Christmas
With the holiday shopping season in full swing, and with the growing threat of ID theft looming, consumers may not know their identities could also be for sale. The intersection of commerce and cyber-crime could be a bumpy road for shoppers over the next month, so don't let the ID theft grinches steal your holiday cheer this year. "Wherever there's information about a person, whether it's retained by a retailer, bank, credit bureau or database, there's someone out there who has the ability to steal it," said Dan Clements, spokesman for ID Secure, a sophisticated new tool that uses leading-edge public records, Social Security number and credit card monitoring technology to fight identity theft. "The more difficult you make it for someone to rip you off, the less chance you have of becoming a victim of identity theft.
News 25 Investigation Finds Identity Theft Risk in Peoria County Clerk ...
Government officials are often the first to warn people about the dangers of identity theft.But there's a government office in Peoria County that's exposing people to the risk. Since learning from News 25 of that exposure, local legislative leaders are promising they'll take new legislation to Springfield next year. If you have ever had a court proceeding or violated the law in Peoria County...even something as small as a curfew violation when you were a teen...you could become susceptible to identity theft. Information regarding traffic and criminal offenses is public record...accessible on these computers in the courthouse. But those records not only include information on your case—for countless people there's your name, address, date of birth...and your social security number...personal information available for the public eye, and anyone can walk into the courthouse to access it.
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