Prevent Identity Theft: http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/ Protecting Your Identity with Everything We've Got en Copyright 2012 Thu, 17 May 2012 09:20:43 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=5.11 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss These Identity Theft Games Can Help You Stay Sharp The concept of identity theft games may seem a bit odd at first glance, but when you get right down to it, they're nothing to laugh at. Not only can they help adults stay sharp when it comes to ID theft facts, they're a good teaching tool for young people, especially those just starting out in the workforce.

The federal government maintains a variety of online ID theft resources at OnGuardOnline.gov, including a couple of nifty games.

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/these_identity_theft_games_can_help_you_stay_sharp.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/these_identity_theft_games_can_help_you_stay_sharp.html Prevent Identity Theft Thu, 17 May 2012 09:20:43 -0500 Can Identity Theft Repair Companies Really Help? With 9 million new cases of identity theft reported each year, it was inevitable that specialized identity theft repair companies would soon appear to offer their services to the victims. While the help doesn't come cheap, to those traumatized by ID theft, their services can seem well worth the price. But are they really?

Let's take a closer look.

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/can_identity_theft_repair_companies_really_help.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/can_identity_theft_repair_companies_really_help.html Identity Theft Recovery Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:11:27 -0500 IRS Identity Theft Scams Nowadays, most people know that they need to be cautious in order to avoid falling prey to identity theft scams, especially online. But we also tend to pay close attention to missives we receive from the government, particularly the Internal Revenue Service.

It never occurs to most people that a scammer might be bold enough to risk the wrath of the IRS just to steal someone's identity. The purpose of this article is to dispel that dangerous illusion.

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/irs_identity_theft_scams.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/irs_identity_theft_scams.html Identity Theft Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:09:04 -0500 Debit Cards and ID Theft at the Gas Station By now, you probably know to avoid gas station identity theft by taking your credit or debit card receipts with you, and disposing of them properly. But even if you do everything right, you can still get zinged by a clever identity thief -- especially if you use your debit card at the pump.

It's bad enough that the oil companies hold you hostage. Why let someone steal your identity too?

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/debit_cards_and_id_theft_at_the_gas_station.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/debit_cards_and_id_theft_at_the_gas_station.html Identity Theft Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:02:55 -0500 The Identity Theft Red Flags Rule Most of us would agree that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, which is where the new identity theft "red flags rule" comes into play. These days, many businesses are required to inform you immediately if ID theft occurs during the implementation of their commerce.

That way, you can start working immediately on your identity theft fix, rather than finding out months or years later that someone's stolen your life.

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/the_identity_theft_red_flags_rule.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/the_identity_theft_red_flags_rule.html Identity Theft News Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:05:53 -0500 Creative Identity Theft: It's on the Rise While the same old methods of ID theft keep occurring over and over again -- because, sadly, they work like gangbusters -- we've seen some surprisingly creative identity theft methods become more prominent recently.

While ID thieves can be dumb, they're not always. Sometimes they're pretty darn smart. We don't say that because we admire them, but because it's critical for you to realize that a lack of ethics doesn't necessarily equal a lack of brains. You have to remain very, very careful, even in situations when you shouldn't have to.

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/creative_identity_theft_its_on_the_rise.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/creative_identity_theft_its_on_the_rise.html Identity Theft Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:12:47 -0500 Identity Theft Trends for 2011 and Beyond As we enter the second decade of the 21st century, a quick look at identity theft trends reveals that the pilfering of financial information is still one of our biggest domestic problems. There's good news, though: ID theft has dropped by 28% since 2009, so those public awareness programs just might be working!

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity_theft_trends_for_2011_and_beyond.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity_theft_trends_for_2011_and_beyond.html Identity Theft News Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:57:02 -0500 How to Dispute Credit Report Errors For many of us, the first hint of identity theft is a rash of credit report errors -- usually late notices or charge-offs for credit cards we don't even own. Setting the record straight is a difficult, time-consuming process, but you have to do it.

By law, credit reporting agencies must correct any inaccurate information when you point it out. But because they have to be very cautious before doing so, expect to have to jump through a few hoops first.

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/how_to_dispute_credit_report_errors.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/how_to_dispute_credit_report_errors.html Credit Cards Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:05:08 -0500 Identity Theft and Your Social Security Number Do you know where your Social Security Number is... or, more to the point, who it's with?

The truth is, most of us don't even know our SSNs by heart, and we don't take them seriously enough. Most of us see an SSN primarily as a form of identification, which it is - but more significantly, it's the form of ID that the government uses to track almost every aspect of your life.

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity_theft_and_your_social_security_number_1.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity_theft_and_your_social_security_number_1.html Identity Theft Thu, 15 Sep 2011 20:17:21 -0500 How to Get a New Social Security Number In a recent article, I outlined what you should do if your Social Security Number has been hijacked. But what if the identity thief has irrevocably ruined that number for you, by running up bills in your name or otherwise performing illegal acts? Can you get a new number to help limit the damage?

Yes, you can. But don't expect it to be easy, because the Social Security Administration is very reluctant to hand out an SSN if you already have one. That's understandable, because it messes things up all up and down the line.

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/how_to_get_a_new_social_security_number.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/how_to_get_a_new_social_security_number.html Identity Theft Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:27:49 -0500 Dispelling Common Fraud Myths We all know about fraud, but how accurate is our information? There are a surprising number of myths floating around, some of them so common they've become accepted 'knowledge' -- much to the experts' dismay! Are you falling for any of these common myths?

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/dispelling_common_fraud_myths.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/dispelling_common_fraud_myths.html Fraud Thu, 21 Jul 2011 10:58:20 -0500 Computer Tips to Protect You and Your Family Identity theft and computer tips go hand in hand. Sure, there are many methods of stealing someone's identity -- but online is the easiest and most common. That being the case you have to keep your eyes open wide and remember that as private as your computer feels, it's just like a window into your home: only as secure as you make it.

In fact, a window is exactly what your computer can be -- and without computer security tips, it could be a sliding window standing wide open with a sign that says 'come on in.' So if you want to protect yourself and your financial information from identity theft, take these computer tips to heart!

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/computer_tips_to_protect_you_and_your_family.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/computer_tips_to_protect_you_and_your_family.html Computer Tips Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:52:21 -0500 Identity Theft Recovery Tips and Resources There are few processes more painful than identity theft recovery. When you discover that you're an identity theft victim, it turns your entire world upside down. Who did this? How did they get your information? What else will they do with it, and what do they have access to?

Your world is upside down. Your most private information is now public. And worst of all, most victims of identity theft have absolutely no idea what to do next. Fortunately, you're not one of them. The fact that you're reading this article shows that you're already on the road to identity theft recovery.

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity_theft_recovery_tips_and_resources.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity_theft_recovery_tips_and_resources.html Identity Theft Recovery Thu, 19 May 2011 10:44:03 -0500 Facebook Phishing: A New Social Phenomenon For the last decade, phishing has become an increasingly troublesome aspect of the internet. With the advent of social networking websites like Facebook, it was only natural that identity thieves take advantage of the phenomenon.

Unfortunately, many of us structure much of our social lives around Facebook and include a lot of personal information on those sites. Obviously, we don't post our social security numbers or credit card information in our profiles, but once someone has access to your Facebook account, they can do a surprising amount of damage.

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/facebook_phishing_a_new_social_phenomenon.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/facebook_phishing_a_new_social_phenomenon.html Phishing Thu, 21 Apr 2011 10:38:00 -0500 What Is Identity Theft? It's almost impossible not to know about identity theft these days. But do you really know what it means? Many people know all about identity theft protection without really understanding what the crime is, what it consists of, and what it means.

Since knowledge is power, you should know everything you can about identity theft. Fortunately, all you have to do is keep reading!

]]> http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/what_is_identity_theft_1.html http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/what_is_identity_theft_1.html Identity Theft Thu, 17 Mar 2011 10:30:45 -0500