Focus On The Family: Identity Theft Archives

July 29, 2007

What Are The Early Indications You May Be An Identity Theft Victim?

If you have lost important identity or financial documents, such as your credit card, you are immediately at risk of identity theft. Your passport or driver’s licence, or your social security number details, may enable an identity thief to pass himself off with your identity. Your credit card may enable a thief to undertake financial transactions in your name.

If your mail appears to be getting tampered with that may be an indication an identity thief is active. If your bank or credit card statements are not arriving as normal your alarm bells should certainly start to ring. A common identity theft tactic is to intercept these statements to delay your ability to see what is happening to your financial affairs.

A strong sign of identity theft is when bills begin to arrive for purchases you have not made. Keeping these from your attention is another reason why identity thieves may take a close interest in your mailbox.

Your mail, or part of it may have been redirected to another address, either through a redirection order being lodged in your name with the postal service, or by notifying a change of address to the people sending mail to you, especially your bank. If you suspect something is wrong with your mail deliveries, check whether this has happened.

If bank and credit card statements and bills are being intercepted in this way, there are other subtle signs of a developing problem that may still get through, such as thank you letters, receipts and follow up promotions from companies you have had no contact with.

The first really serious indication you may hear of a growing debt problem is when credit managers, financial institutions, debt collectors or solicitors try to contact you. This may be by telephone if your mail is still being tampered with.

You may encounter unexpected problems with financial services, such a hire purchase, loan, credit card or mortgage application that indicates your credit status has deteriorated. You can order a copy of your credit file from credit reference agencies to see whether it shows dealings with companies and transactions that you have no knowledge of.

You may be turned down for a state benefit of some kind or social security payment on the grounds you are already receiving it – because an identity thief has already claimed it in your name.

You may find that someone has taken out a mobile phone in your name, possibly signing up for an expensive contract.

As soon as you feel there is sufficient evidence of an emerging problem you should initiate a review of your financial affairs, and begin talking to unfamiliar companies that seem to think they are doing business with you. The earlier you can detect identity theft and take action the less damage will be done to your reputation.

- Leon Edward

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Leon Edward also provides a FREE Identity Theft Prevention Checklist and provides information online on identity theft prevention at his website
Identity Theft Protection

Leon Edward also provides parents a free report of online child predators at http://www.ChildPrivacyOnline.com

Leon Edward is an Independant Associate of Identity Theft Shield (tm.) where you can find protection for your family from Fraud Thieves. Learn more Leon Edward , Identity Theft Protection and Affordable Legal Services at
Identity Theft Protection Guaranteed | Family Prepaid Legal Services

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July 21, 2007

What is Identity Theft?

We are all proud of our name, our reputation and our accomplishments. We are each unique. We each have our very own distinct identity.

We have all been annoyed when someone took the credit for something we did. It might have been a misunderstanding by the coach, teacher, parent or boss that caused the problem, more than the other person who got all the praise. You are just annoyed that they bask in the glory of the moment when you think they really should turn and deflect at least some of the credit on to you. You soon learn its part of life, and to “just get over it” and move on. It usually doesn’t really matter in the bigger scheme of things.

The problem becomes much more serious when your identity is not just borrowed for a moment, but is actually deliberately stolen and used for profit by someone else. Worse, there may be serious consequences for you personally. You may incur financial losses. You could have a black mark placed against your reputation, socially, in your work place, when you want to access credit in future, or even legally in the form of a criminal record.

You could face severe difficulties just getting on with the routines of your life. Insurance, bank and lending companies may not wish to do business with you, or impose tough terms. You may find it difficult to get a job. It may be difficult for you to rent a home. Foreign countries may not admit you as a visitor if the records show you are a criminal. You could face big bills from having to engage identity theft lawyers to protect your reputation.

You may well have every right to feel aggrieved. These kinds of identity theft are crimes, and you become a victim of crime. Nevertheless, the processes to recover your losses and put your reputation right will probably move very slowly, and perhaps at great emotional cost and financial expense to you. And this process will take place for you at a very intimate and hurtful personal level, because it is your personal reputation that is at stake.

The problem for those in authority is deciding who, in fact, is the perpetrator of identity theft - you or the thief. Put yourself in their position: both you and the identity thief seem to be the same person. We all have rights, even thieves pretending to be you, and we are all assumed to be innocent until proven guilty under our legal system. Until you or an investigator can show clear evidence one way or the other, and until those in authority accept you are the “real” you, and what you have or have not done, then you may feel under suspicion as the thief yourself. You may find it necessary to engage an identity theft attorney. Expect to be somewhat frustrated as the wheels of justice slowly grind away to sort out these questions. And expect it may take several years to fully clear your records of the damage an identity thief can do to your reputation.

It is very wise to take what measures you reasonably can to prevent your identity being stolen in the first place.

- Leon Edward

http://www.focusonthefamilyblog.info
Family News , "Best of Web" Articles, Tips Daily on the Topics Your Family Loves: Hobbies, Relationships, Music , Educaion, Career, Sports, Parenting, Life, Love, Career, Self Improvement, Vacation, Travel...

Leon Edward also provides a FREE Identity Theft Prevention Checklist and provides information online on identity theft prevention at his websites
Prevent Identity Theft | Indentity Theft Information

Leon Edward also provides parents a free report of online child predators at http://www.ChildPrivacyOnline.com

Leon Edward is an Independant Associate of Identity Theft Shield (tm.) where you can find protection for your family from Fraud Thieves. Learn more Leon Edward , Identity Theft Protection and Affordable Legal Services at http://www.preventidentitytheftfraud.com/about.html

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