Is Identity theft something you should worry about?

YES!! Almost 9 million people in the US had their identity stolen last year. 45% of all identity theft cases are caused by stolen laptops and about 29% came from third party data leaks from business partners or outsourcing companies.

What can we do to protect ourselves?

· Don't carry extra credit cards, social security card, birth certificate or passport in your wallet or purse except when it is necessary
· Shred anything that has a signature, account number, social security number or medical or legal information…plus credit offers you get in the mail
· Keep a list of all your credit accounts and bank accounts in a secure place so you can quickly call the issuers to inform them about missing or stolen credit cards
· Never allow a merchant to put your social security number on a check that you right…legally, merchants are not allowed to ask for it.

What are some of the typical scams that people might run into?

· "Phishing" Scams…they usually show up In your email inbox with a message from the "system administrator" stating that something is very urgent…close that immediately
· Nigerian Email Scam…Someone emails you saying that they need to get 25 + million out of the country and they will pay you a few million to help them
· Auction Fraud…Someone puts a fake add on Ebay…lets you win the bid and you send in your money, but never receive your purchase
· You have won a prize scam…They want you to pay them money first

What can we do to cut down on the junk mail and credit card pre approvals?

· Call the credit bureaus main opt-out line…888-567-8688…this call takes about 30 seconds and it is well worth it. It will allow you to opt out of all credit related offers for two years and you can also opt out for life.
· There is also a Direct Marketing Association Opt-Out which will notify direct mailers that you do not want their information.
Mail request to: Mail Preference Service, P.O Box 282, Carmel, NY 10512