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Guard Against Identity Theft
Published Monday, November 17, 2008
Gail Childs
This may be the season for giving, but for identity thieves, the holidays are a pretty good time for taking – and what they take may belong to you.
t card companies won’t hold you liable if someone steals your card or number, provided you report the theft right away. Of course, you should still be careful with your credit card. Don’t pull it out from your wallet or purse until the moment you’re going to use it, pay close attention to how it’s used and get it back right away after it’s used. And try to shield it from all other shoppers’ view.
Apart from these basic safety tips, what else can you do to avoid identity theft or rectify it after it occurs? Here are a few ideas to consider:
n Use secure sites when shopping online. Before you give out your credit card number to make a purchase on the Internet, make sure you’re on a secure site - one that begins https://. (The "s" stands for "secure.") Also, the site should display a small lock or other security seal.
• Guard your personal information. Some studies have found that nearly half of all consumers carry their Social Security cards in their wallets. Don’t make that mistake. Also, it’s not a bad idea to periodically change the PIN number on your cash card.
• Don’t carry around extra cards. Carry only the credit and cash cards that you will need for any given shopping trip. The more cards you carry around, the greater the risk that one of them could fall into the wrong hands.
• Check your bank statements. These days, it’s easy to check your bank statement online - and you should do so at least a few times a month. If you find a transaction that looks unfamiliar or questionable, don’t hesitate to call your bank to find out more details.
• Contact a credit reporting agency. If you think you’ve been the victim of identity theft, contact one of the major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Once you contact one of these agencies, all three will add a fraud alert to your record. This alert may make it more difficult for identity thieves to open a credit card account in your name; however, fraud alerts usually only last about three months, so you will need to regularly monitor your credit report for suspicious activity.
By following these suggestions, you can go a long way toward protecting your identity and enjoying a safe, secure holiday shopping season.
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Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by metasonics (anonymous) on November 30, 2008 at 5:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
all these are great suggestions but also sit down an look over your monthly statements for any transactions you don't remember making. aside from identity theft there are many companies that bill you each month for something you should have only been billed for once.
never be afraid to scrutinize your billing statements, they are not always accurate!
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