Protection Against Identity Theft: More Than Secure Finances

By Joe Winn

Protection against identity theft has been at a premium since the first time two humans faced each other back in the days of cave dwellings. In the past, identity theft was a simple disguise to physically resemble someone else, but in today's world, criminals have had to resort to more complex ways to leech off of hard working people.

The appearance of the battlefield may have changed - it's now the Internet - but the end result is the same: your finances, banking accounts, credit cards, and loans are all at risk. If you're not careful, you too could wind up with unasked for debt and even worse unless you put a stop to the thievery immediately.

A Huge Waste Of Time

If you are able to catch identity theft in the early stages, you might be able to stop any fraudulent payments before your accounts have been hurt. The good news is that, in this case, you've saved your money, but there's still some bad news.

First, if your account is frozen, that means that you too can't take anything out for a few days. In addition, you'll be required to change your account numbers to prevent unauthorized individuals from using this information to hurt you. There is plenty of stress hat comes from the violation of privacy known as identity theft, and it will hurt you emotionally, even if your pocket book is unchanged.

Small Charges Made To Your Accounts

When protection against identity theft fails, most people experience this category of offense. Their bank accounts and credit cards are compromised, and a selection of seemingly random transactions appear on their statements. The bank will probably be able to determine which are authentic and which aren't, but you'll still have to go through the trouble of having to change your numbers. Even then, you're probably going to be getting letters that your accounts are experiencing suspicious activity.

Millions of individuals lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in this way, year after passing year.

Major Financial Issues And Potential Lending Problems

One of the worst instances of identity theft is the thief that manages to snag all of your significant bank information and uses that knowledge to take out bank loans in your name. It's bad enough just thinking that someone could do that, but the repercussions of this will haunt you for years. When these loans aren't paid off, collectors will begin bothering you for payments you have no knowledge of, and eventually they'll tank your credit score if you don't take care of this fast enough.

Even if it wasn't really you doing the loaning, you'll still be held accountable and once your credit score is damaged, it stays damaged because your account is still unreliable.

Illegality

The worst of all these options is without a doubt using your money to finance illegal immigrant runs, drug trafficking, and more. These thefts are more personal, because they don't just affect your finances, but they affect who you are as a person and your status as a citizen who stays on the right side of the law. They can even wreak havoc on your medical files as new claims are made that you have never been to.

If protection against identity theft isn't working, then you must work hard to take care of this matter as quickly as possible to avoid long term effects. Protect your money, sure, but don't forget that by doing that you're also protecting yourself, your family, and your future. - 31381

About the Author:

Obtain protection against identity theft right now by choosing one of the many services available online to prevent these types of crimes. Make credit card fraud protection a high priority from an online site today and make sure that your finances and your family are secure without concerning yourself with ID fraudsters.

A Growing Problem Mortgage Fraud

By Adriana Noton

Mortgage fraud is a growing problem throughout the United States. You want you the equity in your home to be more than the loan on your property. With the boom in the housing market there are those who will try to take advantage of this situation and try to get a quick profit. Here are some mortgage fraud schemes you should be aware of.

The first is property flipping. This is when land is bought, wrongly appraised for a higher dollar value and then sold fast. The false appraisal information is what makes this kind of property flipping illegal. The illegal practice involves usually the following: fraudulent property appraisals, loan documents that have been doctored, inflating the income of the buyer, buyer kickbacks and kickbacks to investors, and property or loan brokers, and appraisers and to those who are working for the title companies.

For instance a house worth $30,000 may be appraised for $90,000 or more in this illegal practice. Then there is what is known as the silent second. This is where a buyer of land borrows the money for a down payment from the seller by the issuance of a second mortgage that is not disclosed. The primary money lender thinks the person borrowing is investing her own funds in the down payment.

But the fact is the funds are borrowed. The second might not be legally recorded so that the primary money lender does not know about it. Then there is the nominee loans; straw buyers. This is where the identity of the borrower is hidden and a nominee lets the borrower use his or her name and his or her credit report in the loan application.

There is also a stolen identity issue which may be put on the application. The applicant possibly is involved in an identity theft scam where the real person does not know his name, personal information, and credit history is being used on a loan application.

Then there is the inflated appraisal where the appraiser is colluding with the borrower and submits an appraisal to mislead the money lender. The appraisers report falsely reports the property inflated value. In a foreclosure scheme the wrong doer targets homeowners who might default on home loans or those already in the foreclosure process.

Wrong doers trick the homeowner telling him or her they can save their house if they transfer the deed and pay up front costs. The wrong doer makes money from these tricks by remortgaging the land or taking the money paid by the owner of the house. The three most common foreclosure scams are the phantom help, the bust out and the bait and switch.

In equity skimming an investor may utilize a straw buyer. Then use misleading income verification records, and misleading credit history reports to get a mortgage loan in the name of the straw buyer. Before the escrow close the straw buyer signs the land to the investor by quit claim deed giving over all property rights and gives no title guaranty. The investor makes no loan payments and leases out the land until the foreclosure happens many months later. - 31381

About the Author:

Having a well experienced criminal lawyer Fort Lauderdale is greatly beneficial to the case. A Fort Lauderdale criminal attorney will use their expertise to fight for your welfare, guaranteeing the best possible outcomes.

Tips to Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

By Kirk James

By now, every adult should know that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. It has become an epidemic, leaving everyone at risk, including children, adults, the elderly, those with good credit, bad credit, or no credit. And, to make matters worse, most people do not know if their identity has been stolen. The biggest misconception is that identity theft only affects or involves your credit. If you, too, believe that identity theft only affects or involves your credit, then you might want to keep reading.

The best advice for prevention is always keeping safety pointers in mind wherever you go. You may opt to create a wall for privacy and protection by filtering what information to share, when to share it and to whom it can be trusted to. The fact is, you must not trust anyone with fragile information since thieves of identity theft can be anyone close to you.

Identity theft has been increasing steadily as technology increases its capabilities. A family law attorney is aware of the many problems that can happen to you and has several tips that you should follow to keep you and your family members' identity safe. Even if you are leery of a family law lawyer, you will be very grateful to learn of the helpful suggestions provided to you in this article. Once you review these tips pass your knowledge onto those friends and family members that you care about so that they too will be safe from this highly increasing crime of identity theft.

How will you learn your identity has been stolen? Eighty- five percent learn the hard way. They apply for credit and it's denied. The collection agency calls trying to collect on past due bills for things they didn't buy. Only fifteen percent are lucky enough to have a business alert them through verifying an application or an address change.

The best way to deal with identity theft is to simply avoid it. This means taking some basic steps. Most of us have been trained to buy things with plastic. If you can, go with cash instead. Most of us can't, so at least try to use only credit cards. Debit cards have much less protection, so avoid using them with retailers and online like the plague. You are just asking for problems.

Identity theft protection is a very real issue that everyone faces these days. You have to be active in making sure your information stays safe from these parasites. Keep security software running, shred documents that have your personal information on them and use the credit monitoring services. Simple things can help you worry less about identity theft protection. - 31381

About the Author:

To learn everything you need to know about Mediterranean Sea cruises visit http://europeancruiselines.org/mediterranean-sea-cruises.php to find out more about European cruises of all kinds, including luxury and river boat cruises.

What Programs Are Being Sold For Protection Against Identity Theft?

By Felicia Butts

My brother's identity was stolen a few years ago. In less than a week, four different $300 charges materialized on his credit and his bank didn't make it easy for him to drop those items from his account. This time around wasn't too problematic, because the bank finally sided with my brother, cancelled the extra charges and gave him new numbers for his account.

The scary thing is that, even months later, there was still someone out there claiming to be my brother, and they even had his financial and personal information -- enough to get into serious trouble.

Thankfully, my brother was able to get beyond those problems, even though his credit still gets bothered by fraudulent charges every now and then. Luck was with him.

Losing your identity is one of the scariest things about being an interconnected, Internet based society. It's awful to lose piles of money and end up spending hours of frustrating phone calls trying to halt payment on inane purchases you never even bought. Businesses have stepped up to help protect the frightened people, and they are taking advantage of the fear to score serious cash. For a fee, you too can join in on the madness.

No Ability To Track Effectiveness

Protection against identity theft is not customer friendly; there is no possible way for customers to see how effective these service providers really are, or if they are improving computer security at all.

Most companies center their efforts around checking your credit score regularly so no charges can slip past you without you being aware of its presence. There's nothing complicated about reading your credit report -- you could do it too, for much cheaper, I might add. So, not counting this, what exactly do these businesses do?

There is no good answer to this question, which bothers every consumer who dares to pay these businesses money for theoretical security. Since there are no methods to tracking their actions, you have to accept everything they tell you as fact. The only way to measure their success is to consider if your identity has been stolen since you began working with them. If not, then it stands to reason that the new security must have paid off, right?

No. There are no guarantees.

Zero Features For Lots Of Money

The price of protection against identity theft can vary greatly with the number of features each program claims to offer. Not one company out there right now discloses exactly what features and services they provide in an explicit manner, which ones are premium and what comes in the package. Almost everything these companies will do for you, you can do for yourself.

Identity theft is certainly scary, and protection is important, but doing racking up bills through a third party company doesn't equate to safety and security. - 31381

About the Author:

Preventing identity fraud needs to be addressed seriously. If you want to stop worrying about it, learn more about how you can maximize your protection against identity theftand which services you can buy to assist you. Make sure to get all of your advise from reputable sources to be sure you get the honest truth.

Avoid Identity Theft in Several Simple Steps

By EveryCall

The Better Business Bureau has reported a massive increase in telephone calls from phony debt collectors, people or companies calling unsuspecting consumers claiming to be a collection agency and millions of people fall victim to identity theft every year.

Government agencies such as the FCC or FTC have reported an increase in consumer complaints about fraudulent telephone calls and identity theft. You can visit either the FCC or the FTC's official website to obtain up to date information about the techniques used by these fraudulent callers by clicking on the information section of each website. Additionally, the Better Business Bureau has a wealth of information about how to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft.

One recommendation is to ask the caller to call them back and then perform a lookup of the telephone number of the caller. That way you can review what others have said about the caller to help you confirm if they are a true agency or not.

It is also suggested that you do not provide personal information such as bank account numbers, social security numbers and other financial information over the telephone.

Never send money via wire transfers or make any other payment based solely upon a telephone solicitations, this is a common scam that millions of people fall victim to each year.

The next time you receive a telemarketing call or debt collection call, we hope that this article has helped you with some tips to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft. It is important to be skeptical of any telephone calls you receive until you confirm the identity of the caller. - 31381

About the Author:

The next time you receive a debt collector phone call or another call that you don't recognize, be sure to find out who calls you at EveryCall.us, a free service to lookup unknown callers and report telemarketers. Blackberry owners can download Call Control, the best blacklist application for Blackberry to block telemarketers and other spam callers quickly and easily.

Credit Card Generator Information

By John Case

It is first and foremost important to understand that using a credit card generator for purposes that are malicious in nature is definitely illegal. I am not condoning the use of credit card generators for any of the said purposes. This article is only meant to provide information on the generators.

What is a credit card generator? It is a piece of software that using mathematical algorithms in order to generate credit card information. These generators can be used for illegal purposes, such as buying goods with stolen credit information, but they also have legitimate uses.

How do individuals get access to credit card generators? The easiest way to get these generators is through illegal file sharing networks called p2p networks. These networks enable users to get other illegal stuff like video, music, and software. There is some legitimate software on these networks, but most of it is illegal.

Why would a person start using a credit card generator? Lots of people are short on cash and so they resort to something stupid like stealing. If you do not have enough money then you should look into getting another job and also work to reduce the amount of money that you spend. You wouldn't want someone stealing from you so why would it be ok for you to steal from them? Credit card fraud just isn't with it when you really think about it.

Some people use these generators for a laugh. This is a very stupid idea because you are risking your freedom. Stealing money is generally considered grand theft and this is a felony. A felony is punishable by jail time.

Other people use these generators just to prove it to themselves that they can. Some people feel the need to fuel their ego and they do not care who they hurt in the process. If you think you may be one of these people then the best advice I can give you is to find another way to feel this sort of happiness.

Who ends up paying for credit card fraud? Everyday people like you and me are the ones who pay in the end. Banks also experience losses, but they are able to cover these losses by charging consumers higher fees. Once again you can see that the everyday person losses at the end of the day.

What kind of punishment can you expect if you use a credit card generator? There was a recent UK case where a man was sent to prison for-- years for credit card fraud. Even if you think you will not be caught and will not go to prison it is not worth the risk. If you are caught it will go down on your permanent record and you will never be able to erase it. - 31381

About the Author:

Using a credit card generator download is not the method to resolve debt. If you would like more details on a credit card generator download then come see our site.

Beware of Affinity Fraud in the Forex Markets

By Tom K Kearns

At a very young age we were taught to look both ways before crossing the street, we were also told to pay attention to the cross walk guide, and the stop sign on the side of the buses that prevented us from crossing the street. In our older years we are still prompted to keep an eye on the predators that prey on us like the bully after our lunch money. Our concerns now are with money and internet scams.

Affinity frauds are like lions in the grass watching us like dinner. In the money markets, affinity frauds pounce on the identifiable and very specific groups, factions of religion, ethnicity, and demographics. It is a new type of fraud that is being watched closely in the Forex market. Playing in the field of predators, some brokers offer alleged investment opportunities to specific areas claiming affinity (likeness, similarity) towards them. Only to lure in a feeling of comfort to better the ability to reel them like fish to the hooked worm.

In a world of many peoples' the enormity of true connection is easily portrayed; via emailing, instant messaging and so on the quick and easy route to get things accomplished and get people connected is as effortless as watching ice cream melt in the son on a hot summer day. Individuals who are making investments with Forex brokers, or other types, need to be fully aware of this, and must carefully research the companies, regulators, and capital of their new found brokers, traders or investors.

Being legitimate is actually a typical move for these swindlers. They will have a few real customers and using that as collateral to fetch others by forming the bond, working hand in hand, and getting testimonials. For the "others" unfortunately, will be lead to a fraud that can lead to serious damages. The lack of notifying the authority is all too common in this situation; instead they try to fix issues within the group which leaves them shorthanded and alone.

Avoiding Affinity Frauds

1) The most important and first thing that should be done is to call and ask your state or provincial security agencies about the sales person, firm or company before investing ANYTHING. This simple maneuver can save most people a lot of money. See if the investment is allowed to be sold after asking if investor or company is registered. These investors do not care in any way for you and have a way with words so if they are not completely back away. DO your research.

2) Obtain written information from the investor on the procedures of the investment, risks of the investment, and procedures on getting your money out!

3) Ask for professional advice, from an attorney, accountant, financial planner; be it through a friend or you pay them, you are much better off.

4) Pay attention to testimonials dates. The investor's earlier people, that were legitimate, may have wonderful and enthusiastic things to say but later arrivals may not be so happy. Watch for repetitive names and out of the ordinary names. Be AWARE! - 31381

About the Author:

To learn more about Third Party Signal Providers visit Automated Forex Trading Systems.

Advertising Online - Top 5 Problems

By Doug Stewart

If you place an advertisement online, there are a number of potential problems which you should be aware of. This article discusses the most common ones and simple methods to avoid them.

1) Buyer does not pay

Perhaps the most common issue is buyers not paying. Before sending any product, ensure that you've received full payment, that the payment has cleared, and that it has been deposited in your account. This should be done for any payment type, including credit cards and cheques.

A similar issue is 'buyers' denying that they received goods and refusing to pay. Few of these claims are true, but unless one uses registered mail this is hard to prove. Although registered mail costs more, it does increase the probability of you being paid (or not having to give a refund).

2) E-Mail Theft

To place your onlilne advertisement, you will need to provide a contact EMAIL address. Unfortunately, there are various software programmes which collect EMAIL addresses from websites. They may get this direct from your advertisement, or breach the website security and steal it direct from the website databases. Alternatively, some programmes randomly complete the advertisement contact forms and send off messages, so that when you reply your EMAIL address can be collected from your reply.

Your EMAIL address will then be used for SPAM, fraud, or both. To prevent this, do not use your personal or business EMAIL address. Instead, get an address from one of the free EMAIL services and use this for the advertisement. When you no longer need the EMAIL, just delete it.

3) The Over-payment Refund Scam

In this scam, a buyer pays more than the price of the item and then asks you to refund the difference. For example, if an item costs $50, he may pay you $75 and ask you to refund the extra $25. There are many possible reasons that he may give for this, including that he overpaid by mistake.

The basis of this scam is that the original payment is fraudulent. For example, he may have sent a counterfeit cheque or used a stolen credit card or stolen PayPal details. When you send back the 'overpayment', the buyer will simply take the money and disappear, and you will find out later that the original payment is not good. To avoid this, never pay money to a buyer. Cancel the original payment (e.g. return the cheque or cancel the credit card payment) and ask them to make a new payment in the correct amount. Always wait until payments have cleared and are deposited in your bank account before providing goods or refunds. Even with a cashier's cheque (which are increasingly being forged).

4) Meeting in Distant City

This normally happens only on expensive items, such as real estate sales. The 'buyer' requires a meeting to finalise the deal, in a private setting (e.g. a hotel room) in a distant city. Depending on the exact scam, various things can happen if you go, such as your house being robbed while you are away or people trying to force money out of you when your are alone in private or an attempt to buy the item in cash (with counterfeit money).

To avoid this scam, ask yourself if the offer is reasonable. Someone who offers to buy your house simply from an online advertisement, without ever seeing it or even trying to negotiate the price, is unrealistic. Further requests, such as meeting in a far away city rather than locally, just add to the unreality of the entire situation. When meeting strangers, always do so in a public place (e.g. a restaurant) and never in an isolated area (e.g. a hotel room). If possible, have a friend with you rather than going alone. Find out who you are dealing with. Ask them their names, where they live and so on. If they are genuine people, they shouldn't mind telling you about themselves.

5) Theft of Identity Information

There are a number of scams which are designed to get your financial details. For example, a bank account number or credit card number, along with sufficient personal information to give them access to the bank account or credit card.

Banks and credit card companies often use personal information as account passwords. For example, when contacting them, they may ask for your birth date or your mother's maiden name. In combination with an account number, such basic information may allow someone to contact your bank or credit card company and pass themselves off as you.

People who practice such cons have developed a number of credible stories for why they need this information. They may suggest paying money direct into your bank account and request your details for this purpose. They may try to get personal information for 'administrative' purposes or through friendly chat.

It is best not to provide either financial information or personal information to strangers. Instead, use a payment method (e.g. cheque or credit card) which does not require that you provide this information. - 31381

About the Author:

Doug Stewart develops website advertising portals and his latest project is Horses for sale.

Security And Protection From Identity Theft

By Jean Nicholson

In having a protection from identity theft you feel safe and secured from scheming people who purposely bring havoc to your life by stealing your identity. Any interested person can always get protection from identity theft from reputable insurance companies specializing in this aspect. The insurance plans can also cover the entire members of the family. This is a very comprehensive coverage plan that can really offer you that peace of mind you need any time of the day anywhere you go.

It is reasonable to have a protection from identity theft which is very much needed nowadays. For as long as there are careless and negligent people, this thievery business is still on and will linger for as long as these perpetrators are still breathing. It is quite sad to note that these identity thieves are people who find great pleasure in defrauding other human beings.

The plan is very affordable compared to the tremendous loss that could occur when an identity is lost or stolen. An insurance plan concerning protection from identity theft comes in different schedules to suit to the individuals needs. It must always be borne in mind that a lost or stolen identity is hard to revive or regain. By the time such stolen identity is restored the damage that has been done is already disappointing.

What is most important is the fact that you can sleep soundly at night and wake up to another bright new day. In having a protection from identity theft you can take advantage of enjoying a good name and good credibility standing. In case you need to apply for a loan or credit card you can have the possibility of a good approval due to your high credit score.

You can always defend yourself with a security plan. There is nothing more rewarding than being sure that you have a plan that provides security. There is nothing more important than living in peace with the feeling of security especially with all people you love because you have protection from identity theft. - 31381

About the Author:

Identity theft has increased tremendously and many have become victims of this so-called crime. One way to secure yourself from becoming victims is to avail Protection From Identity Theft. This will protect you whenever this crime affects you and at the same time, there is early detection. To know more about this, simply visit http://www.identitytheftlabs.com.

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