Identity Theft- Credit Card Theft Protection and Prevention

If you haven't been keeping track of your credit card statements and your credit report, then you could be in for a surprise. It’s not that hard for someone else to apply for a credit card, pretending to be you, or to get the number of a card you already have and start buying things with it. Then, of course, they get free money, and you’re left with the debt, not to mention the black marks against your name when it doesn't get paid back.

Remedying the Effects of Identity Theft by Credit Card

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your name, Social Security number, date of birth, or other identifying information, without authority, to commit fraud. For example, someone may have committed identity theft by using your personal information to open a credit card account.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you specific rights when you are, or believe that you are, the victim of identity theft. Here is a brief summary of the rights designed to help you recover from identity theft.

1. You have the right to ask that nationwide consumer reporting agencies place “fraud alerts” in your file to let potential creditors and others know that you may be a victim of identity theft. A fraud alert can make it more difficult for someone to get credit in your name because it tells creditors to follow certain procedures to protect you. It also may delay your ability to obtain credit. You may place a fraud alert in your file by calling just one of the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies. As soon as that agency processes your fraud alert, it will notify the other two, which then also must place fraud
alerts in your file.

An initial fraud alert stays in your file for at least 90 days. An extended alert stays in your file for seven years. To place either of these alerts, a consumer reporting agency will require you to provide appropriate proof of your identity, which may include your Social Security number. If you ask for an extended alert, you will have to provide an identity theft report. An identity theft report includes a copy of a report you have filed with a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, and additional information a consumer reporting agency may require you to submit.

2. You have the right to free copies of the information in your file (your “file
disclosure”). An initial fraud alert entitles you to a copy of all the information in your file at each of the three nationwide agencies, and an extended alert entitles you to two free file disclosures in a 12-month period following the placing of the alert. These additional disclosures may help you detect signs of fraud, for example, whether fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name or whether someone has reported a change in your address. Once a year, you also have the right to a free copy of the information in your file at any consumer reporting agency, if you believe it has inaccurate information due to fraud, such as identity theft. You also have the ability to obtain additional free file disclosures under other provisions of the FCRA.

3. You have the right to obtain documents relating to fraudulent transactions made or accounts opened using your personal information. A creditor or other business must give you copies of applications and other business records relating to transactions and accounts that resulted from the theft of your identity, if you ask for them in writing. A business may ask you for proof of your identity, a police report, and an affidavit before giving you the documents. It also may specify an address for you to send your request.
Under certain circumstances, a business can refuse to provide you with these documents.

4. You have the right to obtain information from a debt collector. If you ask, a debt collector must provide you with certain information about the debt you believe was incurred in your name by an identity thief – like the name of the creditor and the amount of the debt.

5. If you believe information in your file results from identity theft, you have the right to ask that a consumer reporting agency block that information from your file. An identity thief may run up bills in your name and not pay them. Information about the unpaid bills may appear on your consumer report. Should you decide to ask a consumer reporting agency to block the reporting of this information, you must identify the information to block, and provide the consumer reporting agency with proof of your identity and a copy of your identity theft report. The consumer reporting agency can refuse or cancel your request for a block if, for example, you don’t provide the necessary
documentation, or where the block results from an error or a material misrepresentation of fact made by you. If the agency declines or rescinds the block, it must notify you. Once a debt resulting from identity theft has been blocked, a person or business with notice of the block may not sell, transfer, or place the debt for collection.

6. You also may prevent businesses from reporting information about you to consumer reporting agencies if you believe the information is a result of identity theft. To do so, you must send your request to the address specified by the business that reports the information to the consumer reporting agency. The business will expect you to identify what information you do not want reported and to provide an identity theft report.

Identity Theft Secrets

Feds Indict 11 in Biggest Ever Identity Theft Case

View Original Article Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:37:57 -0500
As a follow up to our original 2007 story on the Identity "Theft to the Maxx" large scale data breach effecting 40 million consumers, a federal court this past week charged a fraud gang responsible...

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Feds Indict 11 in Biggest Ever Identity Theft Case [Flickr]

View Original Article Sat, 09 Aug 2008 05:27:48 -0500

IdTheftSecrets posted a photo:

As a follow up to our original 2007 story on
the Identity "Theft to the Maxx" large scale
data breach effecting 40 million consumers,
a federal court this past week charged a fraud
gang responsible for data breaches involving
nine major retailers.

BoNY 4.5 Million Consumer's Data Loss

View Original Article Sat, 31 May 2008 14:40:51 -0500
This just in from the "when will they ever learn" file. The Bank of New York (BNY Mellon) waited 8 weeks after the Connecticut legal requirement to inform the public of this very serious data loss...

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Identity Theft - Google News

Con Artist Pleads Guilty to Stealing Missing Woman's Identity to ... - FOXNews

View Original Article Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:34:57 GMT

Con Artist Pleads Guilty to Stealing Missing Woman's Identity to ... FOXNews - 14 hours ago A woman accused of stealing a missing South Carolina woman's identity to get into an Ivy League school has pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft ... Reed admits to ID theft, faces 47 years Greenville News Woman pleads guilty to stealing South Carolina ID The Associated Press Schools to receive Sarasota Herald-Tribune KPAX-TV - The Associated Press all 216 news articles

AAA Miami Valley Selects LifeLock(R) as Identity Theft Protection ... - MarketWatch

View Original Article Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:33:42 GMT

AAA Miami Valley Selects LifeLock(R) as Identity Theft Protection ... MarketWatch - 16 hours ago Around the world, AAA offers discounts at more than 150000 merchant locations and has added LifeLock as its premier provider of identity theft protection ...

One Person Arrested in Alleged Nursing Home Identity Theft - MyFox Atlanta

View Original Article Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:02:04 GMT

One Person Arrested in Alleged Nursing Home Identity Theft MyFox Atlanta, GA - 9 hours ago Ferrer was charged with six counts of felony Exploitation of a Disabled Adult and six counts of felony Financial Identity Fraud. Ferrer is currently being ... Alzheimer's ID Theft WCTV all 12 news articles

Yahoo! News Search Results for identity theft

Marrero man booked on identity theft charges (St. Tammany News)

View Original Article Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:39:38 GMT
For the second time this year, the Slidell Police Department has made an arrest in an identity theft case.

AAA Miami Valley Selects LifeLock(R) as Identity Theft Protection Solution (Centre Daily Times)

View Original Article Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:53:49 GMT
LifeLock(R) CEO Todd Davis announced today a partnership with AAA Miami Valley, offering LifeLock's proactive identity theft protection service to over 170,000 club members at a discounted rate. Around the world, AAA offers discounts at more than 150,000 merchant locations and has added LifeLock as its premier provider of identity theft protection services.

AAA Miami Valley Selects LifeLock(R) as Identity Theft Protection Solution (Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance)

View Original Article Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:31:00 GMT
TEMPE, Ariz.----LifeLock® CEO Todd Davis announced today a partnership with AAA Miami Valley, offering LifeLock?s proactive identity theft protection service to over 170,000 club members at a discounted rate.