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<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<> Internet Scambusters (tm) The #1 Publication on Internet Fraud http://www.scambusters.org By Scambusters Audri, Jim and Keith Issue #285 May 28, 2008 <>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<>~<> Note 1: Easily change your subscription information by clicking the link at the very bottom of this newsletter. Note 2: Please share this newsletter with 3 or 4 of your friends or colleagues who you think will benefit from it. Hi Scamdex, Today we recommend you begin by visiting this week's issue of Scamlines -- What's New in Scams? -- now. http://www.scambusters.org/scamlines/10.html Identity theft causes misery for millions of people every year. The nightmare gets worse when people don't know what to do to combat the crime if they are victims. Today, we highlight 7 of the most important things you must do to limit the damage caused by identity theft scammers. We explain who you need to notify and what documentation you must have. Plus, we've added some bonus tips on how to make the process go smoothly and keep your sanity! And before we begin, we encourage you to take a look at this week's most popular articles from our other sites: Identity Theft Protection Services: Are The Critics Right? http://www.identitytheftfixes.com/identity_theft_protection_services_are_the_critics_right.html Busting the Myths About Memory Improvement! http://www.mythbusters.com/busting-the-myths-about-memory-improvement.html Can Online Pet Medications Really Save You Money? http://www.consumersavvytips.org/can_online_pet_medications_really_save_you_money.html How to Make Good Photo Books Better http://www.photosharingnuggets.com/2008/05/how-to-make-good-photo-books-better.html Let's get started... <>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<> The 7 Things You Must Do If You Believe You Are A Victim Of Identity Theft <>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<>~<><>~<> Identity theft -- it's a moment we all dread happening. You get a credit card statement packed with things you didn't buy. Or a bill collection agency contacts you for overdue debts you didn't run up. Or you apply for a loan only to find what you thought was your great credit record has been wrecked. These are just some of the ways you might discover you're the victim of identity theft -- when someone steals your personal financial details, like credit card and Social Security numbers and then passes themselves off as you while they go on a spending spree or even assume your identity for employment. Once you get over the initial shock of discovery though, there are several key things you can do to limit the impact of the crime, to minimize your own personal financial loss and to get your credit record -- and your life -- back on the rails as soon as possible. We've compiled a list of 7 of the most important things you should do as soon as you know you're the victim of identity theft. This isn't legal advice -- we recommend you talk to your attorney if you are an ID theft victim. Nonetheless, here are 7 things to do as quickly as you can: 1. Tell the major credit bureaus -- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Call them or visit their websites. Don't rely, as some suggest, on one agency promising to tell the others. Request free copies of your current reports, telling the bureaus you think you're the victim of identity fraud. Ask them to issue a credit freeze or fraud alert and add a statement to your credit record. New credit can't be issued without your personal approval. 2. Tell the Social Security Administration if the thief has or may have access to your Social Security number. Call the SSA Fraud Hotline at 800-269-0271. If it's possible someone has used your identity to get employment, request and check your Social Security and Earnings Benefit Statement for jobs you've never had. Work with the SSA to unravel what has happened and correct your records. A new Social Security number is almost impossible to get. 3. Tell the Police. File an Identity Theft Report and make sure you get a copy that you can, in turn, copy and send to the credit bureaus and anyone who claims you owe them money. Sometimes these can be filed online. This is actually very important. Although you probably won't get much police action (sadly, ID theft is just too common a crime -- it happens to too many people every year and the police don't have the resources to follow through), there are two reasons filing a report is still important. First, if the police are able to find an identity thief, your report can be instrumental in prosecuting them. Second, you'll need the police report as documentation as you try to rebuild your credit. 4. Tell your bank, credit card or store card companies. Close accounts that have been tampered with. If in doubt, close it. Important: Insist they tag closed accounts with the word 'closed at customer's request'; other wording like 'card stolen' can affect your credit rating. Cancel any stolen checks. 5. File an ID Theft Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). They maintain a database of identity thefts. Download and complete the FTC's Identity Theft Affidavit here. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/affidavit.pdf Get it notarized. This is especially useful if someone has opened a new account in your name, rather than hijacked an existing account. The FTC website is a great resource for guidance on ID theft. http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/ 6. Tell everyone else: make sure to notify every single organization whose membership/ID cards, customer numbers or other property may have been stolen. These might include: - Your cell phone company - The DMV (for driver's license) - The US Postal Service (if your address is being used fraudulently) - The US State Department (for passports) - Your health insurer - Even your local library - Utility companies, city or county authorities (if your identity has been used to obtain their services) 7. Change all passwords and pin numbers on any accounts or cards you are 100% certain are not compromised. There are a number of other things you might want to do, depending on the circumstances -- like checking your house deed records or other documents where thieves may have forged signatures. Important: keep a written record of everything you do, everyone you deal with, the names of the people you speak with (always get their names), the dates and times you spoke to them, their phone numbers and any other reference numbers they give you. Ensure you have documentation for every disputed purchase or debt -- from the card companies and any creditors who say you owe them money. Keep all of these documents forever. And when the whole thing is over, go back to the credit bureaus and work with them to rebuild your credit record accurately if it has been damaged. Above all, follow these rules throughout the process: - Don't panic or lose your temper; you'll waste time. - Be prepared to spend a lot of time sorting things out; never give up; be absolutely meticulous. - If you know how the theft happened, take whatever steps are necessary to make sure it doesn't occur again. You can find more information on identity theft here. http://www.scambusters.org/identitytheft.html - Consider taking preventive action like subscribing to LifeLock or TrustedID. You can find our answers to our subscribers' 5 biggest questions about identity theft protection here. http://www.scambusters.org/identity-theft-protection.html With effort and a sprinkling of good luck, you can put this whole experience behind you and start anew, with your sanity intact and your finances in the recovery room. If your wallet or credit card was stolen, you can find additional tips here. http://www.scambusters.org/creditcard.html Time to conclude for today -- have a great week! - Please Check Out These Offers - They Keep Scambusters Free - - - - - - We Highly Recommend All of These Products - - - - - -----------==========**********O**********==========---------- Looking for a REAL Way to Protect Against Identity Theft? An identity is stolen every 2 seconds -- which is very scary. We've been searching for years for something (free or fee based) we could wholeheartedly recommend to our subscribers. And we've finally found it: LifeLock. LifeLock takes the worry out of identity theft: "We looked at a number of companies and found LifeLock had the best product for protecting people from ID theft plus much more. I wish we had found them before my wife and I recently became victims." - Bobby Joe Harris, Retired Chandler (AZ) Police Chief "I took all the precautions to fight ID Theft but never once thought about my son becoming a victim until he became one. Criminals don't care if you're 2 or 102, as long as they get what they want. "I have now turned to LifeLock to protect my children and only wish I would've known about LifeLock before this happened to my son." - Lisa Terwillegar, Hickory, North Carolina "I have dealt with the results of ID theft for more than three years and read about all the so-called solutions. Until LifeLock came along, I never thought I would see an answer to the problem. LifeLock can stop this crime!" - Paul Fairchild, Edmond, Oklahoma Find out how you can proactively protect your identity and make even your Social Security number useless to thieves. LifeLock is recommended by Scambusters.org. Get a 10% discount and 30 Day Free Trial when you use SCAMBUSTERS code. And be sure to find out about LifeLock's $1,000,000 guarantee. Visit: http://www.Lifelock.com/index.php?promocode=SCAMBUSTERS ----------==========**********O**********==========---------- ----------==========**********O**********==========---------- Are You Sabotaging Your Own Success? Most people do. No matter how close they come, something always seems to hold them back. Truly successful people know what it is, and how to defeat it without struggle. Do you? The good news is there is a simple approach almost anyone can use to make their life a smashing success. "Absolute magic! 'How to Control Your Destiny Through Your Attitude' provides the tools to help you create the life you want for yourself. 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It's fast, easy, and you do NOT need a lot of money to get started. This short report will show you everything you need to know to get started now. Visit now for details: http://scambusters.org/a/affiliatesuccessplan.html ----------==========**********O**********==========---------- ===== About Internet Scambusters - Administrivia Copyright (c) Audri and Jim Lanford. All rights reserved. To subscribe, visit: http://www.scambusters.org/ To remove yourself or change address options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?TAwMjEyctMzsDKyMjAystEa0zCwMbCzsTA== (you might have to copy and paste it into your browser) This will take you off the Scambusters list. To send us feedback, do NOT click 'Reply.' Instead, please use our Feedback Form located at: http://www.scambusters.org/feedback.html The information we have on file is: Your name: Scamdex Your email: mark@scamdex.com Please do not send vacation notices or other autoresponders to us. This may take you off the Scambusters list. Scambusters is a public service from Jim and Audri Lanford. Since Scambusters is a public service and we receive thousands of emails, we cannot answer individual emails. For more about our privacy and legal policy, see http://www.scambusters.org/privacy.html Lanford Inc. 197 New Market Center, #115 Boone, NC 28607 To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?TAwMjEyctMzsDKyMjAystEa0zCwMbCzsTA==