There’s an article on Wired on MSN with help on stumping would-be identity thieves:
“… several tools are available now to individuals that reduce their risk of identity theft, according to Hoofnagle and Tom Fragala, a volunteer with the Identity Theft Resource Center who is working on a free, do-it-yourself credit-monitoring and identity-theft recovery service.”
- Opt out of credit card offerings by calling 888-5OPTOUT (888-567-8688).
- Check your credit reports frequently with a free credit report once a year.
- Put a one-year credit alert on your credit reports.
- Review your finance-related statements monthly.
- Place a 90-day fraud alert on your credit reports – I’ve found that some credit agencies will extend thsi to a year if you have been victimized.
- If you have been a victim of identity theft, file a police report and contact the credit reporting agencies.
- Don’t use your full Social Security number as your ID, and be careful where and when you provide the full number.