Identity theft protection

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JOhnH

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I've always ignored all the ads for this because I feel like they are mostly hype and preying off of people's fears.

But my data was compromised at Target last year.
And a large hospital chain had 4.5 million ID's stolen.
Today I read UPS suffered a data loss,
and the list goes on.

There is a local outfit that claims to do a better job for less than the large, nationally advertised outfits like Lifelock.

So who do you trust?
What's the real danger vs hype.
Are these services worth while?
I do quite a bit of online purchasing; not as often as my wife, but my purchases are much larger.
What's the general feeling about this?
 
For starts, I keep NO personal information on my computer. Critical passwords such as bank must be keyed in.

That said, I closely watch my credit card statements for unauthorized purchases.
 
What they said. It ain't hard to have a computer spit up all the auto fill stuff.

I also only give my SS number to the social security folks, it no one else's business, same with my other critical info, I also pay cash most often, online I use paypal.

Quite a bit is hype, most folks are afraid of their own shadow.
 
One way you can prevent identity theft is by freezing your credit with the 3 credit companies. That way, nobody can take out a loan or mortgage in your name without your knowledge.

Credit card number theft is one thing but identity theft is much harder to fix.
 
The list grows:

United Parcel Service has discovered a computer breach at 51 stores, making Big Brown the latest retailer to lose customer data.

UPS said that the hacking had escaped detection at stores in 24 states, or around 1% of its locations. On the list of impacted stores is the Arena Boulevard UPS Store location. Click here for the full list of UPS locations impacted by the hacking.

At most stores, the malware attack occurred after March 26, and was eliminated by August 11.

No fraud has yet been discovered, UPS said, but customer names, postal addresses, email addresses and payment card information were compromised.
 
I don't worry much about credit card theft. If it happens you're generally not liable for the charges and it won't be more than your credit limit anyway.

Identity theft can be horrible though, as the usual pattern is taking out huge loans in your name. Honestly you can't do that much either. Every company/organization you've ever had to give it to probably has it on file. This is what the hackers are targeting- large databases of customer records. You are totally at the mercy of the security used by these organizations.... and in all honesty even the ones with good security get hacked sometimes.

Online purchases are probably more secure. Everyone hands their card right over to some essentially anonymous cash register operator who could be stealing that card number(it happens) without a worry. Oh and in most cases that card# gets stored in a database somewhere anyway(ahem, Target).

So you might as well just go online where it's only you and your own computer giving your number over an encrypted, secured, and verified connection to a server that will process your order. It's still going into a database somewhere but it's certainly not any worse than a store.

You want total security, then lock down your credit and buy everything with cash.
 
BigBadLou said:
One way you can prevent identity theft is by freezing your credit with the 3 credit companies. That way, nobody can take out a loan or mortgage in your name without your knowledge.

Credit card number theft is one thing but identity theft is much harder to fix.
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This is what I do, all froze up with the three agencies. After that keep an eye on statements, CC companies offer protection, IF TOLD about in a reasonable time frame.

There are details on freezing at clarkhoward.com. If you ever need a credit check, you have to 'unfreeze' yourself with the agency they use, not hard.
 
I don't see any way to stop at least credit card theft. Every time you go into a restaurant the waiter walks off with your credit card, baby simple to copy. Then they get your signature on the ticket. Then they might ask where you're from and get your zip or use observation to determine you are locals. With just a little google work they can take it further.

I focus on social security number protection and take my chances with credit cards. Lots of online shopping and no problems yet, knock knock.
 
A stolen credit card number with cvc code and zip code is worth like $300 on the black market. With that in mind, there is little you can do to stop folks from stealing them.
 
Just remember the passwords and where you put them!!;) We have a customer every couple months that has frozen their credit and they have no idea how to thaw it out! :mad2: It usually takes 24-48 hours if they don't remember their passwords, which almost none of them do! :dunno: We just usually put them in the car, if they had bad credit, they wouldn't have bothered to freeze it! :D


BigBadLou said:
One way you can prevent identity theft is by freezing your credit with the 3 credit companies. That way, nobody can take out a loan or mortgage in your name without your knowledge.

Credit card number theft is one thing but identity theft is much harder to fix.
Click to expand...
 
My best friend had his identity stolen...very difficult to resolve, it really makes it a mess when you need to apply for a loan for something. A couple of years after it happened, the FBI, I believe, busted the people involved.

I also had someone attempt to impersonate me by calling my credit card company and trying to get a credit card in my name sent to them. I had a $7000 charge on my card at the same time, which gave me a heads up that there was a problem. Those two events left me no choice but to freeze my credit with the three reporting agencies and I've left it frozen since. These guys and spammers/scammers are just pure scum.

Lastly, as far as I know, companies like Lifelock are pointless and simply freezing your credit with Experian, Equifax and TransUnion and then regularly checking your credit, should be just as good and will keep you in control.
 
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Steps to avoid theft:

Give your SSN only to government and only if they need it to provide you a service you must legally possess [driver license or other ID] or need [VA health care]. Do NOT mindlessly fill it in when at the doctor or anywhere just because they ask - does not mean you have to provide it.

Never use or possess a debit card. You want to pay cash? Then pay cash. Your debit card number gets compromised? Whose money gets stolen first? 'Nuff said.

Don't worry about your credit cards - the banks must legally limit your liability and because someone steals your number means nothing to you . . .

Lock your credit profile with all three agencies. Yes. You will have remember to release it when you want to apply for credit - but if your credit profile is locked no one will be able to open a credit card even if they have your id.

If you end up applying for credit anywhere and have to enter your SSN or fill out an application, if you end up NOT getting credit [as in your buy a car elsewhere] go get that application and shred it yourself . . .

Protect your ID as well. NEVER let anyone scan your driver license - they don't need the info in their system. Your name and address - fine - only if you need to buy meth precursors like Pseudophed - but there is no reason for anyone to scan your ID. I give people my US government Trusted Traveler ID now if they want a photo ID. It is government issued and has an expiration date - but worthless for any real purpose since the data is encrypted.

The same applies to any other ID.

Did I mention don't use a debit card and don't ever write a check except maybe to church. . . .

Protecting yourself from theft is not easy and requires diligence.
 
Some things I follow

NOTE: A large part of ID theft is physical mail being stolen or low level store clerks who have access to your info. Or via home burglary and records/checks get stolen.

1. Mail never comes to personal physical residence. It goes to a PO BOX. My first name initial and last name only. Non quasi-legal mail, (such as utility payments, bank mail, etc) my last name spelling is slightly different than my true, real, legal name. If my full name is Jeremy Michael Longhouse then my name on 95% of my mail is

J. Longhause

This helps filter obvious "BS mail" (to J Longhause incorrect spelling) from legit mail (court summons, card from grandma, bank statements).

2. FedEx / UPS packages to to my office, they allow it.

3. Credit Card statements reviewed regularly.

4. I have a pre-paid cell, no name on the account (buy it at wal-mart), for non-family, non-close friends cell use. Aka drop car at the dealer, they need a cell number. Restaurant, wait on a table, we will SMS you when your table is ready, etc.

5. When a store (Academy and Best Buy are famous for this) asks for zip code, decline it and decline "you phone number please". Telling them "I live overseas" works well

6. Internet, use HTTPS only for critical banking etc sites. Never wi-fi at public coffee shop etc.

7. Not listed in phone book.

8. Home phone hard-line is VOIP based from local big name cable TV company.

9. Know all my neighbors

10. Keep wallet / credit cards with me at all times

11. If at a restaurant with poor service, etc, pay cash. Don't need waiters jotting down my credit card info plus security code on back.

12. Anti-virus and firewall on all computers. If out of town or vacation, computers and router is unplugged from power outlets. Firefox and Chrome both used. No explorer

13. WPA on router.

14. All computers have password log-on home screens upon power-up

15. Strangers at door, selling stuff, I answer it (to show that a human is home) then I ask for their photo ID, and read their name outloud back to them. "Before I think about buying anything from you I need to see photo ID. We had some issues a while back in this neighborhood with solicitors" "So, you are Joe Smith, nice photo, haha, ok so tell me what you are offering". No ID or evasiveness, police is notified via phone call. The whole neighborhood pretty much practices this. Luckily we don't live in downtown Detroit and our department actually follows up on this. They have the time

16. I never use paper checks, ever. Stopped in ??? 2000, 2002. 10+ years ago

17. ONE credit card, via USAA.

18. If a place needs photo ID "on file" for some reason, I let them copy my passport. NOT my Drivers License.

Good Luck
 
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It would seem counter-intuitive that in order to have your online identity protected - one would give an online presence their identity.

At some point in the future we will surely see a headline: "Identity protection services go bankrupt, and sell off inventory including servers containing over 3 million identities. Although the primary data base files are encrypted, the encrypted host with key vault and keys was also sold."
 
You can use one of the protection agencies but frankly, the viability of their service is overrated as a PROTECTIONS side. Their biggest asset is they let you KNOW when things are happening. Fortunately, the only alert I got was a "someone else is using your SSN" alert. Amusingly, it was me. One of the cards I applied for came issued in my First and Middle names (without my last name). I have no idea how that was even possible (might account for the low credit limit on that account).
 
comanchepilot said:
Steps to avoid theft:

Give your SSN only to government and only if they need it to provide you a service you must legally possess [driver license or other ID] or need [VA health care]. Do NOT mindlessly fill it in when at the doctor or anywhere just because they ask - does not mean you have to provide it.

Never use or possess a debit card. You want to pay cash? Then pay cash. Your debit card number gets compromised? Whose money gets stolen first? 'Nuff said.

Don't worry about your credit cards - the banks must legally limit your liability and because someone steals your number means nothing to you . . .

Lock your credit profile with all three agencies. Yes. You will have remember to release it when you want to apply for credit - but if your credit profile is locked no one will be able to open a credit card even if they have your id.

If you end up applying for credit anywhere and have to enter your SSN or fill out an application, if you end up NOT getting credit [as in your buy a car elsewhere] go get that application and shred it yourself . . .

Protect your ID as well. NEVER let anyone scan your driver license - they don't need the info in their system. Your name and address - fine - only if you need to buy meth precursors like Pseudophed - but there is no reason for anyone to scan your ID. I give people my US government Trusted Traveler ID now if they want a photo ID. It is government issued and has an expiration date - but worthless for any real purpose since the data is encrypted.

The same applies to any other ID.

Did I mention don't use a debit card and don't ever write a check except maybe to church. . . .

Protecting yourself from theft is not easy and requires diligence.
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That is all good advice. But as a business owner that often has to accept checks, I have a a bit of a problem with the statement about never letting anyone scan your driver's license. That is good advice, but if you refuse to let a business scan your DL, then you don't have a right to demand they accept your check. I have lost several thousands of dollars from bad checks. But the very few that have bounced on people who's ID I copied were all made good. When I tell people that I won't cash a check without making a copy of their license, they usually come up with another form of payment. This one procedure has done more to stop bad checks than anything else.

I'd love to stop taking checks altogether but I still have a lot of good, long term clients that pay with checks. If I let them pay with check without copying their license but not others I am opening myself up to a discrimination suit. So I require a copy of a current DL in my file for every person that writes me a check. If they refuse that's fine by me. I hate taking checks.
 
JOhnH said:
I've always ignored all the ads for this because I feel like they are mostly hype and preying off of people's fears.

But my data was compromised at Target last year.
And a large hospital chain had 4.5 million ID's stolen.
Today I read UPS suffered a data loss,
and the list goes on.

There is a local outfit that claims to do a better job for less than the large, nationally advertised outfits like Lifelock.

So who do you trust?
What's the real danger vs hype.
Are these services worth while?
I do quite a bit of online purchasing; not as often as my wife, but my purchases are much larger.
What's the general feeling about this?
Click to expand...

A few years ago I got a call from my cc company saying someone is on the phone trying to obtain a new card and earlier in that day the same person requested statements and an address change in the automated system. I actually got to listen to the phone call take place to see if I recognized the voice. I did not but it sure made me mad and sick at the same time that this person was giving my ssn, mothers maiden name, and my current address! I was furious! I went to the local cops and long story short it was found to be an airman in my old squadron in Alaska who got my info. Needless to say he is no longer in the military but I was and am still scared my info could be still out there.

Since then I freeze my own accounts with the credit agencies and split my free credit reports ups every three to four months months so I always am seeing one. Everything that life lock can do you can do as long as you remember to reactivate the freezes when they expire. And those companies only warn and protect against identity theft NOT stolen credit card charges. So I say save your money and do it yourself cause I don't trust them either.
 
I don't show my driver's license to anybody other than the cops....and perhaps the TSA.

The driver's license number has become the de facto identification number for online banking (try creating an online bank account without one) since people learned to be paranoid about their SSN. There's no way I'm showing it to some minimum age kid to buy something. It's actually against their merchant agreement to require it for credit cards.
 
Why are people so surprised that you can get publicly available information about them? Heck for a small processing fee I can get any traffic ticket or criminal record you have, pretty much everywhere you've lived, family connections, cars you've owned, etc, etc... it's public data. Only thing that's new is you used to have to drive to a court house for some of this stuff, now it's in searchable databases online so it's easier and more cost effective for the identity thieves.

Heck, I use a handle instead of my real name on internet forums so that people can't put my name in google and find everything I've ever said. However, anyone on this forum can get my full name, address, and phone number quite easily. Hint... I've posted pictures of my airplane. Ever seen a few amateur internet detectives go after someone who committed fraud or some other bad act on an internet forum? Holy crap, you can find everything if you actually put your mind to it.

My only advice is when someone asks for your mother's maiden name or some other easily found piece of information for security lie. Make something up that you will remember but someone looking you up would never guess. The only trick is that of course you have to remember what answer you made up...
 
flyingron said:
I don't show my driver's license to anybody other than the cops....
Click to expand...

same here.

and perhaps the TSA.
Click to expand...

nope, not even them. Long story as to why, involves one of them trying to memorize the address.
The driver's license number has become the de facto identification number for online banking (try creating an online bank account without one) since people learned to be paranoid about their SSN. There's no way I'm showing it to some minimum age kid to buy something. It's actually against their merchant agreement to require it for credit cards.
Click to expand...

It's more than that - Federal regs essentially require that banks take it & note the identifying info. Sometimes a passport is required, too. SSN is required for tax purposes. In-person and online banks both. Thank you Patriot Act.

Best thing you can do is get a US Passport card. It's not too expensive, has your photo, and no address. Works fine at TSA. Works for many ID purposes (though some bars, etc, don't like it until you ask a manager to get the ID book). States have cracked down - a lot of stores (including Wegman's) won't sell beer or wine unless you show an ID, even if it is obvious that you're 50+.

I got walked from a Hampton Inn a couple of years ago by a desk clerk that refused to give me my reserved room because I didn't show my DL. Offered the passport card, he refused on that & wouldn't call a manager (claimed city code required it even for credit cards - he got mad when I pulled up the city code on my phone and showed it was for "cash only" and "some form of government-issued ID". Given that I've had identity theft a couple of times directly from front desk clerks at hotels, I'm just as glad that he walked me as it avoided another theft. He did nothing to help find another room, but Marriott came through very quickly.
 
the best photo ID is passport.

DL is dangerous. 98% of America's credit card billing address is same as the Drivers license, and especially in the smaller towns (IE NOT Los Angeles basin), the person "requsting ID" only needs to memorize the street address as the zip may be guessable or in really small towns, the same zip for the whole city. As above person, for example, waiter, walks away with the physical credit card, he can copy the number down, the EXP date, etc.

Heck, he can PHOTO it wil his I-Phone, front and back, to include signature.

Now he has a billing address, and everything he needs, to do some online shopping or sell the info to a third party who buys 20 bus tickets for their Guatemalan relatives

Passport is a good photo ID.

on a side note, your license plate address is discoverable in almost all DMV's by appearing in person and paying some sort of processing fee, usually $10 or so, and they will look up the license plate and print it out to you. This is not widely known but something to think about, as any Tom Dick or Harry can recover it. Be careful when you decide to flip a guy off or engage in road rage. Or some nut job falls in love with your wife
 
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