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This page is to help victims of Identity Fraud for free. The purpose is to assist others who have experienced identity fraud with information they can use. As victims of fraud ourselves (the writers of this article), we hope some of this information will help you.
Identity theft and identity fraud are crimes in which someone obtains and uses another individual's personal information in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain.
SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT SHOULD TRIGGER YOU TO CHECK YOUR DETAILS:
You apply for a credit card and are turned down because of a low credit score, yet you know that you’ve always paid your accounts on time.
A debt collector calls to demand payment on a six-month overdue account for a credit card you have never had.
You receive a credit card in the mail that you’ve never applied for.
What’s happening? You could be the victim of identity theft, where an impostor is using your personal information to obtain credit. Then when the thief does not pay the bills, the company itself or a debt collection company contacts you to demand payment. As a result, your credit report is likely to contain negative information about your bill-payment history, and your credit score has probably been lowered considerably, making it difficult or impossible to obtain new credit yourself.
Identity theft - how can it happen?
Identity theft happens in a multitude of ways. It can range from somebody using your credit card details illegally to make purchases over the internet or telephone, through to having your entire identity assumed by another person. This could be to open bank accounts, take out loans, make tax returns and conduct other business illegally in your name. Identity theft can happen easily.
Most often you will not even know you are a victim until well after the event has transpired, along with this the perpetrator may be known to you personally.
What are the costs?
With the rise and spread of globalisation, identity fraud has become one of the fastest growing crimes in the world. The rapid development of new technologies, telecommunications and internet access, and the growth in trade and the deregulation of financial markets have extended the reach of international fraudsters.
How does a thief gain information?
Despite your best efforts, a determined thief may still be able to access your personal information. Here are some ways this can happen:
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Your wallet or purse contains personal information such as your licence, credit and ATM cards, Medicare card and other personal documents, that may be stolen.
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Your home is burgled and your personal information and documents, or those of close family members, may be taken.
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Many important documents are posted to you and can be stolen from your letterbox. For example, bank and credit card statements, new cheque books, ATM and credit cards, taxation returns or cheques, or pre-approved credit card offers. You may be unaware that these were sent to you if they do not arrive.
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Your mail may be diverted to another address. It is simple for a thief to use a false identity and fill in a change of address form.
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Your rubbish (or that of businesses you have dealt with) may be searched. Information found in the garbage could provide a thief with a head start in stealing your identity.
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You may be the victim of a scam and be conned into providing personal information over the telephone or by email.
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Your personal computer may be hacked into, or hackers may get into the computers of businesses that hold your personal information.
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Your ATM or Electronic funds transfer point of sale (EFTPOS) transactions may be monitored by hidden devices or seen by the person next in the queue. Your password or PIN may be noted for subsequent unauthorised use.
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Your personal information may be stolen and used or sold by employees of legitimate businesses: for example, credit card skimming at retail outlets or restaurants (Credit card skimming occurs when your credit or EFTPOS cards are secretly 'skimmed 'with a small device that copies the information on the card 's magnetic strip. Your information can then be transferred to a blank credit card to be used without your knowledge).
What you can do:
Use Security Scans an anti Spyware tools to check your machine
Free - download >>>
Preventing Identity Theft
While it may never be possible to stop identity theft entirely, there are a number of very simple safeguards you can take to protect yourself from becoming a victim of this type of crime:
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Order a copy of your credit report regularly
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Place passwords on important accounts
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Secure your personal information
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Don't carry personal information unless you have to
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Destroy personal information before disposal
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Avoid giving personal information out over the phone, by mail, or on the Internet
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Secure your mail
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Check your billing and account records regularly
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Limit the amount of credit you have in accounts
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Write cheques and fill out forms carefully
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List all account details
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Remove your name from mailing lists
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