Blog / Tips
Privacy-friendly Search Engines
Jun 30, 2008 by Tom Fragala
Most of the leading search engines like Google, MSN, and Yahoo keep your search data for a long time; Google 18 months and Yahoo 13 months. There is an alternative for the privacy-conscious called Ixquick, which is based in Holland. It...
Protect your vehicle from identity thieves
Jun 7, 2008 by Tom Fragala
Your automobile is a target of thieves--that is obvious. Of course, thieves will steal the car itself or valuable items inside, like your cell phone or iPod. That is bad enough. But the information inside your car--not just the...
Is Identity Theft a Bigger Threat Offline vs Online?
May 9, 2008 by Tom Fragala
From Javelin Strategy: We are not saying (online access and data breaches) are not significant factors,” said James Van Dyke, Javelin’s president and founder. “But the point is that it has really been overblown. I think it is to...
Military ID cards will finally have SSN blocked
Apr 26, 2008 by Tom Fragala
ITRC points out that the Department of Defense will finally begin blocking out Social Security numbers on military ID's, dog tags, clothing and military records. About time don't you think? Just imagine the number of cards, documents, and more that...
Sign the Back of Credit Cards or Not?
Apr 24, 2008 by Tom Fragala
One common tip I have heard is that you should not sign the back of your credit cards or write something in its place asking that ID be checked. What should you do? Well, the right question to me is "Is...
What steps to take if you are a victim of identity theft?
Apr 11, 2008 by Tom Fragala
Wrong question. If you are expecting to see a list here of several things to do if you are a victim of identity theft, look elsewhere (although you'll probably get bad advice). Why? Because asking what steps to take if...
ConsumerSay: Just Say No?
Apr 2, 2008 by Tom Fragala
Consumerist has a blog post about a service called ConsumerSay that pays you $20 to hand over a lot of sensitive personal information, including credit card accounts. They use this data to track your habits and understand consumer behavior and...
Trust but verify: Keep your receipts
Mar 18, 2008 by Tom Fragala
After you purchase a product/service, keep the receipts. That way if you need to return a product, or cancel a service, or file a complaint, you have a record of things like the order number. And if you do return...
A common misconception: different credit scores exist
Mar 14, 2008 by Tom Fragala
The Red Tape Chronicles, a popular blog on MSNBC, has a post about credit scores. Looks like he doing a series on them. It's a topic that always raises people's ire and is a constant source of confusion and irritation....
Mobile phone account takeover fraud
Mar 9, 2008 by Tom Fragala
Bob Sullivan, in his popular Red Tape Chronicles blog, has a story about someone who has his cell phone account taken over. This is what we call "existing" phone/utility account fraud (aka account takeover). Many folks think poo-poo this kind...
Identity theft help for Canada
Mar 5, 2008 by Tom Fragala
We've heard from a few Canadian citizens over the last year that needed help with identity theft. We don't have a Canadian myTruston version, yet, although I wish we did. The laws are different of course, although many of the...
Getting the run around from your bank on fraud? Use certified mail.
Mar 3, 2008 by Tom Fragala
There is a post on the Consumerist blog about a person that is having trouble getting a credit posted for losses from account fraud. Essentially, the person says the bank is messing around claiming paperwork on the fraud wasn't received, and the...
Opting Out from Companies You Do Business With
Mar 2, 2008 by Tom Fragala
We've written a lot here about privacy and opting-out. One thing you may wonder about is: How do you opt-out from companies you do business with--to prevent them from soliciting you over and over? Well, you can opt-out, although it...
Brokerage and investment account fraud
Feb 24, 2008 by Tom Fragala
In the midst of so much noise about identity theft, credit reports, freezes and alerts here is some important advice. Don't forget to protect your brokerage, investment and retirement accounts; financial accounts like those you open with a stockbroker or...
Why Checking Your Credit Card Statement Is So Important
Jan 6, 2008 by Tom Fragala
It is simple and you know the answer: if you don't check your statement and fail to catch fraudulent charges or even errors the bank makes (within 60 days from mailing), they can tell you to jump in a lake....
FICO Credit Score Being Revised by Fair Isaac
Dec 19, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Fair Issac (FIC), the company behind the FICO credit score used by 90% of the top 100 banks, is revising the models behind their credit score. This is something they do from time to time. The new score's inside name...
Identity Theft Protection: Two Tips for the Holidays
Dec 16, 2007 by Tom Fragala
There are a lot of lists about identity theft flying around this time of year. 12 tips of Christmas, top 10 ways to protect yourself from identity theft...that kind of thing. Well, to save you time and keep things simple...
Using A Uni-Ball 207 to Write Checks: Does It Matter
Nov 11, 2007 by Tom Fragala
There is a marketing compaign now produced by Sanford for their Uni-Ball pens called "Secure Your Signature". Specifically, it focuses on their Uni-Ball 207 pen which they say has special ink that embeds itself into the paper fibers on your...
How Direct Marketers Get You to Opt-In After Opting Out
Oct 26, 2007 by Tom Fragala
The Wall Street Journal did a piece today on how direct marketers get around the do not call list (and other opt-outs like the DMA's direct mail marketing database). Basically a marketer sends out a mailing (a "reply card") with...
Experian Joins the Credit Freeze Party
Oct 16, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Experian is now going to offer credit freezes in all remaining US states where they do not offer it. Same pricing as Equifax and TransUnion, $10 a freeze, unless state law mandates otherwise. Tags: credit+freeze, credit+report...
Opting-In After You Have Opted-Out
Oct 9, 2007 by Tom Fragala
You may recall my saga from a few months ago, where some of my banks accounts fell victim to fraud because two of my banks sent me convenience checks (which I never requested) on a home equity line and credit...
Bogus checks, wire transfer fraud and scams
Sep 29, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Ed Dickson, over at the Fraudwar blog, has an article that I wish citizen could read and every law enforcement officer would be trained on. It’s about this amorphous set of fraud and scams that are similar at one level, although they appear...
NetBank Fails, FDIC Insurance Reminder
Sep 28, 2007 by Tom Fragala
This is not something you want to see when you visit your bank’s website: NetBank, an internet-only bank with $2.5 BILLION in assets was shut down today. That’s right, shut down without warning to the depositors and customers. Customers that...
8 Reasons Why TransUnion Offered Nationwide Credit Freezes
Sep 26, 2007 by Tom Fragala
I have yet to see a much analysis of the reasons for the surprise announcement that TransUnion is going to offer all 50 states and DC the ability to freeze their credit file. Apparently, few saw the TransUnion move coming....
TJ Maxx (TJX) Controversial Data Breach Lawsuit Settlement
Sep 25, 2007 by Tom Fragala
In case you had not heard yet, TJ Maxx has made an offer to settle class action lawsuits over the enormous security breach they suffered recently (45 million customer accounts compromised). They offer credit monitoring to just 10% of the...
Credit Bureau TransUnion Offers Nationwide Credit Freeze
Sep 18, 2007 by Tom Fragala
TransUnion issued a press release that appears to be a bombshell. Still waiting to learn more about this. They are offering consumers in all 50 states and DC the ability to lock or freeze their credit file. Just how “frozen” it...
Texas Law Allows Credit Freeze For All Residents
Sep 3, 2007 by Tom Fragala
In Texas, you can freeze your credit file, even if you aren’t a victim now. Under a new law that took effect Saturday, consumers can freeze their credit report without having to have a police report. When you freeze your...
How to Prevent Child Identity Theft
Sep 1, 2007 by Tom Fragala
We wrote another article and have made it available in the resources section of this web site. Click here to find it: Stolen Innocence: How to Prevent Child Identity Theft. It has some very useful tips on how to prevent and detect...
Credit cards: Best to worst list
Aug 31, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Consumer Reports did a huge survey on credit cards. See this CNN Money article for more (you need to be a member of Consumer Reports to get the entire report). Consumers gave high ratings to American Express, Discover, as well...
Indiana Credit Freeze Law Takes Effect September 1
Aug 30, 2007 by Tom Fragala
INDYChannel.com reports On Sept. 1 [2007], Indiana will join the majority of states in allowing freezes. Attorney General Steve Carter touted the move as away to protect against fraud. As part of the new law, credit-reporting agencies will be required...
Another ID thief targets high profile ultra-rich
Aug 17, 2007 by Tom Fragala
From Dow Jones The Manhattan district attorney's office has charged five men in connection with an alleged identity-theft ring that attempted to steal millions of dollars from wealthy individuals. The targets included Anthony Pritzker, the president of consumer-credit information firm...
Another Database You Don't Know About
Jul 25, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Here’s some good advice from Clark Howard on yet another database that keeps records on you related to your auto and homeowners’ insurance. According to Clark’s tip, it is called the C.L.U.E. report and you should check what yours says...
Beware of Novelty ID Cards
Jul 23, 2007 by Tom Fragala
The other day I came across a web site that sells “novelty” identity cards of many types. Social Security cards, driver’s licenses, diplomas, birth certificates, work permits, contractor certifications, you name it. I saw it mentioned in a forum where...
How the Pros Protect Themselves
Jul 16, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Here’s a great article about how the tech experts protect themselves from identity theft and other fraud. The article features tips from Frank Abagnale, a former identity thief turned FBI consultant on white collar crime. These days, Mr. Abagnale never uses a debit...
The Most Important Opt-Out to Prevent Identity Theft
Jul 14, 2007 by Tom Fragala
I just found out I was victimized by ID theft again. The same MO: stolen “convenience” checks from my mailbox. This time it was convenience checks for my Citibank credit card, similar to the Wells Fargo convenience checks on my home...
FBI Fraud Alert: Internet-based Scams and Fraud
Jul 9, 2007 by Tom Fragala
The FBI issued a fraud alert today. They did a good job of boiling down the most common fraud schemes into eight key questions. If you do anything on the Internet related to purchases, auctions, lotteries, or jobs/employment please read this: IF YOU ANSWER “YES”...
CRAs Sell Your Information
Jul 7, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Do you know that credit reporting agencies (CRAs) can sell your information when you apply for a mortgage? The practice is legal and the product the CRAs sell is called “24 Hour Trigger Data”. According to an article in the District...
Credit Freeze Law for Mississippi
Jul 5, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Mississippi residents, as of July 1 2007, can avail themselves of a credit freeze. According to Insurance Journal: The law says a consumer whose personal information has been illegally used by others must file a police report, and then may...
Confused About Ordering a Credit Score?
Jul 3, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
You’re not alone! Do you know there are 4 different kinds of credit scores? This article on CNN Money.com explains the difference in credit scores and how to get the one you really want. To make matters more confusing, while...
Credit Freeze Now Available in D.C.
Jul 2, 2007 by Tom Fragala
As reported in Brian Krebs’ Security Fix blog Residents of the District of Columbia now have the right to "freeze" their credit reports as a way to ward off identity thieves. As of July 1, people living in the nation's...
Guard Your Credit During Divorce
Jul 1, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
This blog reminds me of the many clients I see in the midst of a divorce. It gives good advice about what to do during and after a divorce to ensure that your credit remains intact. The biggest mistake I see...
Synthetic Identity Theft
Jun 29, 2007 by Tom Fragala
We have blogged about this before and inside the industry this term is getting a lot of play. The mainstream media is starting to pick up on synthetic ID theft. Simply put, it means an imposter uses different parts of...
It's Worth Repeating: Social Security Cards and Wallets Do Not Mix
Jun 27, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
I give a number of identity theft seminars every year and at each seminar, at least one of the attendees will admit to carrying around their Social Security card in their wallet or purse. In this day and age, and...
Tips for Teens Which Are Prime Targets of ID Theft
Jun 26, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
An article gives tips to teens to keep them safe from ID thieves. With the popularity of myspace and the fact that teens often post their personal information onto the Web, it’s easy for them to become victims. Teens need...
A Change in Credit Scoring
Jun 20, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Adding an authorized user to a credit account has been an easy way to help a friend or family member increase their score by, in essence, lending them your good credit history without their having to pay the bill. Unfortunately,...
Do You Think Caller ID Always Blocks Your Number?
Jun 16, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Think again. It’s laughably easy to get your phone number if you have outgoing Caller ID blocked. I’m not talking about tricks, taps or illegal means. Toll-free number (800, 877, 866, 888) subscribers with Automatic Number Identification (ANI) included can capture and...
Correlation Between Being In Debt and Becoming An ID Theft Victim
Jun 12, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Do you know that the more in debt you are, the more likely you are to become an identity theft victim. That’s because when you’re in debt and sinking quickly, you are more likely to chase financing deals in a...
Creative ID Thieves Target Real Estate
Jun 11, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
High foreclosure rates in neighborhoods can many times be blamed on identity thieves. Here's an article that talks about how they do it. The thief in this case is a mortgage broker that bought and sold homes, but usually under...
Cell Phones and the Do Not Call Registry
Jun 10, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Does the FTC’s Do Not Call list accept mobile phone numbers? Yes. Is there some expiration date for that? No. Have you heard a rumor (probably via email) that the FCC going to allow telemarketers to call cell phones all...
When a Credit Score Is Not a Credit Score
Jun 9, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Let’s get one thing down first. When virtually everyone says “credit score” in the US, what they really mean is a FICO credit score. FICO is the trademark for a proprietary analytical model developed and owned by Fair Isaac Corporation (NYSE:FIC)....
Experian Not Accepting Credit Disputes by Mail?
Jun 8, 2007 by Tom Fragala
I have heard from two separate well-placed sources that Experian is ramping up a campaign to drive credit disputes online and is no longer accepting mail to their previously published PO box address for disputes (or making it awfully difficult)....
Innovis - A Free Report Is Yours For The Asking
Jun 7, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Innovis data solutions is relatively unknown to consumers – it is similar to the three credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Innovis supplies credit grantors with information on all of us "to assist in marketing, verification, authentication and fraud...
Temporary Email Services Reviewed
May 28, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Sizlopedia did a review of the top 20 temporary and disposable emails services. These services can help you fight spam, spyware, and save hassles from sites that require registration. I blogged about this in the past here and here. Um,...
Teens Are Key Targets for ID Thieves
May 26, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Identity thieves go after the identities of teens and young children because they know they have a lot of time before the victim will check his credit - often the thief can use the fraudulent ID for many years before...
The Jury Duty Scam Keeps on Coming
May 24, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
I constantly hear rumblings about the Jury Duty Scam and Tom Fragala has blogged about it previously on this site. Based on this article it sounds like the residents of Florida are getting hit hard by it. According to the investigators, scheme artists are calling victims...
Do Credit Offers or Reports Effect Your Credit Score?
May 22, 2007 by Tom Fragala
No. Pre-screened offers of credit or insurance do not harm your credit score. Neither do the free annual credit reports, free victim reports or legitimate paid credit file disclosures. (“Credit report” and “credit file disclosure” are different names for the same...
Debt Collection Protection for ID Theft Victims
May 19, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Did you know? The California Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (CA Civil Code section 1788.18) prohibits a debt collector from continuing to collect on a debt of an alleged victim of identity theft if the victim has completed all the...
Now They're Coming Out of the Woodwork to Confess
May 15, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Here’s another account from an identity thief on how he did it. James Jackson is in prison now, but he claims to have stolen the identities of such celebrities as Danny De Vito, Mel Gibson and a federal judge. I don’t...
$9,000 Mistake in Medical Bill
May 4, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
A father found that a Denver hospital over-charged for his son’s hospital stay by $9,000. When he examined the bill he found huge over-charges mostly related to medications. Not many people scrutinize their hospital bills. They think the insurance companies are...
A Victim Again: Fraudulent Home Equity Check
Apr 17, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Not a good way start to the day. I got a call at work this morning (9am PDT) from someone claiming to be from the Wells Fargo fraud department. I have several accounts at Wells, including checking, mortgage and home equity...
Beware of ATM Scams
Apr 10, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Some identity thieves will stand extremely close to you while you’re using your ATM card and watch as you put in your pin. If you become distracted after your PIN is entered and your ATM card is still in the...
Vishing Is Now a Common Tool for ID Thieves
Apr 9, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
According to an earlier blog of mine, vishing is an effective way to steal a victim’s identity. Scammers can create any phone number to show up on caller ID, which creates a lot of new opportunities for identity theft. For...
Tips to Protect the Deceased's Identity
Apr 1, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
To add to Tom's blog about scammers stealing the identities of the deceased, here are some more tips from an id theft article in the Times-Picayune. Send copies of the death certificate to all three credit-reporting agencies, as well as...
How To Smoke Out Scam Artists Targeting Aggrieved
Apr 1, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Michelle recently blogged about this topic. And the WSJ Sunday has a story on how scammers target families of the recently deceased with tips on how to avoid it. Families in mourning have yet another burden to contend with in the...
Disputing Your Credit Report...
Mar 28, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
As a financial counselor, I'm often asked the question, "When I find a mistake on my credit report, should I call the creditor directly or dispute it throught the credit bureau?". The answer is - it depends. If an account...
Financial Aid and Scholarship Scams
Mar 26, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
I've worked with a number of clients that have paid companies to search for college scholarships and fill out financial aid forms on their behalf, but I’ve never heard anything positive about the companies they’ve paid to help them. There’s...
Identity Theft by a Photocopier?
Mar 21, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Here one that you should at least be aware of. It’s possible that sensitive documents you copy on a photocopy machine, at a public place or work, could be an ID theft risk. Many of these devices now have small...
Protecting Your Online Identity
Mar 18, 2007 by Tom Fragala
The WSJ has a story titled “Protect your own identity”. It is really about protecting your home network. The tips include: Pick a better password for your home router. Turn off the Service Set Identifier (SSID) so people can’t find...
Job Applicants Beware of Identity Theft Risk
Mar 17, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
In Colorado a couple of years ago, a man and woman posted a want ad in local newspapers for an assistant position. Applicants were interviewed and then asked to fill out an application, complete with social security number. It turns...
Daylight Saving Time Provokes Scams
Mar 11, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Beware of email scams related to the daylight saving jump. Because daylight savings is taking place three weeks sooner than usual, it may cause some problems for computers and electronic devices. Daylight savings has received some media hype and that...
Tax-Preparers Can Leave You Wide Open to ID Theft
Mar 9, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
When you hand over your paperwork to your tax-preparer, you may get more than you bargained for. Let's face it, you've just given all the information an identity thief needs to hijack your identity. How do you know that your documents...
Reduce Your ID Theft Risk by Opting Out
Mar 8, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
If you haven't yet, opt-out of receiving credit card offers by calling 1-888-5-optout (1-888-567-8688). Every piece of mail with your name and address gives an ID thief a chance to target you and when that piece of mail has a...
Medical Identity Theft Can Be Harmful To Your Health
Mar 7, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Identity thieves are usually after their victim’s good credit, but that's not all they want. Medical insurance coverage has become as good as gold to identity thieves because with it, they can get free medical care for themselves. All it...
Another Twist on ATM Tampering
Mar 2, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Be leery if an ATM machine seems to swallow your card—you may be just about to become an identity theft victim. According to the Hillsboro Argus in Oregon, ATMs can be rigged by thieves to hold onto your ATM card...
PayPal Offers Free Equifax Credit Monitoring: Still Not Worth It
Feb 15, 2007 by Tom Fragala
PayPal (Nasdaq:EBAY) is now offering all its members free Equifax Credit Alerts. Wow, that sounds great doesn't it? This is one of those things that is “better than nothing” right? No. Don’t waste your time. This service only monitors your...
Tax Scams
Feb 15, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Ed at the Fraudwar blog has a post on watching out for scams during tax season, including the IRS' 2007 dirty dozen tax scams. Check it out....
Scam Series: Skimming and ATM Card Cleaning
Feb 13, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
When I think of skimming, I think of waiters and credit cards. As the story goes, once the waiter is out of your sight, he runs the credit card through a reader that read your credit card account number. The...
Mystery Shopping Is A Great Front for Identity Thieves
Feb 8, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
The first sign of a scam is that you can make a lot of money for only a little work. Mystery shopping happens to be one of those nebulous terms that make people think they can get paid very well...
Watch Your Assets: Gochex, Son of Qchex, Arrives
Feb 2, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Neovi, Inc., the company behind the notorious Qchex has launched an ever-so-slightly revised new service called gochex. Qchex was the service that enabled vast fraudulent activity and was shutdown by the Federal Trade Commission. My most recent post explaining this...
Free Articles on Identity Theft Prevention and Personal Finance
Feb 1, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Have you checked out our free articles on the Truston web site? Right now we have six valuable pieces, with more coming soon. Check these out: 8 Warning Signs That You’re Headed for Financial Trouble Three Tips to Stop Identity...
Debunking The Myth Behind Fraud Alerts
Jan 24, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Don't get fooled into thinking that fraud alerts provide you much protection from identity theft. THEY DO NOT. Here's a question I got from someone today and my response. This might be a dumb question, but why not just post...
Checking if your child is an ID theft victim can be stressful
Jan 22, 2007 by Michelle Pastor
Knowing what I do about ID theft and that children are easy and often valuable targets for ID thieves, I was compelled to check my youngster's credit file...just to make sure his identity hasn't been hijacked. I know that unless...
New Article: 8 Warning Signs That You’re Headed for Financial Trouble
Jan 15, 2007 by Tom Fragala
We just posted a new article by Michelle called 8 Warning Signs That You’re Headed for Financial Trouble....
New article: 3 Tips to Stop Identity Thieves From Exploiting Your Mail
Jan 12, 2007 by Tom Fragala
I wrote a new article entitled 3 Tips to Stop Identity Thieves From Exploiting Your Mail. Your personal and business mail can be a gold mine to thieves looking to hijack their next victim's identity. This article has 3 tips...
Another free anti-spam temporary email service
Jan 10, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Recently I posted about Guerilla mail. Here's another one I found called spambox.us. It is more flexible, as it allows you to choose an expiration from 30 minutes to 1 year. I haven't used it so I can't vouch for...
Free temporary email addresses from Guerilla Mail
Jan 4, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Do you hate having to give your an email address when signing up at web sites--but you have to because they send a confirmation email? You might want to try this service. Guerrilla Mail provides you with disposable e-mail addresses...
Five questions to ask to protect your Social Security number
Jan 3, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Your Social Security number is important, confidential information. You should avoid giving it out unnecessarily. The trick is knowing, as best you can, when it is necessary. Keep your Social Security card and number in a safe place. Never carry your...
New article: 9 Ways To Take Control of Your Finances in 2007
Dec 30, 2006 by Tom Fragala
We just published a new article 9 Ways To Take Control of Your Finances in 2007. It was written by Michelle Pastor, an accredited financial counselor and frequent contributor to our blog and articles....
There are credit scores out there that you don’t even realize!
Dec 22, 2006 by Michelle Pastor
The FICO credit score you can buy from Equifax or Fair Isaac is the score that mortgage lenders use to determine your mortgage interest rate, but auto lenders and insurance companies see a different score that you should understand so...
Identity Theft Benefit Programs - They're Not Always What You Think
Dec 19, 2006 by Michelle Pastor
I just looked over the paperwork for some identity theft benefit programs for a client and what I found was pretty unsettling. This particular client’s husband died 6 months ago and she was inundated by her bank and other companies...
10 Ways to Keep Your Holiday Spending in Check
Nov 28, 2006 by Tom Fragala
Michelle Pastor, guest author here at Truston, wrote an article with 10 good ideas for watching your spending during the holiday season. It just might prevent your credit score from getting dinged, too. Click here to read the article, located...
Another Database With Your Information - Keep An Eye On It!
Nov 15, 2006 by Michelle Pastor
ChexSystems is another database that we, as consumers, can access. This is the database that banks and credit unions use when they decide whether or not to let you open a savings or checking account. ChexSystems generates a Consumer Report...
Tip: A Personal Data Disclosure You Should Know About
Nov 12, 2006 by Tom Fragala
Most of us know about the free annual credit report we are entitled to by federal law. Did you know that the same law also entitles you to a free disclosure report from certain data brokers? A data broker, loosely...
Are People Getting Misled by AnnualCreditReport.com?
Nov 2, 2006 by Tom Fragala
I'm a little peeved about the annualcreditreport.com site. And when I explain why, you might laugh or shake your head. But I have empirical evidence to back it up. As you may know, AnnualCreditReport.com is the ONLY valid web site...
Tip: Does the SSA Investigate Identity Theft?
Oct 28, 2006 by Tom Fragala
Question: Does the Social Security Administration investigate identity theft related to your social security number? It seems logical they might, especially since ID theft related to your SSN is the most likely way to fall victim. Answer: No they do...
Article: 10 Great Ways to Deter Identity Thieves
Oct 23, 2006 by Tom Fragala
Michele Pastor has written an article entitled 10 Great Ways to Deter Identity Thieves. It is located in the Resources / Articles section of this site. Check it out!...
FTC's New Identity Theft Campaign: A Solid "A"
Oct 17, 2006 by Tom Fragala
Updated below... A while back the FTC launched a new identity theft compaign called Deter, Detect Defend. It includes a slick new look and a updated materials for consumers and for people to educate others. I think it is an improvement...
Consumer Protections on ATM-Debit Card Fraud
Sep 30, 2006 by Tom Fragala
What protections do you have when fraud is committed using your ATM-Debit card? Will Visa and Mastercard's zero-liability always apply? (Since it is a debit card, it has Visa or Mastercard logo so it can be used like a credit...
Your Business Contacts Are Selling Your Data--Legally
Sep 28, 2006 by Tom Fragala
There is a new type of company that you might not be aware of. These companies are called business contact marketplaces. It is very different from the data brokers than maintain and sell your personal information. They are unabashedly proud...
Why Shopping for the Lowest Price Can Lead to Ruin
Sep 28, 2006 by Tom Fragala
Brian Krebs put together a super article on his Security Fix WaPo blog. It goes deeper and in more nuanced directions than most fluff identity theft pieces. These are a few points that jumped out at me. 1. Having your...
No-limit credit cards can damage your credit score
Sep 4, 2006 by Tom Fragala
Beware of no-limit credit cards. Despite the prestige and flexibility these cards offer, it’s possible the cards could result in a lower credit score. It seems odd, but someone who has the track record and wealth to qualify for such...
How to Avoid a Laptop Theft Scam at Airport Security
Aug 28, 2006 by Tom Fragala
If you ever take a laptop with you while traveling by air, watch out for this scam. The Federal Aviation Authority has warned about a common scam to steal laptops at airport security. Basically, what happens is that a team...
Watch Out for Fraudulent FDIC Emails
Aug 16, 2006 by Tom Fragala
I rarely post about phishing attacks here because there are so many of them. I tried to post summaries of weekly phishing attacks back in 2004 on my scamsafe.com blog and it quickly became pointless—there are hundreds or thousands of...
Paychex direct deposit paystub is identity theft risk
Aug 3, 2006 by Tom Fragala
Do you get paid via direct deposit through Paychex? If so, take a look at your paystub/statement. I looked at one recently and noticed that it shows the full checking account number! That puts the account holder at significant risk....
How to get four free credit reports in one year (legally)
Jul 31, 2006 by Tom Fragala
If you are a victim of identity theft you have a right to four (4) free credit reports in the year after you report the fraud. Federal law* gives you those rights. The consumer credit reporting agencies (CRA) don’t really...
When the bank should be uncooperative after identity theft
Jul 31, 2006 by Tom Fragala
If you are an identity theft victim, there may be times—believe it or not—when your bank should be uncooperative when you are reporting fraud. They should never provide you with sensitive account information after you report fraud, until they have...
How to save over 20% on credit monitoring
Jul 17, 2006 by Tom Fragala
Call the credit bureau directly—they just may offer you a big discount. I called Equifax today helping a victim report fraud and get an alert on their credit file. After I was done the procedure, I accidently hit “#” instead...
Instructions for veterans & military if ID theft/data breach
Jun 23, 2006 by Tom Fragala
Updated 6/27/06 Are you a veteran or member of the U.S. military, including the reserve and National Guard? Wondering what to do after the computer theft/data breach at the Department of Veterans Affairs (aka VA or Veterans Administration)? Or are...
Credit freezes and protecting your credit file from fraud
Apr 13, 2006 by Tom Fragala
I recently got a question from a reader. Someone told him that everyone should get a credit freeze. I emailed a response and I thought you might want to see my thoughts on this matter (slightly edited for this blog). There...
Trivia question: jurisdiction over fraud
Mar 29, 2006 by Tom Fragala
Which local, state or federal agency has primary jurisdiction to investigate financial fraud involving FDIC insured banks, credit cards and identity fraud? Put your guess in the comments. Correct answer to be posted this weekend. Update: The correct answer is...the...
Which are safer for purchases: credit cards or debit cards?
Mar 5, 2006 by Tom Fragala
Credit cards. By a mile. When I say debit card I mean check cards or ATM cards with the credit card logo on them (MasterCard or Visa). Don't use them for purchases. Why? Buying something on your debit card pulls...