You, A Victim Of Tax Refund Theft?

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

But the real purpose for this article? In late January 2012, the federal government conducted a nationwide sweep to crack down on identity theft and tax fraud before the 2012 tax season revved into high gear. The timing of the effort was to try and stem the rising tide of fraudulent tax activity, which involves using stolen identities to file for tax refunds.

In 2011, the IRS found as many as 260,000 identity theft fraud attempts, up from 49,000 in 2010. If my math is correct, that's about an 81% increase! Tax refund identity theft is a growing trend. Unfortunately, at this time, the IRS has yet to put security procedures in place to stem the tide.

It's important for individuals to take steps to protect themselves. And most of these steps are simple to put in place without cost.

1). The ability to file online and commonly used budgeting software. There is a lot of financial and sensitive identity information on your computer. Make sure that you're using secure programs, up-to-date anti-virus protection, firewalls and strong passwords - avoid using passwords that are simple to "crack".

Some of the most common are: 123, abc123, password, password1, mother's maiden name or a pet's name. Hackers don't even need to spend time guessing because they use programs that automatically try the most common passwords and EVERY dictionary word. And be sure to change your passwords frequently.

2). Keep an eye on your credit. Your credit report serves as snapshot of your financial profile, and it's one of the first places fraudulent activity will show up. You can request a free report from the 3 major credit bureaus once per year. I suggest you stagger your requests once every 4 months. Consider subscribing to a credit monitoring service. One that provides 24/7 credit monitoring and alerts you to any key changes to your credit file.

3). Watch your mail. Email that is. Anyone who's looked at an IRS form knows that they are not a relaxed organization. They don't send out emails asking for information. If the IRS wants more information from you, it'll be a formal request and nothing more. So if an email shows up in your inbox, claiming to be from the IRS, don't click on anything - but be sure to report it to phishing@irs.gov.

4). You need to be aware of the signs that identity theft tax fraud has occurred. Keep an eye out for IRS notices or letters saying that more than one tax return was filed for you or that IRS records show you've received wages from an employer you don't know. If you receive a notice from the IRS, respond as soon as possible and file an IRS Identity Theft Affidavit.

Again when it comes to your federal taxes, you may not be aware you have become a victim of identity theft until you receive a letter from the IRS stating more than one tax return was filed with your information or that IRS records show wages from an employer that you have not worked for in the past.

If you do receive a notice from the IRS indicating identity theft, you should follow the instructions in that notice. A taxpayer who believes they are at risk of identity theft due to lost or stolen personal information should contact the IRS immediately so the agency can take action to secure their tax account. Here's the information:

IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490.

When it really comes to protecting your own Identity, you can't rely on the government, you can't rely on any banks, and you can't rely on law enforcement. If you want to protect your identity, you must become proactive.

Thomas DeVoe specializes in providing valuable, up-to-date strategies, tips and suggestions on how to avoid becoming the next victim of Identity Theft. For your FREE detailed report visit==> http://www.myidprotectiontips.com/

View the original article here

Protect Yourself From Becoming a Victim of Crimes You Don't Commit

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

As the fastest growing and one of the most insidious consumer crimes in the United States, identity theft affects nearly ten million people every year. That's about 30,000 identities stolen every day. These are alarming statistics, but even worse is that some of these identity theft victims are arrested for crimes committed in their good name.

Take, for example, a case in which an Indiana man named Jeff Goldsmith was arrested for allegedly abusing his girlfriend's six-year-old son so badly that the child had to go to the hospital. Trouble is, Goldsmith didn't have a girlfriend, let alone a six-year-old son. In fact, he had been married for twenty years and hadn't visited the city where the alleged abuse occurred in over two years. The identity thief used Goldsmith's identity to rack up charges and then subsequently commit a brutal crime-all in Goldsmith's name. After seeing Goldsmith the mother of the actual victim confirmed that he indeed was not the man who abused her son. In like so many other ID theft cases, the real criminal remains unidentified.

Looking back, Goldsmith realized that he could have avoided becoming an identity theft victim if he would have paid more attention to the warning signs. He had received a phone bill and an insurance bill for a vehicle he didn't own. After calling the companies to clear-up the charges, Goldsmith signed-up for ID theft insurance and began monitoring his credit reports more closely. Unfortunately for Goldsmith, the identity thief was able to continue to use his identity to commit fraud and elude police following the abuse allegations.

But what about the ID theft insurance? And the credit monitoring? Goldsmith found out the hard way that identity theft insurance only covers some of the expenses to deal with the aftermath of ID theft. It does nothing to prevent it. Credit monitoring, although important, only shows unauthorized charges and damages after they have occurred. So, what could Goldsmith have done to avoid becoming another ID theft victim?

He could have been more proactive. Most ID theft protection companies only monitor credit and send alerts when someone's credit is checked. Of course, this often occurs for completely legitimate reasons as well, such as when someone (using his or her real identity) applies for a loan. Credit monitoring services and ID theft insurance companies simply do not address the root of the problem-before it becomes a real problem and claims another identity theft victim.

After all, one of the problems with ID theft is that once you're a victim you're guilty until proven innocent. Police officers are simply doing their jobs when they arrest ID theft victims. But the fallout for the victims can be devastating. Studies show that it can take three to five years and more than $1,300 to restore a stolen identity.

The only real solution is to use an identity theft prevention and recovery service that proactively prevents identity theft from occurring in the first place. Entrust America, a company that was created by law enforcement professionals for law enforcement, is the only service that both prevents ID theft and guarantees to restore identity theft victims to pre-theft status.

Too many ID theft victims unknowingly put their trust in services that masquerade as ID theft prevention or, worse, do not invest in a service to protect their identity at all. As in the tragic case of Jeff Goldsmith, it's obvious how the right ID theft prevention service could have prevented his nightmare.

Don't become another identity theft victim. Learn more about protecting your identity by visiting http://www.TheIdentityAdvocate.com or calling 310.831.4400.

Linda Vincent, R.N., P.I., is an identity theft, medical identity theft, and healthcare fraud prevention expert specializing in medical consulting and investigations. She is the president of The Identity Advocate, which teaches corporations, professional practices, and consumers how to stop identity theft, medical identity theft, and healthcare fraud. Visit http://www.theidentityadvocate.com/ or call 310.831.4400.

View the original article here

The 7 Tell-Tale Signs of Identity Theft and How to Avoid Becoming a Victim

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Attention: These are examples of identity theft and could be the only signs you'll get that you may be a victim of identity theft. If you suspect someone has stolen your ID and is being used for fraudulent activities, you'll need to act as soon as you can to limit the damage.

1). Your Expected Mail is Missing. Sometimes when a thief steals your account information they change the mailing address so they receive the bills and other correspondence from your bank or other financial institution. This makes it easier for the crooks to change the PIN or password that unlocks the account. Be on the lookout for regular bills that don't arrive.

2). You Receive Mail or Phone Calls You Don't Expect. Normally, when a thief has taken over your identity, it's for one reason and one reason only-a financial one. They are scheming on how to turn your good credit into a quick payday for them. In doing so, they may have caused an invoice, receipt or some kind of notice to be sent to your home. If this is the case, contact the organization immediately for an explanation. The same holds true with unexpected telephone calls. Unfortunately, this call will be from a collection agency about an unpaid bill.

3). You Notice Unusual Entries On Your Credit Report. Since you are allowed to "pull" your credit report from all 3 major credit bureaus once a year, do so. Scan and report any incorrect information. Once corrected, you now have a clean and reliable report from which to monitor. If a new entry appears and you have no idea what it is, investigate it promptly!

4). You Are Denied Credit. Unfortunately, one of the most common ways to find out your identity has been stolen is when you apply for new credit and are denied. Of course this only applies to people with good credit in the first place. What happened is the thief has opened credit accounts in your name, not paid the bills, and the creditor has dinged your credit report.

5). You Find Strange Entries On Your Credit Card Statements. It's not very difficult to use a stolen credit card to make fraudulent purchases. Always check your statements and look for unusual purchases that you normally don't make. A professional identity thief will test out the account with a small purchase to see if the card is still valid.

6). You Bounce a Check or Discover Your Credit Card Transaction Has Been Turned Down Unexpectedly. Identity thieves who steal from banks and credit card accounts tend to make as many charges as they can as quickly as they can before you find out and deactivate the card or account. If this is the case, you may need to fill out an identity theft report or "ID Theft Affidavit".

7). One of Your Online Accounts Has Uncommon Transactions or You Get Odd Emails. You may have an account with Amazon or iTunes for example. For a professional ID thief, these accounts are easily hacked because they only require a user name and password. Since the products are mostly digital and can be downloaded immediately, a crook can avoid the address-of-record protection usually associated with purchases of a physical product.

In summary, the best identity theft protection plan starts with you. You must be proactive!

Be safe and stay informed.

Thomas DeVoe specializes in providing valuable, up-to-date strategies, tips and suggestions on how to avoid becoming the next victim of Identity Theft. For your FREE detailed report visit==> http://www.myidprotectiontips.com/

View the original article here