Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Hard Questions About Your Identity
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By: Faithe Thomas
One of the hardest things we are faced with in our lives is asking hard questions of people. For many people, it simply isn’t in their nature to be suspect of everyone, rather they are trusting and in some cases very naïve. This naivety can result in you being the victim of identity fraud – when it comes to your personal information, banking or financial information or credit information; you have to be unafraid in asking the ‘hard’ questions. Asking those who want your information should not appear to be a hindrance to them or putting them out of their way if they are legitimate. Actually, those who are legitimate are willing to answer all of your questions and will do so pleasantly and easily.
Don’t overlook the little things. Listen to your intuition. If you think something is wrong, it probably is. Ask the question and start with yourself – what is wrong with this picture? Take a step back and look around. Then ask the company or people you are dealing with the hard questions – why is that card reader so large? Why do you need my Social Security Number? Why do you need a photo copy of my driver’s license and credit card? Be vigilant when you are dealing with all things electronic – this is the easiest and fastest way for a thief to steal your identity. Let’s look at some common scenarios of electronic identity fraud.
ATMs
There has been ATM fraud using skimmers. A skimmer is a device that can be difficult to detect that is attached to an ATM that really shouldn’t be there. The skimmer is a card reader that captures the information stored on the magnetic stripe. Chances are there is also a hidden camera that records when you input your PIN number. Thieves can easily reproduce your bank card and steal from you without your knowledge until your bank account is empty. If you notice something odd with an ATM, do not use it. Head into the bank or call the 800 number on the machine to ask for assistance. Watch ATMs that you use frequently, if something looks different, do not use the machine and report it to the bank as soon as possible.
Phishing
Another form of electronic fraud is called phishing and it is done in many different ways. Usually, you will receive an email from your bank, from PayPal, Amazon, EBay, or another merchant, asking you to click a link and update your account information. Do not do it. This is a scam. Report the email immediately to the company that is being scammed for. None of these online merchants or financial institutions will send an email asking for your information to be updated. If they do need your information updated, it will appear when you login on the real site or they will contact you by phone.
Trust Funds and Free Money
We’ve all seen them. Someone from Nigeria has a trust fun that they will give you millions of dollars from if you help them. These have been running around for years both online and offline and there are new ones all the time. These are also phishing scams – they ask you for your bank account information so they can deposit your portion of the funds. Meanwhile, they are drawing from your account until it is empty. Do not fall prey to these emails – simply delete them and move on with your day. No one is going to give you a few million dollars for anything that is legal, even if it does sound enticing and legitimate.
You’ve won the Lottery or a Big Prize
How do you win a lottery or a prize that you never entered? And why do they need your bank information, your credit card number, your SSN? Unless you’ve actually entered a lottery or contest, chances are, this is a scam. If you did enter a lottery or contest, there is no need to give your bank account number or SSN, and no reason that you should pay for anything that you’ve won, not even for shipping. These are all red flags that say this is a scam.
Credit Card Fraud
Probably the biggest fraud out there, always watch your card. Never leave it on the table or with a waiter unattended. Check the receipt to ensure that not all of the numbers are visible on the receipt, if they are, cross out all of them except the last four digits. They have already scanned your card; they do not need a paper version of the number.
If you think you’ve been a victim of identity fraud, contact your local police as well as your financial institution, credit card companies and the credit reporting agencies immediately.
Faithe Thomas is concerned about identity theft and online fraud. She designed a website to help victims and pre-victims: ://www.identity-fraud.info
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