Identity Theft For Dummies E-Book

Michael J. Arata

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 378

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2010

Beschreibung

Practical solutions to help you deter, detect, and defend against identity theft

In 2008, 9.9 million Americans became victims of identity theft. The cost exceeded $48 billion in 2008; consumers spend some $5 billion out-of-pocket each year to clear up resulting fraud issues. This guide will help keep you from becoming the next victim.

Written by a veteran security professional, Identity Theft For Dummies gives you the tools to recognize what information is vulnerable, minimize your risk, stay safe online, and practice damage control if your identity is compromised.

• If you have a name, a date of birth, and a Social Security number, you're a potential victim; this book helps you recognize your risk and defend against identity thieves
• Explains what identity theft is, how it happens, and how to recognize if you have become a victim
• Shows how to protect your personal information, how to be discreet in public places, how to interpret your credit report, and why you should monitor your financial statements
• Helps you recognize risks you may not have considered, such as what you set at the curb on trash day
• Provides advice on how to clear your name if you are victimized

Identity Theft For Dummies arms you to fight back against this growing threat.

Leseprobe

Identity Theft For Dummies®

Table of Contents

Introduction

About Identity Theft For Dummies

Foolish Assumptions

Conventions Used in This Book

What You Don’t Have to Read

How This Book Is Organized

Part I: Getting the Scoop on Identity Theft

Part II: Determining Whether You’re a Victim

Part III: Being Smart with Your Sensitive Information

Part IV: Arming Yourself against Potential Identity Theft

Part V: Safeguarding Electronic Information

Part VI: Taking Back Your Good Name

Part VII: The Part of Tens

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I: Getting the Scoop on Identity Theft

Chapter 1: Who’s Stealing What . . . and What You Can Do about It

Taking a Look at the Fastest Growing Crime

Who identity theft affects

How identity theft happens

Knowing What Information Is Vulnerable

Vulnerable info comes in the mail

What you throw away can hurt you

The Role of Technology in Identity Theft

Encryption

Authentication

Safeguarding Your Information in Everyday Ways

Finding Your Allies

Getting Back Your Identity and Your Good Reputation

Chapter 2: Mike’s Anti–Identity Theft Crash Course

Tips for Preventing Identity Theft

Buy and use a shredder

Order and review your credit report

Guard your personal information

Opt out of preapproved credit card offers

Opt out of other mailing lists

Use your debit card carefully

Government Laws to Protect You

Steps to Take If You’re a Victim

Reporting the crime to law enforcement

Employing the credit freeze

Other essential actions you must take

Part II: Determining Whether You’re a Victim

Chapter 3: Smelling a Rat: Recognizing Common Signs of Identity Theft

Suspecting a Thief at Your Mailbox

Recognizing When Something Is Wrong, and What You Can Do about It

Denied credit for a large purchase

Receiving credit card bills from cards you didn’t apply for

Receiving calls from bill collectors for stuff you didn’t buy

Receiving bills for unknown purchases

Large unknown purchases on your credit card bills

Suddenly . . . several unknown charges on each month’s bill

Chapter 4: Homing In on Financial Statements

Checking Your Monthly Financial Statements for Surprises

Checking Your Bank Statement Religiously

Identifying an Unwelcome Doppelganger

Withdrawals you didn’t make

Checks you didn’t write

Finding bizarre bank account balances

Reviewing Investment Account Statements

Online Banking

Chapter 5: Interpreting Your Credit Report

What Is a Credit Report?

Obtaining Your Credit Report

Reviewing the Telltale Information on Your Credit Report

The Personal Profile section

The Account Information section

The Credit Summary section

The Public Records section

The Credit Inquiries section

The Account History section

Your credit score

Sudden unknown credit score change

Looking for consistency

Pulling your credit report together

Disputing Your Credit Report

Part III: Being Smart with Your Sensitive Information

Chapter 6: Keeping Tabs on Your Personal and Business Information

Discovering Where Your Personal Information Hides

The important info on the documents you receive

Finding your information online

Accounts you have online

Checks, receipts, and other papers you generate

Government documents

Keeping Your Information Safe but Available

Software to help keep your information safe

Tips to keep your information safe

Accessing your information

Knowing When to Hold ’Em, When to Fold ’Em, and When to Shred ’Em

What to keep

Best practices for destroying what you don’t keep

Chapter 7: Watching What You Set on the Curb

Protecting Your Mail

Watching What You Throw Away

Monthly credit card statements

Monthly checking account statements

Savings account statements

Utility bills

Cellphone bills

Old tax returns

Cancelled checks

Expired driver’s licenses

Old credit and debit cards

Hotel key cards

Chapter 8: Practicing Discretion in Public Places

Carrying Minimal Personal Information

Do not carry your Social Security card

Memorize your bank ATM PIN

Carry one credit card

Carry personal checks only when necessary

The Walls Have Ears and Eyes

Shoulder surfing

Be careful what you say

Keeping Track of Important Things

Checking credit card receipts

Losing your wallet or purse

Ordering Stuff by Phone

Part IV: Arming Yourself against Potential Identity Theft

Chapter 9: Avoiding Loss of Your Identity: Online Services That Can Help

Sizing Up Identity Theft Protection Companies

Identity Theft Prevention Services

Comparing Costs and Services

LifeLock

ID Watchdog

TrustedID

Identity Guard

Truston

Uncovering the Benefits of an Identity Theft Prevention Company

Reviewing Dispute Resolution Methods

LifeLock

ID Watchdog

TrustedID

Identity Guard

Truston

Chapter 10: Becoming Familiar with Identity Thieves’ Scams and Methods

Being Stingy with Your Personal Information: Don’t Give It Out Freely

Who’s calling?

Phishing out a thief

They’re from the government

Why financial information?

Bank examiner scam

A Method to Their Madness: How Identity Thieves Suck You In

Part V: Safeguarding Electronic Information

Chapter 11: Staying Safe from Online Threats

Ordering Stuff Online

Understanding Common Online Threats

Keylogger software

Spyware/adware

Trojan horses

E-mails from unknown sources

Cookies

Implementing Security through Windows Security Center

Identifying and Implementing Other Security Safeguards

Firewall and antivirus software

Spyware blocker

Proxy server

Pop-up blocker

Backups

Encryption

Passwords

Devising a Security Plan

Chapter 12: Dispensing Security with Windows XP, Vista, and 7

Wielding Windows Security Center Tools

Accessing the Security Center

Managing security settings

Windows Defender

Home

Scan

History

Tools

Engaging User Account Control in XP and Vista

Managing user accounts in XP

Managing user accounts in Vista

Windows 7 Security

Turning off alerts

Windows Firewall

Finding other security features

Part VI: Taking Back Your Good Name

Chapter 13: Starting the Process of Reclaiming Your Identity

Filling Out the Initial Reports

Placing a fraud alert on your credit report

Reporting the crime to law enforcement

Completing an ID theft affidavit

Taking Care of Compromised Accounts: The First Steps

Call your credit card company

Call your bank

Ask for fraud dispute forms

Getting Straight with the Government

Filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission

What to do if your SSN has been used to get a job

Tools

Chapter 14: Closing Compromised Accounts

Closing Bank Accounts

When your ATM card goes missing

Reporting to check verification companies

Covering checks that you’ve written already

Closing Credit Accounts

Chapter 15: Opening New Accounts

Opening New Bank Accounts

Maintaining good records

Using a new PIN

Opening New Credit Accounts

Opening credit accounts online

Proving your identity when opening new credit accounts

Part VII: The Part of Tens

Chapter 16: Ten (Or So) Tips to Make Reclaiming Your Identity Go More Smoothly

Follow a Checklist

Keep a Journal

Complete a Fraud Affidavit

Record All Correspondence with Creditors

Follow Up

Place a Fraud Alert on Your Credit Report

File a Credit Freeze

File a Police Report

Dispute Charges You Didn’t Make

Report Your Stolen Checks to One of the Check Verification Companies

Close Compromised Accounts

Chapter 17: Ten Handy Resources

Web Sites

Major Credit Card Issuers

Credit Report Services

Registration Services

Major Banking Institutions

Chapter 18: Ten Security Tools You Shouldn’t Be Without

Use a Firewall

Use a Spyware Blocking Program

Get Virus Protection

Update Your Operating System

Manage Your User Accounts

Create Strong Passwords

Use Encryption

Increase Internet Explorer Security Settings

Protect Shared Files

Don’t Open or Reply to Unknown E-Mails

Chapter 19: Ten (Plus One) Common Scams and How to Avoid Them

Phishing

The Bank Examiner Scam

The Doctored ATM

Phone Fraud

Card Verification

You Won the Lottery!

Bogus Charities

Bogus Invoices

Phony Brokerage Firms

Temporary Suspension of Your Account

Job Scams

Identity Theft For Dummies®

by Michael J. Arata Jr.

Identity Theft For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone]. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, Making Everything Easier, and related trade dress are trademarks or registered trademarks of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: The publisher and the author make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales or promotional materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If professional assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. The fact that an organization or Website is referred to in this work as a citation and/or a potential source of further information does not mean that the author or the publisher endorses the information the organization or Website may provide or recommendations it may make. Further, readers should be aware that Internet Websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read.

For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax [phone].

For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport.

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010920655

ISBN: 978-0-470-56521-6

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

About the Author

Michael J. Arata Jr. has been in the security profession for 20 years. He has held positions as Vice President of Corporate Security and is currently a security consultant. He possesses the following security-related certifications:

Certified Protection Professional (CPP)

Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP)

Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE)

He holds the following degrees: a Master of Public Administration, a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection and Safety.

Dedication

To my wife, Karla, without whose understanding and encouragement this book would not have been written. This includes all the late nights writing and re-writing it. Also to my son and daughter for understanding that dad needed to spend time completing this book.

Author’s Acknowledgments

To the editors, Nicole and Jen, at Wiley Publishing. They did a great job in making sure the book’s information was easy to understand.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial

Project Editor: Nicole Sholly

Executive Editor: Bob Woerner

Copy Editor: Jennifer Riggs

Technical Editors: SaberGuard Identify Theft Solutions and IDEXPERTS

Editorial Manager: Kevin Kirschner

Editorial Assistant: Amanda Graham

Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case

Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Katherine Crocker

Layout and Graphics: Samantha K. Cherolis, Christine Williams

Proofreader: Bonnie Mikkelson

Indexer: Estalita Slivoskey

Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies

Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher

Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director

Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director

Publishing for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher

Composition Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Introduction

In this book, I tell you how to prevent identity theft and what to do if you’re a victim. If you’re wondering what sort of information is vulnerable and should be shredded, or how to reclaim your credit if you’ve been a victim, this is the one-stop reference for you. Today, the name of the game is making yourself a hard target, and armed with this book, you’ll do exactly that.

About Identity Theft For Dummies

Here are some of the things you can do with this book:

Know the signs of whether you’ve been a victim of identity theft.

Read and understand your credit report.

Know what to do and how to clear your name if you’re a victim.

Find ways that help prevent you from becoming a victim.

Foolish Assumptions

Please don’t take offense, but I have made the following few assumptions about you (which help you use this book to its maximum potential):

You can use a computer to surf the Internet.

You’re up to adjusting Security settings for your computer by using the Control Panel, even if you’re not quite sure how to do this yet. (I tell you how to do this in Chapter 12.)

You don’t give up your personal information readily.

You’re careful about the e-mails you open.

You’re willing to take an active part in protecting your identity.

You’re careful about what sites you go to on the Internet.

Conventions Used in This Book

To help you navigate this book easily, I use a few style conventions:

Terms or words that you might be unfamiliar with in the context of identity theft, I italicize and define.

Web site addresses, or URLs, are shown in a special monofont typeface, like this.

Numbered steps that you need to follow and characters you need to type are set in bold.

What You Don’t Have to Read

You don’t have to read anything that doesn’t pertain to what you’re interested in. In fact, you can even skip one or more chapters entirely. Don’t skip too many, though, because all the chapters are chock-full of useful information and interesting content. As for the few sidebars you see in this book, feel free to ignore them because they contain, for the most part, tangential information that, while interesting, isn’t necessary for you to know in order to protect yourself from identity theft.

How This Book Is Organized

Identity Theft For Dummies is split into seven parts. You don’t have to read it sequentially, and you don’t even have to read all the sections in any particular chapter. You can use the Table of Contents and the index to find the information you need and quickly get your answer. In this section, I briefly describe what you’ll find in each part.

Part I: Getting the Scoop on Identity Theft

This part defines identity theft — who it affects, how it happens, what information is vulnerable, and how to protect that information from being stolen. I also cover what personal information is being stolen and what to do about preventing that from happening.

Part II: Determining Whether You’re a Victim

The chapters in this part describe the signs to look for to determine whether you’re a victim. You see how you can use your bank statements as an identity theft prevention tool. You also see how to order and read your credit report. I also tell you what to look for when reviewing your bank statements, both checking and savings.

Part III: Being Smart with Your Sensitive Information

Here I give you a look at some good identity theft prevention techniques. I provide some tips on securing your personal information. Watching what you throw away and being careful what you say and do in public places and online are good identity theft prevention techniques. I caution you about using your wireless laptop computer to check that bank account in an Internet café or on a public computer in a library.

Part IV: Arming Yourself against Potential Identity Theft

In this part, you find out who you can join forces with in the identity theft battle: government agencies and online companies, which help keep you from becoming a victim or help you if you already are a victim. I outline several common scams identity thieves use to steal your identity. I also give you a rundown of identity thieves’ methods so that you won’t fall prey to their scams.

Part V: Safeguarding Electronic Information

Today, you use computers more than ever in your daily life, and this includes online banking and bill paying. So this part provides information on how you can protect your personal information while online. Also included in this part of the book, I review the security features of Windows, XP, Vista, and 7 to help you secure your computer from unwanted intrusions and viruses.

Part VI: Taking Back Your Good Name

If you need information on what to do if you’re a victim of identity theft, this part is for you. You also find information in this part about placing a fraud alert on your credit report, obtaining a police report, and completing an identity theft affidavit. Finally, this part tells you when and how to close compromised accounts and open new ones.

Part VII: The Part of Tens

Every For Dummies book has this special part, which features lists with helpful tips and tricks. Here you find ten tips for helping you more easily reclaim your identity and good name, a list of resources you can use to help prevent identity theft, ten security tools, and ten scams to avoid.

Icons Used in This Book

What’s a For Dummies book without icons pointing you in the direction of really great information that’s sure to help you along your way? In this section, I briefly describe each icon I use in this book.

When you see the Tip icon, pay attention — you’ll find an extra valuable tidbit that may save you from becoming a victim of identity theft.

Heads up when you see this icon — here’s where I tell you mistakes you can make that will almost guarantee that you will become a victim of identity theft, and what to do to avoid making those mistakes.

This icon indicates a gentle reminder about an important point.

This icon marks real-world scenarios that help illustrate the concept at hand.

Where to Go from Here

From here, most folks like to browse the Table of Contents and find something about identity theft that they want to know more about. The great thing is that you don’t have to read the book in order, chapter by chapter. You can skip around and go right to the sections of the book that interest you.

If you haven’t been the victim of identity theft, you may want to focus on the sections that address preventing identity theft. On the other hand, if you have been the victim of identity theft, you may want to focus on the sections that address how to reclaim your good name and credit. Chapter 17 lists resources where you can find additional information and help.

Part I

Getting the Scoop on Identity Theft

In this part . . .

Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in recent years. To fight this crime, you need to know what it is and who it affects. You need to know what information is vulnerable and how to exercise prevention so that you don’t become a victim. I cover all this in Part I.

Chapter 1

Who’s Stealing What . . . and What You Can Do about It

In This Chapter

Understanding the scope of the identity theft problem

Knowing what information you need to guard

Using technology to help protect your information

Safeguarding your information every day

Finding help against identity theft

Fighting back if your identity is stolen

In this chapter, I explain who identity theft affects, how it happens, and what personal information it involves. Although identity theft is pretty unnerving, a greater understanding of it can be empowering. After you find out what identity theft is all about and how it occurs, you can protect your personal information from falling into the wrong hands — and you’ll know the best way to take action if it does.