Identity Theft Victims Testify with Prevention Tips

As a follow on to our recent post requesting
comments from our valuable readers and
subscribers, we offer a brief sampling
of their personal experiences shared
with us for you to utilize in the war
against identity theft.


Identity Theft Victim #1 said....

When I recently got a copy of my credit report,
I learned someone had opened a credit card in
my name 9 years ago. The account had been
closed by the credit card company due to many
late payments.

The only way I found out about it was because
I was rejected from getting a credit card from
my own bank because they told me I was
a "bad" credit risk.

Identity Theft Victim #2 said...

Way back in 2002 we learned my identity had
been stolen and used to run over $800 in
charges on not one, but two of my credit cards.

We subsequently learned there was a mail fraud
ring operating in (city deleted) one of the
major inbound mail processing facilities.

What the identity thieves were doing was stealing
envelopes containing convenience checks mailed to
credit card holders.The thieves were providing the
stolen mail, for a fee,to the actual credit fraudsters
who would then use them just like cash.

By endorsing those unsolicted convenience checks, the
thieves were able to immediately go shopping - in this
instance using our previously unblemished credit.

The only way we noticed it then was weeks later upon
receipt of our monthly account statement.

Fortunately, for us, the identity thieves credit
fraudsters did not process a change of address
for the account. This would have delayed the
timeframe for us to recognize the identity theft
had actually taken place.

This one big reason why we are now firm believers
in getting automatic credit monitoring to alert
you to any new suspicious activity.

That way you still have time on your side to
take action before significant, long term damage
can be done to your credit record.

Identity Theft Victim #3 said...

I've been a victim of identity theft over a
year ago and had I known the things now on
your site, I could have avoided a h-u-g-e
amount of frustration in dealing with credit
bureaus and banks to correct my profile.

Three different identity theft victims with
different circumstances but all with one
common theme shared amongst them.

Identity theft is a crime of opportunity
practiced by ever resourceful criminals
against generally unsuspecting victims
who are simply too busy or pre-occupied
with the daily demands on their time to
notice what has become the familiar
pattern of fraud committed:

• Unauthorized charges suddenly showing up on your credit cards
• Mysterious cash withdrawals from your checking account
• Monthly financial statements suddenly stop arriving in the mail
• Credit issuers rejecting your loan applications for "bad" credit
• Debt collectors start harassing you for unpaid credit bills
• And many more...

So, our tip for today is take to heart the lessons learned
from each of these three identity theft victims. Get enrolled
in a quality credit and bank account monitoring
service to serve as your very own personal fraud
"burgular alarm".

By doing so not only do you help to significantly reduce the
negative financial impact of identity theft, but you also
materially increase your odds of preventing fraud altogether.