Protecting Your Identity

I recently read two items that are new to me and may be new to you.

1. Instead of signing the back of your credit cards, write "Check Photo ID" in the signature block.
2. Stop pre-approved credit offers that come in the mail by calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT. Thieves get ths info when you dump it in the trash unopened.

Have to keep safe.

Another good idea is to photocopy the front and back of ALL of your credit cards. Put a copy in a safe place in your house. If they are ever stolen, or your purse, for instance, you can immediately take action and cancel the cards by calling the 1-800 numbers on the back of the cards, which you've copied. Time is everything once your card has been compromised.

PS--I saw a commerical just the other day where a guy had his Social Security number painted on the side of a van. He was on the street with a megaphone telling people that HIS company would guarantee you that your identity could not be stolen...or would not be...or compromised...or something like that. I wish now I had paid more attention to it. I'll do a little research and see if I can find the company again. Seems like to me he also promised something about stopping SPAM...Now THAT would be great!

Who here has pre-paid legal and identiy theft protection through them?

I've had them for severl years and have been VERY happy with their services.

danita

I pay $17 per month for Pre-Paid Legal. Their headquarters are in Ada, Oklahoma - right across the way from my sister-in-law. I purchased the program while I worked for the school district.

I am very pleased with them. I've used them regarding trademark and copyright questions, traffic law, land issues, and more.

Danita, I don't think I have identity theft protection through them - does that cost much more?

Kathy

Girls, if you're referring to the company in my post, WHAT is the name of the company?

JJ, I haven't seen the commercial, but here is the link for the company I use:

http://www.prepaidlegal.com/

The name is: Pre-Paid Legal

June,

the "identity theft" protection with pre-paid legal is just a little bit more -but very well worth it. If your identity is stolen it takes hundreds of man hours to fix it - if you have the protection - the company does all the work for you.

I have a boomer friend who represents pre-paid legal and their identity theft...her website is:

prepaidlegal.com/hub/pmmcguire

I signed the backs of my credit cards with see ID and STILL half of the time they don't ask for ID.

Thanks for the tips! Recently, last week, I received a phone call on my mobile from my bank at 7:00 PM. I was in class and did not take the call, yet returned it during break and received a recording that either my debit or credit card had been compromised and to call back during business hours. I do not have neither a debit/credit at this particular banking institution. Called the next day and after several calls, it was discovered that it was a phishing scam where individuals program their phones to exhibit a number different than that of the real banking institution. Since the 'real' bank closes at 6:00 PM, the 'real' bank's security and telecommunications departments ran a check (metadata) to see which employee would have called me @ 7:00 PM.

Needless to say, I was pretty pissed! Please be careful ladies!

Wow, nowadays we can't be too careful, huh? There's always a new scam waiting for the naive to fall to it. This is the world we now live in. And with each technological advance also come greater risks.

Regarding those credit card offers, I open each and every one of them and shred them, ensuring no one gets use of it. When I throw away magazines or any other correspondence I always shred the address page, etc. Better safe than sorry!