| The crime of identity theft is probably one of the | | | | Another way this happens is in restaurants, and |
| fastest growing crimes of this century. The | | | | unfortunately, even some of the nicer |
| reason for that is because far too many people | | | | restaurants. Dinner has come and gone and you |
| make it way to EASY to have themselves be a | | | | are enjoying the ambiance of this restaurant and |
| victim of identity theft, and they do not take the | | | | the company of your spouse and perhaps some |
| task of protecting themselves against identify | | | | guests. The waiter or waitress brings the check, |
| theft seriously enough. | | | | and you pick it up, glance at it, then lay it back on |
| What happens in a case of identity theft? | | | | the table with your credit card. BIG MISTAKE. |
| Basically, the thief "becomes" you, opens loan | | | | What happens is that your credit card has left |
| accounts, charge cards, and credit cards in your | | | | your sight for a period of time - more than |
| name, then disappears into the sunset, never to | | | | enough time for a possible thief to write down |
| be seen again. In the meantime, the first that you | | | | your credit card information, your expiration date, |
| become aware of it is when you start getting | | | | your CCV code (that three or four digit code on |
| calls from lenders and creditors that you have | | | | the back of your card), and get the bill back to |
| never heard of and where you "know" you do | | | | you. You do not know what has happened to |
| not have an account, asking when you going to | | | | your credit card while it was out of your sight. |
| start making payments or is there a problem? | | | | Chance is good that nothing is going to happen |
| But by then, it is far too late. | | | | with your credit card, but what if it does? You |
| Let's back up a step. How does identity theft | | | | just gave the thief everything they wanted to |
| occur? Identity theft occurs when a third | | | | start a spending spree, and in the online world, all |
| becomes you. That is done by a thief going | | | | you need is a credit card, expiration date, and |
| through your trash and coming up with something | | | | CCV number. |
| that has your unique identifiers on it. If you have | | | | Do not allow yourself to become a victim of |
| decent or good credit, you probably get these | | | | identity theft. Be very aware of where you are |
| pre-approved cards in the mail all the time for | | | | and who you are with. If it is necessary to pay |
| credit cards and loan accounts. What do you do | | | | for a meal like at a restaurant with a credit card, |
| with these offers? Do you simply throw them in | | | | ask the waiter to bring the bill to your table. With |
| the trash? If so, you are putting yourself at risk | | | | the rising amount of crime that is seen this way, |
| for identify theft, as much of America does. | | | | most waiters will think nothing of the request. |
| Instead, invest in a small shredder, probably under | | | | They can get credit authorization just with the |
| $50 at Best Buy, Circuit City, or your local office | | | | account number, not with CCV or expiration date. |
| supply store, and shred documents such as those. | | | | The bottom line is not to make yourself an easy |
| Anything that has identifiable information on it | | | | target. |
| other than "Occupant" goes into the shredder. | | | | |