The Truth About Identity Theft: 6 Tactics To Keep You Safe

The problem of identity theft is growing worse every year. Criminals with the smallest amount of personal information can now steal an identity and cause damage that could take years to repair. Criminals are also finding new and inventive ways to steal identities. Six tactics will help to protect anyone from identity theft.

Manage Passwords and PINs Carefully

All passwords and personal identification numbers (PINs) for credit cards should be managed carefully. The passwords and PINs should not correspond to numbers or words that could be guessed by a criminal. Passwords should be changed every 30 to 60 days to something completely different. You should also not keep all your passwords and pins the same across the board. This can be just be inviting a thief to access more information then they originally could have.

Shred Documents or Go Paperless

Picking bank statements and other papers out of the trash is still an effective way to steal an identity. It is important to shred all documents that contain personal information or account numbers. It could help to sign up for paperless billing with banks and utilities to eliminate printed documents from the trash completely.

If you choose the route of going paperless, the only other idea you have to worry about is keeping your passwords safe. Considering that you should have a different password for each and every account, sometimes it is good to have these passwords written down somewhere in case of an emergency. But you want to be careful with where you store these passwords and make sure they are out of sight and reach of anyone looking.

Store Wisely

For documents that cannot be shredded, think of a secure location for them. There are safety deposit boxes at every bank or you could invest in a fire safe to keep in your home. The point is, you want to make these documents unreachable to anyone outside of your family.

Check Accounts and Credit Reports Regularly

All accounts should be checked regularly for any usual activity or changes in information. This should include bank accounts, credit card statements and accounts with utilities or other companies. They should be checked to ensure the address and other data is correct. They should be checked for unauthorized activities. This is especially important when looking at a credit report.

Protect Incoming and Outgoing Mail

Identity thieves can steal mail directly from a mailbox. It is important to use a locking mailbox or to have a mail slot that leads into the home. Outgoing mail should be put in a secure mailbox and never left in an unprotected location for pickup.

Never Respond To Unsolicited Requests for Information

Unsolicited requests for information should be ignored. This includes emails and mailed letters. If the request seems legitimate and is from a known source, then it is best to find the official number of the institution and contact them directly to see if the request is valid. Be especially leery of websites that ask for personal information. The only thing you should be giving out to a site should be an email address. Never give any numbers of your social security number out over the internet. This is an easy way for criminals to get their hands on your information.

Scan For Spyware and Malware

Spyware and malware can extract personal information from a computer and record keystrokes. Computers should be scanned for spyware and malware once every week or month depending on usage. Installing active antivirus software will help as well.

Part of avoiding identity theft is quickly recognizing anomalies and staying out of uncertain situations. It is important to scrutinize everything before providing personal information over the phone or online. Personal information needs to be protected at all times as if identity thieves were waiting around every corner.

Stop Your Employees Fiddling the Paper Work

The Greater London Police were called in to investigate fraud committed by staff working for Serco in August 2013. It was discovered that employees had fiddled the paper work to claim prisoners were being made ready to be transported to court, when in fact they were not. They were working for Serco who had been awarded a contract worth £285million to transport the prisoners across London.

Serco had been aware that there were some internal problems when persistent delays were reported in the transportation of the visitors from courts to jails in the summer of 2012. As a result of the delays they created an official improvement notice but that wasn't enough to solve the problems. Instead of improving their work the employees simply fiddled the paperwork. In addition to this problem Serco has also been accused of overcharging for their contracts and as a result they must allow an outside forensic audit to find out if they have been acting and performing dishonestly.

Protecting Your Business

Fraud happens, it’s something that costs businesses in the UK millions of pounds and it can leave companies closed and individuals behind bars. As a business owner it’s very important that you try to protect your company from those who are always looking to make money off the back of others.

The Greater London police have provided a lot of advice regarding fraud for business owners. Fraudsters find all sorts of ways to target businesses, whether they are attacking you from the outside or internally. You may be targeted by a lone fraudster or a gang, either way you must be aware of some of the methods that could be used.

Transferring Money

Criminals will use telegraphic transfer requests to take money from your account. The criminals get hold of your bank details and most commonly send a transfer request from another country. A letter is produced and sent to your bank requesting the money and the bank will send the amount that’s been asked for.

An Inside Job

Employees are increasingly being involved in cases of business fraud. The individuals often work on their own to try and gain personal details in order to commit fraud through identity theft. The criminals will come to work for you with the intention of stealing from you but often they will target other employees within your company. The employees may be questioned in a relaxed or social setting and unwittingly give away some information that the criminal can use to their advantage. Alternatively they may be threatened or blackmailed into delivering financial data of the company.

Suspecting Fraud Within Your Company

If you think your company may have been targeted by fraudsters you will need to discover what’s been going on. You can use your internal audit systems and enroll the assistance of forensic accountants in London so you’re fully aware of the extent of the damage to the assets of your company. You must also make a report to the police who will be able to investigate the incident.

Top 3 Identity Protection Services

While there may be hundreds of identity protection services available on the market today, you may not know what you should be looking for in way of protecting yourself. One of the best ways to decide on which service may be best for you is to compare several companies and read reviews so that you can be properly informed and be confident that you will be well looked after. In this article we will share the top 3 identity protection services that are available for you to choose from. 

Lifelock 

This is an affordable plan that only costs $9 a month. This service is perfect for protecting your bank account information and you can contact them at any time of day or night regardless of the time of year. The only problem with this coverage is that they cannot protect your vehicle registration plate or any of your insurance records. On a recent poll taken though, 9.33 people out of 10 voted that this was still the best service for protecting both you and your family from identity theft protection. 

They have recently added a new protection to their line-up. For an extra $15 a month you can be covered for up to a million dollars if you find yourself in trouble. Lifelock will be there to act as power of attorney on your behalf. They also guarantee that they do not under any circumstance sell your data to third party firms as trust is one of their prime concerns. 

Lifelock has a dedicated identity alert system that sends you notifications if it detects that anyone is trying to use your personal information to apply for payday loans, mortgage loans, ordering new checks, paying for utilities, auto loans, purchasing items from a store, applying for a credit card, or paying for wireless services. Lifelock also offers assistance in keeping your children's identification safe as well. 

Identity Force 

This service is still affordable at $12.95 a month. This company boasts that they offer real identity theft insurance and not just a simple service guarantee. 

The disadvantage to using this company is that it does not offer family coverage or protection for your vehicle registration. 

This company too offers a $1 million dollar coverage and is a great competitor to other leading companies such as Lifelock. The Department of Homeland Security and the FAA have been clients of this company for many years as the company has been in existence since 1978. The security system used within this company is industrial strength protection using an ID Analytics engine to search for stolen information across the internet including in chat rooms and on criminal websites. If detection of fraudulent activity occurs, you are immediately notified which allows you to take action before too much damage can happen. Many other identity theft protection services will not offer coverage for people who live in New York, Identity Force prides themselves on taking care of these neglected citizens. 

While some other companies such as Lifelock do offer one million dollar coverage, their stipulation is that coverage is only if you fall victim to identity theft while under their protection. Identity Force will cover up to a million dollars to you even if it is with no fault of their own. 

Protect My ID 

This coverage is a little more expensive and comes in at $15.95 a month. This service is known for their superb help and support features although it could have more additional features included within their policy. 

While many people are satisfied with this company's service, it only rates an 8.78 out of 10 due to needing help in some areas. 

Things they can boast about though are keeping a constant eye on your sensitive information and resolving any case of identity theft in top notch time and will guarantee you a reimbursement of your lost wages, stolen funds not replaced by credit card companies or bank and any legal fees. This company keeps track of all of your credit reports and lets you know if anyone has tried to get a line of credit or open up a new account under your name. It can also detect if someone is trying to add a new address or redirect your mail to a new place. 

Fraud Resolution Agents will also work closely with you if you do become a victim of identity theft. They will help you clear your name, talk to your creditors and resolve any other issues you may have regarding this fraud. If you need help cancelling any credit or debit cards when you wallet is lost or stolen, they are available to help when you contact their website. 

There are pros and cons for most identity theft service companies out there today on the market. It is up to you to determine what is the most important to you and pick the company that can give you that protection, help and peace of mind. If you are still unsure of what to do after your research, be sure to talk to other family members to see what choice they have made and why. 

Author Bio: The author of this post is interested in writing about travel and technology. If you are still curious on what more steps to take in preventing identity theft? Visit GuestDoor To know more about Traveler's Guide to Preventing Identity Theft.

10 Important Business Laws

There are different policies and rules that must be followed when you are going to start your own business. You have to know these things in order to operate smoothly. In this article, you will be given an overview of the 10 most important laws related to business.

1. Customer Information

The law provides that you should be keeping customer information securely. There is a limitation when it comes to this. You cannot give out any information about your customers to anyone. This rule applies to all types of businesses.

2. Protection of your customer’s identity

There are different victims of identity theft. You may not determine when someone has taken something like your customers information. But this can be avoided when you know the law about customer’s identity protection. You have to exhaust every possible way to make sure that hackers or other identity theft will not be able to take anything from you; this is one of the most important rules.

3. Credit information

When you are going to accept payment through credit card, you need to ensure that the customer’s credit information will not be put in stake.

4. Business permit

You need to have all the documents needed before starting the operation. You need to understand the importance of ensuring that you have everything you need before starting or you will be sanctioned.

5. Tax Identification Number

You need to have your TIN; this is a very important requisite because you are part of a State that can legally demand for taxes.

6. State and Local Taxes

When registering your account, you need to arrange your taxes. You may be asked to pay for local and state tax. In order for you to know the tax that you are going to pay, you need to ask the assistance of the people from the taxing department.

7. Hiring Employees for Your Business

When you are going to hire employees, you need to know your responsibilities as an employer. Make sure that you know the different benefits that they must be receiving. Study the Labor Law for you to understand this part.

8. Business name

When registering the business name, you should make sure that you are not taking somebody else’s registered title. It would be safe if you were going to choose a unique one. Register it so you can ensure that you own it.

9. Business Area

The location of your business is very important; you must be choosing the best area. In this part, you must know the different ordinances and zoning law in the place you have chosen. This will allow you to operate smoothly.

10. Business Structure

You should also be registering the business basing it from its legal structure. Decide if it is going to be a corporation, a partnership or a non-profit organization. You must settle this while you are on the process of registration.

Author Bio:

Burton Copeland is highly recognized with over two decades as leaders in the defense of corporate and commercial fraud allegations. Our team of expertise criminal lawyers will help you to resolve your problems regarding business crime. We provide a full range of legal services to clients ranging from fraud & regulatory crown court advocacy general, serious crime police station advice, prison law professional disciplinary proceedings, to road traffic and motoring offenses."

How to Deal With a Notice of Intended Prosecution for a Motoring Offence

 (Photo credit: Tulane Public Relations)

You can obtain a bolt from the blue after getting a NIP notice without a prior clue. Notice of Intended

Prosecution is a notice which identifies the aspects of the offence along with its time and place the crime is happening. 

It needs the holder to deliver the cops with the name of the individual who was driving the vehicle at the duration of the crime. 

The factors of reckless driving, unnecessary speeding, driving after drinking beyond limit, using mobile phone inappropriately can contribute greatly in receiving the NTP notice. The person is notified within 14 days after the occurrence of the crime. 

Hidden cameras can find out these unscrupulous acts and prompt actions can be taken against them.

Trace whether it’s true

The preliminary step one should do is to decide whether the NIP received is authentic. By law, the police must provide a NIP to the approved owner of the vehicle within 14 days of the stated contravention. 

If the NIP is sent outside that period, then it is inappropriate and the case cannot go on. In determining whether your NIP is not fit, you have the right to seek answers, just be emphatic on the date of issuing the complaint on the paper.

Send it for clarification, if information is doubtful

In case you find fault with the notice provided on the basis of inaccurate NIP, you are entitled to send it back, requesting for further verification. 

You have the total right to seek for the amplifications that remain in your mind. But keep it in mind that mere inappropriate information does not always prove the fact that the notice is illegal.

Follow law

Conform to the rule in case the NIP notice provided to you is valid. Do not let your vehicle out until you are informing police within the 28 days period. Seek out the driver at that time period. Abide by law and don't try to transcend as it may cause you severe penalty.

If you have baffling confusions about the nature of the in NIP notice, you can consult a professional in the field of law. 

Motoring Lawyers are the experts who can handle the issues with great care and efficiency. They can provide you with a more satisfactory elucidation along with the advice of your next proceedings. 

Consultation with legal advisers may cause you to pay them initially but of course with a positive result. You can outdo a greater risk. They can equally save your license from being at threat.