Identity Theft Protection

Interesting segment from the Today Show If your wallet is stolen: File a police report; Start keeping detailed records including the names, dates, and phone numbers of people you’ve reported this theft to; Report all your credit cards as stolen so that you are issued new cards with new account numbers. (Most credit card companies will automatically place a fraud alert in your credit report on your behalf when you notify them of a stolen card); FREEZE all three of your credit reports–do not rely on the theft alert alone, as it will not fully protect you from having accounts opened in your name, that is something only a full credit report freeze will do; Subscribe to a credit monitoring service (if it is available with a frozen report). These services supposedly provide insurance in the event you are a victim–not many people can afford to lay out $50000 in legal fees and that is where ID Theft Insurance will come in handy, assuming your homeowner’s policy doesn’t already offer this type of coverage. MYFICO, Equifax, Transunion and Experian all offer credit report monitoring (some of these services are made available to those who’ve already frozen their files). Also, as in the case of this victim, you may want to alter your banking habits. The thief in this case supposedly managed to withdraw funds and write bad checks using the victim’s driver’s license. Sign up for email alerts on all your accounts so you can catch unusual activity before it gets out of hand. Get a Motor …