Stolen Identity?
Prevention is better than cure
We do not live in a perfect world, so their will always be people out there who believe in stealing easy money rather than working for it.
So please take time to check on the following listed below;
- Order a copy of your credit file to ensure that no one has applied for credit in your name. You will need to do this regularly. Experian, the credit reference agency, charges £5.95 a month for a monthly update service through its website at www.creditexpert.co.uk, while Equifax, at www.equifax.co.uk, charges £7.50 a month.
- If you bank, book tickets or shop online, do not use the same PIN or passwords for all your accounts, or store your details on your computer. When shopping online, look for “https:” in the navigation bar – this means the site is secure. Up-to-date antivirus software and a firewall also help to thwart hackers.
- Shred personal documents, including envelopes that have your name and address on them.
- If you are getting rid of an old computer, wipe the hard drive before disposing of it. Do not merely delete files because these can be retrieved by hackers.
- When using chip and PIN, shield your number from those nearby or from cameras. Even if someone has your card, he or she will be unable to use it without your PIN.
- Check Bank and credit card statements and be wary of disclosing confidential information on the telephone or the internet.
- You are most at risk when you move home. Experian says that about 40 per cent of the frauds it encounters involve an old address. Ensure that no mail will be sent to your previous address when you move home.
- Contact the Mailing preference Service at www.mpsonline.org.uk or call 0845 703 4599 to have your name removed from the databases free of charge.
- If you have been the victim of fraud, report it to the police immediately and get a crime reference number. Report a missing or stolen card to the issuing company.
- Registering with Cifas, the fraud prevention service, at www.cifas.org.uk or 0870 010 2091, flags you up to lenders and extra care is taken with applications in your name. It cost £11.75.
Credit Cards Chip and pin.
Let me start by saying, I was shocked when I watched the BBC WATCHDOG on Tuesday the 6th of February 2007. The programme exposed the flaws with Credit cards chip and pin, by showing us it’s viewers, members of the viewing public how easy it was to obtain a pin number while it was being keyed into a machine and at the same time registering into a laptop being carried by a guy who was talking to someone with his mobile phone.
I myself will not be using my credit card with my chip and pin as the programme has shown it not to be 100% safe or secured. Some banks are refusing to refund the money obtained through fraud in this type of situation.
The word negligent doesn’t come close to this situation, as we are talking about professional thieves. And there are no grounds for the bank’s to claim that the customer was negligent in this case.
