CONSUMER NEWS    RECALLS    COMPLAINT FORM    SCAM ALERTS  


Complain about a product or service

Small Claims Guide | Class Actions | Lemon Law | FAQ | Resources | Newsletters | Spanish
Automotive    Education    Electronics    Family    Finance    Health    Homeowners    Shopping    Travel   
NEWS   Latest |  Archives |  Auto |  Cells, etc. |  Computers |  Financial |  Health |  Homeowners |  Parents |  Privacy |  Scams |  Seniors |  Travel

Tis the Season to Avoid Identity Theft



December 23, 2004


Consumers Playing Rebate Roulette This Holiday Season
Beware of Zero Percent Financing
Survey Finds Consumers Wary about Holiday Returns
NYC Fines Retailers for Return & Restocking Fee Violations
Retailers Urged to Curb Violent Video Games
Smart, Careful Shopping Will Help Keep the Season Bright
Video Game Industry Gets a D+
Negative Option Scams May Snag Online Holiday Shoppers
Black Friday Gives Wal-Mart a Black Eye
Retailers' Return Policies Getting Tougher
Watch Out for Hidden Toy Hazards
Safety, Shopping, Charitable Giving Tips
Nordstrom, Wal-Mart, L.L. Bean Top Customer Service Rankings
Consumer Reports Holiday Guide
The Gift That Keeps On Taking
Tis the Season to Avoid Identity Theft
Beware of Payday Loans
Best of All: Giving Without Shopping

The holidays and their post-season sales and the throngs of shoppers that accompany them are tempting targets for identity theft perpetrators. Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist advises consumers to be extra cautious and to use credit cards wisely to avoid becoming victims of identity theft.

"Identity theft can happen anywhere and at any time but holiday shoppers are particularly vulnerable during these hectic shopping days," said Crist. "Fortunately, consumers can take specific steps to limit their chances of becoming victimized."

Back on December 15, Crist hosted Florida's first Identity Theft Summit in Miami. Representatives from the public and private sectors shared experiences and suggestions for consumers designed to protect their personal information. Based upon this information, Crist recommends the following:

When Making Purchases at Retail Stores

• Do not take out credit cards before you get to the register. This will allow you to control the number of people who see the information on your cards and will reduce the chance of misplacing them. Protect your credit numbers from the people around you who may try to steal them.

• Beware of others lurking with cell phones not in use. Clever thieves are using new technology to take photographs or videos of credit cards or personal information with newer model phones.

• Carry only the credit or debit cards your plan to use for holiday purchases. If your wallet or purse is stolen, fewer accounts will be affected.

• Avoid keeping your Social Security card in your wallet unless there is a specific reason for doing so. Do not give your Social Security number to anyone unless you understand why the number is requested.

When Making Purchases with the Internet and Cell Phones

• Make online purchase through secure websites from companies you trust. Always use a credit card for Internet purchases. Remember that the Federal Fair Credit Billing Act covers billing mistakes.

• If your bank or lending institution, or a business with which you have an established account, asks you to provide account information over the Internet, do not do so. This is not a legitimate request for information but is instead a scam called "phishing." These entities already have that information!

• Keep your billing information private and avoid sharing it via cell phone, especially in a location where a stranger could overhear and write down the information.

Handling the Documentation of Credit and Purchases

• Take all receipts with you so that no one else picks them up. If you throw away your receipts, tear them up first.

• Destroy unwanted credit card offers before throwing them away.

• Look at credit card statements carefully to check for charges you did not make. Contact the credit card company right away if you find any.

In the Event of an Emergency

• If you are a victim of identity theft, report to the police and then ask the national credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report. Tell banks and creditors involved that you question the charges or accounts. Keep records of telephone calls and follow up in writing with credit bureaus, banks and creditors.



Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.


Consumer News

September 7 2008

Recent Recalls & Safety Alerts



FREE CONSUMER NEWSLETTERS

The Daily Consumer
Afternoons M-F

Sign up now!


Consumer News & Alerts
Every Sunday

Sign up now!


Knowledge is free.
Knowledge is power.



Back to the top |


Home | Complaint Form | News | Recalls | FAQ |
Consumer Resources | Small Claims Guide | Lemon Law | Newsletter | Contact Us
Advertise With Us | Testimonials | Newsroom | RSS Feeds |


Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use

Advertisements on this site are placed and controlled by outside advertising networks. ConsumerAffairs.com does not evaluate or endorse the products and services advertised. See the FAQ for more information.

Company Response Welcome If complaints about your company appear on our site, we welcome your response. Please see the Response Form for more information.

For more information, see the FAQ and privacy policy. The information on this Web site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice.  ConsumerAffairs.com Inc. makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof. 

Copyright © 2003-2008 ConsumerAffairs.com Inc.  All Rights Reserved.    The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission.