Greetings!
We've all had dreams of what life would be like if money were no object. Endless amounts of extravagant vacations, mansions, cars, and meals. Well, you might be surprised to know there are just as many people who would just like to have your lifestyle.
With just over half a million reported cases of identity theft in America a year, it's safe to say that the ones who get to deal with this frustration and hassle are just like you. That's why it's ever so important to keep tabs on all the ways thieves can wreck havoc with your credit and money.
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Things to watch out for...
- Don't ignore collection calls for loans that you do not have. If you don't have a loan with a creditor, an identity thief may have used your name and personal information and failed to make payments.
- Don't ignore address change notifications. If you receive a notice and you didn't change your address, call the bank immediately. This may be an attempt to take over your account and divert statements.
- Notify the bank if you do not receive a statement or bill on time to make sure the address has not been changed or your bill has not been stolen from the mail.
- Keep your address and telephone number information current with all your creditors, even if you don't have a balance. This will enable them to reach you quickly if there is an unauthorized attempt to obtain credit in your name.
- Keep your daytime contact information current on your credit bureau fraud victim statements. This will enable them to reach you to confirm that a credit application is authorized.
- Accept and return calls from the bank as soon as possible, regarding questions about your recent loan application or a check that you wrote. Doing so will assist them greatly in making sure that they do not return an authorized check and do not pay an unauthorized check.
- Remember: a bank will never ask for a password or secure piece of information over the phone. If you are still hesitant to talk to a bank representative over the phone, have them give you a number where you can call them back and verify their identity before proceeding with the conversation.
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