1. you have mislaid or think have had stolen important letters and documents such as a passport or driving licence
2. you check your personal credit file and find that there are entries from companies that you do not normally deal with
3. you have recently applied for a state benefit but are informed that you have are already claiming that benefit
4. you receive bills or invoices for goods and services that you have never ordered
5. you discover that a mobile phone (cell phone) contract has been applied for or set up in your name and you have no knowledge of it
6. you have received letters from debt collectors or solicitors for outstanding debts that you have no knowledge of
7. you notice items on your bank or credit card statement that you have know knowledge of
8. you are advised by a financial organisation that you do not normally deal with that you have an outstanding debt
9. letters and statements expected from your bank do not arrive or you are receiving no post at all
10. you think you have an excellent credit history but are refused an application for a credit card or a loan

The advantages of legal insurance

Many people are fortunate enough to have prepaid legal insurance so that it is easy for you to call on the services of a lawyer. If you do not have legal insurance, you will need to pay for the lawyer yourself. This can  can cost you a considerable amount of money up front. Of course, if you win your case, you will be able to claim back the fees, but it is often far from simple. If you are fortunately enough to have any prepaid Identity theft attorney legal services to assist you, the better. If not, legal assistance can quickly cost you a considerable amount.

The growth in identity theft fraud

Identity fraud is a growth industry for criminals. Stolen identities are worth big money.  For the criminals involved, identity theft is getting easier and easier, especially with the growth of people entering their personal information online. It is getting more and more difficult for consumers to keep up to date with the latest identity fraud techniques.

Limited options for victims

If you or your business fall victim to a credit card fraud, you will need to fight back. You will need to hire legal advice to advise you on your legal position, and what you need to do to clear your name, especially if you have been framed for a crime you did not commit. You will need to re-establish your financial credibility as soon as possible - and this will cost you a great deal of time and money. Once your lawyer has cleared your name and justice has been done, you will need to make sure you learn from your mistakes and spread the word to warn others.

]]> http://www.identitytheftfraudprotection.net/identity-theft-lawyers/feed/ http://www.identitytheftfraudprotection.net/how-to-protect-personal-information/ http://www.identitytheftfraudprotection.net/how-to-protect-personal-information/#comments Sat, 25 Oct 2008 22:14:12 +0000 admin http://www.identitytheftfraudprotection.net/?p=70

Fraudsters commit identity fraud by stealing your personal information. This can include your full name, date of birth, place of birth and debit and credit card numbers. The starting point for fraudsters is often your dustbin - rubbish is checked for discarded personal information. Another method used by fraudsters is to make contact with you pretending to be from a legitimate organisation and requesting personal details. Your identity and personal details are valuable to criminals. Keep them safe.

Basic tips on how to keep personal information secure

1. Regularly get a copy of your personal credit file from a credit reference agency to find out which financial companies have accessed your personal details.
2. If you live in a house where other people can access your mail, you need to be particularly careful. If you are concerned that your mail is not secure, you could arrange for sensitive items such as credit and debit cards to be delivered to your local branch or office.
3. Never put sensitive documents in your dustbin. Always use a paper shredder or burn them.
4. If you suspect your letters are going missing or being stolen, contact the Royal Mail Customer Enquiry Line: 08457 740 740. It’s possible that your mail is being re-directed without your permission.
5. If you have moved, tell your bank, debit and credit card issuers and all other important financial organisations that you deal with immediately. Ask the Royal Mail to redirect any letters from your old house to your address for at least a year after you have moved house.
6. If you are getting a lot of junk mail, you could consider the Mailing Preference Service to limit the amount of junk mail that you receive.

Identity Crime

Identity crime is the term for identity theft, creating a false identity or committing identity fraud.

False Identity

False Identity is can refer to a false, invented identity or an existing identity that has been altered in some way to create a fictitious identity.

Identity Theft (Personal)

Personal identity theft is where a criminal obtains enough personal information (e.g. name, date of birth, current or previous addresses) about a person (alive or dead) to facilitate criminal activity. Personal identity theft is sometimes known as impersonation fraud.

Identity Theft (Personal)

Corporate identity theft is where a criminal obtains enough information about a company and its directors to facilitate criminal activity.

Identity Fraud

Identity fraud is when a stolen identities are used to facilitate crimes. It can also refer to a situation when an individual avoids obligation/liability by falsely claiming that he or she was the victim of criminal identity theft.

Personal Identity Theft

Your identity is valuable. Like any other type of valuable item, criminals will steal it if they can. All criminals need to steal your identity is a few bits of personal information such as full name, date of birth, address and postcode.

Criminals can use this information to:

• run up huge  credit card debts in your name
• obtain loans in your name
• obtain a mortgage in your name
• open bank or building society account in your name
• apply for state benefits in your name such as housing benefit, child benefit, tax credits,  job seeker’s allowance, income support etc
• register a vehicle in your name
• apply for a driving licence in your name
• apply for a passport in your name
• apply for a mobile phone in your name.

Corporate Identity Theft

Criminals also target businesses. If a fraudster can get sufficient information about a business they may be able to apply for a corporate credit or debit card and run up massive debts.

Corporate identity theft can have far reaching consequences for businesses. For example, criminals can submit forms to Companies House that will:

• appoint new directors using form 288a
• change the company secretary or director using form 288c
• change the registered address of a business using form 287

Unbelievably, Companies House does not inform the true company secretary or directors that these documents have been lodged or validate any of the details provided.

Successful registration means that the “new” criminal directors can open new bank accounts, order items to be delivered to the “new” address. Further more, they can ruin the credit rating of the business and leave it with massive debs to clear. The reputation of the business can be irretrievably damaged.

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing fraud crimes around. Both individuals and businesses can be the victims of identity theft and identity theft protection should be your number one priority as this type of crime can cause financial havoc and have long term consequences.

Personal identity theft can start when a fraudster steals some personal information about you such as your date of birth or credit card number. Armed with this information, fraudsters can run riot, running up debts in your name or opening fraudulent bank accounts. All this can be done before you even know you were a victim of identity theft.

Even worse, when arrested fraudsters can even use your name and identity to defend themselves against criminal acts that they have committed. In simple terms - you get the blame.

This website is all about identity theft and the precautions you can take to make sure that it never happens to your or your business. Buy taking simple fraud precautions, you can make sure that fraudsters cannot commit their crimes in your name.