It usually happens when you would least...

It usually happens when you would least expect it. You lost a credit

card a few months back, you discovered that some of your mail was

stolen or you even innocently gave out all of your personal

information while filling out a loan application. Then bang! The

creditors are calling and wondering why you are late on the credit

card payment for cards you never knew you had. How did this happen?

It started with the criminal who stole your information or

received it during a legitimate credit transaction and later sold it

to others. They took your identity and good credit rating and ran

amok.

Unfortunately this is the crime that is exploding in the United

States right now. Criminals are obtaining credit and going on

shopping sprees with your identity. There are a few things you can do

to prevent yourself from being victimized by these identity theft

criminals.

* First off, shred all of your personal documents before throwing

them away. This way your information cannot be easily reassembled.

You should also make sure that your mailbox is secure to deter any

mail thefts because a lot of your mail has personal information.

* Secondly, make sure to always carefully review your monthly

credit card and banking statements. Quickly report all unusual

activity to the respective credit card or banking institutions so

that an investigation can immediately be opened. The faster that we

learn about the fraudulent activity the easier it is to stop them.

* And finally, check your credit reports on a yearly basis. If you

suspect that someone has illegally obtained your credit information,

you can also put a hold on your credit by notifying the three credit

agencies.

Equifax

P.O. Box 105873

Atlanta, GA. 30348

Report: (800) 685-1111

Experian

P.O. Box 596

Pittsburgh, PA 15230

Report: (800) 397-3742

Transunion

P.O. Box 34012

Fullerton, CA 92834

Report: (800) 916-8800

These are just a few tips to help you from becoming victimize by

these credit criminals. More and more checks and balances are being

placed on the issuance of credit but that doesn’t mean we should let

our guards down. By taking a few precautionary steps, you help to

make yourself a tough target.

* For information about NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, call Joe Jahraus at

(949) 497-4540 or Coleen Lawrence at (949) 494-0382.