Help! I Have Been Scammed!

Identity Theft is a huge and ever-increasing crime.  Although most people associate ID theft with the internet or credit cards, it is actually a much larger problem.  In fact nearly half of all ID theft claims come from people who lost or had their wallet stolen.  ID theft due to lost or stolen wallets is three times more common than either internet scams or data breaches.  So, the number one preventative measure you should take is being certain your wallet and/or purse are secure at all times.

Victims of ID Theft have had their credit ruined and lost enormous amounts of money.  So whether or not you use credit cards EVERYONE is a potential victim.

I frequently see women in grocery stores leave their purses in their cart and then turn their backs to the cart to get something off a shelf.  It only takes a moment to grab a purse out of the basket.  Ladies, always hold onto your purse while shopping.  If you lay it in the “baby seat,” keep your arm through the strap so it cannot be easily grabbed.  In addition, if the basket has a “seat belt,” place it through your purse strap, and put the purse in a position that hides the straps.  Even with these precautions, however, never leave your purse unattended!

Never keep your Social Security Card, list of PIN numbers or bank accounts in your wallet!  Leave them in a secure place at home.  If you’re on Medicare, don’t carry your Medicare ID card with you.  Instead, make a photocopy of the card and cut out the last four characters of the number.  If you are visiting a physician for the first time, you must bring your Medicare card, so guard it carefully.

Keep a photocopy of both the front and back of all cards that you carry in your wallet at home.  That includes your driver’s license, insurance and credit cards, even your library card!

In spite of your best efforts, if your wallet is stolen do the following:

·        Call your credit card issuers immediately.  Do NOT tell them you want to cancel your account.  Instead, request an account number change.  They will issue you a new card with a new number to prevent thieves from using your card and possibly costing you a great deal of time and money and ruining your credit score.

·        Contact your bank immediately as well.  Change your PIN number and cancel your missing ATM card.  If your checkbook too is missing, get a new account number.

·        File a police report in the city where your wallet “disappeared.”  Be sure to request a copy of the report and send a copy to your bank and the three credit-reporting agencies.

·        You will also want to put a “fraud alert” on your record with the credit-reporting agencies.  They are free.  You can also request a “security freeze” which is more secure, but they may charge a fee for that service.

·        Contact your local Motor Vehicle Department to replace your driver’s license or State ID.  Also ask them to put an alert on your record.

·        Contact your medical insurers and ask them to assign a new account number.  Health insurance fraud has become a major problem over the past few years. 

·        Contact your auto insurance company to prevent the thief from making an accident claim on your insurance.

·        Check to see if your homeowner’s insurance includes ID theft protection.

·        As strange as it seems, thieves have been known to take out books using their victims’ library card, and never returning the books.  So, get a new library card as well.

·        A couple weeks after your wallet “went missing,” check your credit report.  You can get an annual credit report at no charge.

One of the most important things you can do is to purchase an Identity Theft Protection plan.  My husband and I both have LifeLock®.  My husband received an alert this past weekend from them advising him that someone was trying to access one of his online accounts.  He immediately went to that account and changed the password.  When I purchased a new smart phone last year, before I even left the store, I received a text message advising me that a large purchase was made on my credit card.  I seldom make large purchases with my card, so that created an alert with LifeLock®.  I was pleased to see how quickly they would have responded if a thief had been using my card.

LifeLock® is among the benefit plans (NOT insurance) that I promote with my Xpress Healthcare® business. There are several other companies that sell ID Theft Protection plans as well.  Whichever you purchase, sign up for one TODAY!  Please do not wait until it is too late.

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

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