Monday, April 16, 2007

IDENTITY THEFT FRAUD

IDENTITY THEFT –

Ever ask your self, What is Identity Theft? What do I need to look for? How can I protect myself from this fast growing international and national trend? Is there a Credit Watch bureau that will monitor my credit and notify me of any changes or suspicious activity that may occur regarding my credit identity history? Where do I report Identity Theft? Is there anything else that I need to know?

Well, we have a couple of solutions for you to these questions. It is amazing at how this type of trend have just taken off; something like it is a new type of business of something. I do not understand how anyone can live impersonating as someone else. Take on another person’s name, social security number, and over all ID. How do you sign someone else’s name to documents and then be able to sleep at night? I do not understand this. It is something like the victim is being held up or robbed unknowingly. Identification theft cost companies some 47.6 billion dollars in previous reports in 2002, and we can only imagine what the current statistics are.

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is when someone takes on the role of being another person and obtains credit cards, loans, and various other financial debts. ITADA describes ID Fraud as “it relates to activity in connection with identification documents, authentication features, and information". The Code now makes possession of any "means of identification" to "knowingly transfer, possess, or use without lawful authority". It is now a federal crime, alongside unlawful possession of identification documents. A further example of fraud is when person 1 obtains a loan from a financial institution impersonating person 2. Person 1 uses person 2 information that he may have obtained in some kind of trickful or fraudulent way. After a fraudster manages to get their hands on your personal information, the sky then becomes the limit and the only way to identify this type of activity is to randomly or annually get your free credit report While there is no set meaning for the term Identity Theft, there is certainly the same MO and profiles that you would be able to identity if you are a victim of this growing POP trend. Identity theft is used for countless reasons and the main channels are media and website. Hackers can obtain your personal information from people who shop on sites that are not secure. Web stores that do not have a SSL, are able to have hacker’s hi-jack the customer’s information and then proceed to assume their identity. If the site has a SSL cert, this means that it is secure and can not easily be hacked. Before this White collar internet crime epidemic, the more traditional crimes were money laundering, dead beat dads avoiding child support, documents being forged, stock market manipulations and terrorism. Now, with ID theft at an all time high, this has moved to the forefront and is the most reported international crime today. People are assuming the identity of children, senior citizens, people who are deceased, and people who live in other countries. There are many reports daily that are reported of their identities being stolen. This growing epidemic of counterfeits that are posing as someone else using there identities, is really a problem for honest good hard working people.


How can I protect myself from this fast growing international and national trend?

Some prevention tips you may want to keep in mind are to shred all your unused financial documents, mail, and other information that may contribute to a breach in your identity. Make sure that you keep check on your credit reports each year. If you keep a check each year, you will be able to identify any problems and react a lot sooner. You may also sign up for our news fraud letter. We notify other fellow members of our newsletter who wants to fight fraud also with the latest tips, prevention methods, and scams. Below are a few tools that may help you to protect your self against identity theft


What do I need to look for?

You will need to monitor regularly your credit reports, financial banking documents and account statements. This is the very first initial steps because if you keep a close watch on these sort of items, you will be able to catch identity theft in its early stages. By catching this crime early, it will result in little to no damage to your name, credit history, and reputation. If you do not have the time or think that you may forget to monitor or request your credit reports regularly, then you may want to check out a major credit bureau and sign up for there identity monitoring program .

Is there a Credit Monitoring company that will monitor my credit and notify me of any changes or suspicious activity that may occur regarding my credit identity history?

There are many different identification protection products and or solutions available to protect your identity. You may want to use a major credit reporting bureau like Experian.com which offers many different products to guard against ID Theft, at affordable prices. Get Your Equifax Credit Report Now!
. There are also companies who offer products that specialize in Guarding your Identity. There are wide arrays of products that are available. Products like Credit Protect, 3-in-1 Credit Reports, Card Theft Protection, Free Credit Scores, Credit protect, Fraud Alert, Credit Record Monitoring and many more. Identity Protection Companies , offer many items to protect your identification also. You simply need to make sure that if you use Equifax or a Identity Protection Coverage Plan with dedicated fraud specialist, it is important for you to have something in place to warn and or protect your credit and identity from fraud.

Depending upon the service that you elect to enroll in, you will be notified immediately if something changes on your credit. Normally, the notifications are done by either telephone, email, or mail. The most common alerts are the e-alerts. However, the monitoring is truly a must, so that at all times there is someone watching your credit and making sure that your identity is not stolen or compromised. There are a huge variety of Credit Protection Products that you may find beneficial to you. Please be sure to use some sort of method to protect yourself from fraudulent transactions using your identity.


Where do I report Identity Theft?

There are many different places to report Fraud and or Identity theft to. We have done a little research for you that you may find to be beneficial to you. Please check out the email addresses below:

Government Fraud Agencies:

Federal Trade Commission - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/

FBI - http://www.fbi.gov/


Non-Profit

Identity Theft Resource Center: http://www.idtheftcenter.org/
National Center for Victims of Crime: http://www.ncvc.org/
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: http://www.privacyrights.org/
The National Fraud Information Center: http://www.fraud.org/
The National White Collar Crime Center: http://www.nw3c.org/

Please feel free to contact any of the links above to report your case of identity theft to the appropriate links above. We really hope that we have provided to you use full information. And provided you with contact information that would help you should you ever endure this drastic Endeavour.



Is there anything else that I need to know?

Most victims that find there selves a victim of identity theft do not even know where to, how to report the incident, or how to file a complaint. If you think that you have been a victim of Identity Theft, then please do not take this easy. Your entire life may be compromised due to a thief that may be trying to leave you bankrupt. Identity theft can leave you in a lot of financial difficulties and with a lot of responsibilities and obligations. If you think that you have been a victim of Identity fraud theft, please pay close attention to these next steps that you will find to be very beneficial to you.

Place a Fraud Alert on your credit reports. By doing this you will prevent any additional accounts from opening under your name. Immediately contact at least on of major credit card beauru, Equifax, Experian, and Trans union. These are the 3 major credit reporting agency that you would be able to file a complaint. Most centers have a 24hour 1-800- toll free number that you would be able to place the fraud alert on your credit and report it also. Log on to Equifax and Get Your Equifax Credit Report Now!
and you will be able to place the fraud alert and receive a free copy of your credit report.

Once you have placed an alert on your credit with a reporting agency, have requested and received a copy of your free credit report, then review each item 1 by 1 on your report. Pay close attention to detail regarding the accounts on your report. If you have any item that you do not recognize or you think is fraudulent, report it immediately to the fraud department of each company. Make sure that you also place the information in writing and send supporting documents as proof of your dispute. Make sure that you receive a letter from each company regarding your identity theft dispute. This is a crucial part of your identity theft investigation.

Inform the FTC or Federal Trade Commission by filing a complaint. Reports that are filed with the FTC are normally compiled within a database and the information is used to help enforcement officials across the nation track down identity thieves. These reports are crucial factors that have taken this epidemic from the back and placed it on the fore front. Your reports give a face to these fraudsters and a lead to help bring them down.

Contact your local police / authorities to file a report where ever the crime took place. If you are not able to locate the source, then you may want to inform the
Internet Crime Complaint Center, they may be able to assist you in the right
Right direction for a speedy resolution. Make sure that you keep a copy of your
Just in case if you need to provide it to someone. Remember, make copies of your
Letters, correspondence and the such that you may need to supply to companies
Information regarding your fraud claim. Never give away your originals.

Make sure that you sign up for a credit monitoring company or major credit bureau to monitor your credit history. Make sure that you check you obtain your Free Credit Reports. You may also want to take advantage of the many other fraud detection features that the bureau may have that will help with detection and prevention, should this ever happen in the future.

If you have been a victim of fraud and you can’t seem to get any where on your own, seek the advice of a lawyer. There are tons of attorneys that are available that would assist you in this matter. If you need the assistance of an attorney, and simply can not afford one at the time due to the recent financial strain of fraud, affordable legal assistance can still be made available to you. You can pre-pay, set up payment plans, receive discounted rates, and unlimited legal phone advice all for as little as $26.00 per month. All of the attorneys are affordable and conveniently located in your area. After you become a member, you can select from a list of Affordable Attorneys in your area that would be able to assist you in your time of need. If you need the help of an attorney, and you can not afford one at present, please do not let that stop you, feel free to take advantage of this and get affordable legal counsel now !

FIGHT TRADE FRAUD

TRADE FRAUD-

Have you ever been a victim of fraud? One out of 5 people have experienced trade, consumer, credit card, social security, mortgage or real estate, mail, eBay auctions, Pay pal, telephone, or internet fraud. Statistics reveal that identity theft is the fastest growing trend in and around the world. As e-commerce continue to grow , there are still some people who do not engage in internet purchases because of the high fraud risks that are associated with this and the fear of there information being compromised,stolen,or duplicated by hackers. Also, with cyberspace being virtually impossible to police, it is hard to eradicate fraud. There are many places to report different types of fraud. However what happens when you are the victim of internet export - import,e-commerce, telephone, or trade fraud. How do you police cyberspace? The world wide web is a breading ground for all types of fraudulent transactions that would be virtually impossible to stop and or locate. Depending on the country that you have to report the incident to, it could be nearly impossible to find anyone or to get justice resulting in the recovery of your money. Statistics reflect 33% of fraudulent transactions that take place over the internet are from people who make non-auction purchases, then have to file a complaint because they never received their merchandise. Most innocent victims do not even know where or how to report this type of internet trade fraud. Most people, who have been ripped off, spend countless hours reporting and trying to find someone to complain to about the crooks or scammers that have ripped them off. Victims normally spend countless hours trying to speak with someone that would result in justice and stop someone else from falling victim to this same scam. However, a lot of time it just ends up being a lot of wasted time spent and then redirected back to FTC or some government agency to fill out an internet form that will be compiled into a database. Most people that have been a victim of trad fraud, really wants someone to report the incident to that would result in justice, however, majority of the time it only leads to a dead end.

How do you find international justice across the globe, with every country handling reporting and policing things differently? For example, if you live in the USA and you enter into a trade relationship with a person in Nigeria, and you never receive the items that you paid for, just who will you be able to report this instance to? Or if you inter into trade relation with someone in China, and you live in the UK and you never receive the item that you paid for, just who would you report this to. Would you report it to the UK officials? Or China or Taiwan officials? Is there an Internet Crime Complain Center that you would be able to report this to? Most common questions that go unanswered are mainly, will I get my money back? How long would it take? Do they handle individual cases? Who is my contact person? Just how do you find international trade justice when it is at an all time high? Other questions that you would try to find answers to would
be, Where is the location of this Internet Crime Complaint Center and who would I ask for when I get there? Who is going to return my individual loss?

When will someone truly implement someone that will end this epidemic? Most of these centers do not take on personal losses. They receive your complaint and compile it into some data system to generate statistics for a geographical area or location, to try to pin-point a certain characteristic and or pattern. Well, we would like to think that your hard earned money is something far greater that some statistical data, or some fact finding mission that will not result in the refund of your money, nor bringing charges against people who say that they have items and really don’t. In fact, any money that is loss over the web to a scamming predator preying on innocent victims, is worth a lot more than just filing out a form and hoping that someone would return a call or take action against the scammer. It appears that the information we provide to certain companies, only helps to identify certain types of scams, and not to bring justice to the individual scammer.

We have done personal research and we have found out that global trade is one of the most lucrative businesses today. However, Trade Fraud has become its deadly counter part. There are countless victims of trade fraud, both international and national, where people have engaged in business with and can not even verify the identity, location, or country of the scammer and are only left to find out that they have fallen victims to scammers and professional internet thieves. Trade Fraud scammers are the hardest to report. These scammers are located in different countries where there are different rules to address internet fraud. Most countries do not have anyone even handling individual reports of trade fraud. These scammers prey on innocent hard working small – medium size business owners, who are looking to trade and develop their business, and not looking to get ripped off or becoming victims of fraudulent companies that pretend to have a product and they don’t. Due to the fact that people engage in international trade over the internet, you have no way to verify their identity. In some instances a scammer will use a legitimate company that is registered with a country and then refer you to check them out as if it was his/her own. Therefore he just committed identity theft, but there was no one to tell. We have received feedback from certain authorities regarding this company identity theft situation, and they informed us that this type of practice is becoming common, but with the war on terrorism taking first priority, it is not being placed as a priority. So not only did the companies commit identity theft, they specialized in ripping people off by finding a crooked niche that would result in little to no persecution. There are many reports that are made regarding fraud export – import from and on china, Nigeria, Indonesia, UK or United Kingdom, USA and more in many different countries. Scammers posing to have items that they do not have and taking your hard earned money.

One day I was surfing the web, and I found this online community named Global Trade Fraud Fighters and they are a community that is taking a stand against this growing epidemic. You can search hundreds may be even thousands of trade fraud reports made by other community members. You can search by email address, or you can enter the suspected scammer country to see if they have any reports from other trade fraud fighters, and if another community member reported it to there community, then you can see exactly what happened to them, therefore it could save you from flushing thousands of dollars down the fraudulent companies drain. There is a monthly community investment of $14.99 per month. But in my opinion, that’s nothing comparing to losing thousands of dollars to scammers posing as if they have something that they do not. In fact that is an investment in your business that just may stop you from losing capital to a person or company that does not exist. This community really takes a stand against this sort of epidemic and I am truly glad that information from other victims will do more than just sit in someone’s database or on a desk, but thru Global Trade Fraud Fighters , have been made available to others that are looking to avoid the loss of money to internet predators that lie and say they have a product and don’t just to try to steal your money. It is a good investment into your company. Crooks are normally ready to scam you out of your money around the holidays. Especially around November and December, because they know that people are trying to stock there stores for the Christmas Holidays. They know that stores and businesses are looking to get there hands on all the latest hot market items of the season. The internet never sleeps, it is always up 24 hours a day 7 days a week. What happens if you experience trade fraud after government working hours? If you are in the business of international trade or have been ripped off by a scammer, please share your story with Global Trade Fraud Fighters and empower a community that is truly taking a stand against this, by keeping each other in the know of what is going on and making the testimonials and stories available to the community.

Based on the nature of this company, we felt it would be necessary to include them on our page. We are all for fighting fraud and we hope that you would find this information to be very beneficial to you. It would certainly be to your advantage to make sure that you have the inside scoop and the helpful tips from other community members that have fallen prey to these vicious scammers and their network schemes to rip you off.


If you think that you have been a victim of trade fraud please take a look below and see where you can report this too.

Report trade fraud to:

Global Trade Fraud Fighter
www.ftc.gov
www.ic3.gov


If you or your business find that you have been a victim of International and or National Trade, and need immediate assistance of an affordable law firm or attorney, legal advice and, there is counsel that can be at your service. These attorneys offer unlimited phone consultations, discounted representations, payment plans and more. All these benefits can be at your service to help you battle this trade fraud scammer and see to it that justice is served. These affordable attorneys can offer legal advice for your business and yourself also. Start your legal coverage today!

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CHARGE / CREDIT CARD FRAUD

CREDIT CARD FRAUD

Credit Card Fraud is at an all time high. National and International reports of credit card fraud are being reported everyday. If you use your credit cards, you are a potential victim. Every time you use your credit card you expose your information to sales clerks, billing staffs, and more. Just in case if you did not know it, your credit card information can become compromised within just one transaction. Even if you do not shop online and or use e-commerce sites. You can simply go out to eat at your favorite restaurant or go to your favorite boutique at the shopping mall and use your credit card to pay for the bill has your credit card information compromised. It is just that easy. Crooks are quite and organized in the area of fraud. Often times, you do not even have to use a credit card to be a victim of credit card fraud. You can simply have your wallet stolen and become a victim of credit card fraud by someone else that opens an account in your name. In today’s world, no one is safe. Any piece of financial or personal information that is obtain from you in any way, can result in a hack or breach on your credit. Most commonly, thieves obtain your information by way of dumpster diving. Yes that’s right, going to thru your waste and or trash and stealing it and taking it home to go thru it. They are searching for any kind of way to get credit in your name. This is a common way of people obtaining your information. That is why is recommended that all your financial data be shredded. By shredding your documents, this will stop a theft from using your information to obtain credit under your name. Please take a look at some tips that you may want to keep in mind regarding your credit card and statements, and protecting yourself from fraud.
· Sign your cards as soon as they arrive.
· Carry your cards separately from your wallet, in a zippered compartment, a business card holder, or another small pouch.
· Keep a record of your account numbers, their expiration dates, and the phone number and address of each company in a secure place.
· Keep an eye on your card during the transaction, and get it back as quickly as possible.
· Void incorrect receipts.
· Destroy carbons.
· Save receipts to compare with billing statements.
· Open bills promptly and reconcile accounts monthly, just as you would your checking account.
· Report any questionable charges promptly and in writing to the card issuer.
· Notify card companies in advance of a change in address.
By taking these sort of precautions, you will hopefully be less vulnerable to credit card fraud. Also, for double precaution methods, you may want to consider signing up with a credit bureau that provides Credit Card Monitoring services. By taking this extra step, you will certainly have a coverage that is worth paying for. There are other companies that provide additional Identity Shield Protection products as well, that will provide to you dedicated fraud specialist to monitor and review your credit. These companies provide much needed peace of mind services that makes combating fraud a little easier. If you still find yourself to be a victim of Charge Card Fraud, and you need legal advice, there are affordable legal services that are available. For more information on affordable legal services lawyers, click here.
Please also consider some of these prevention tips below.
Try to avoid:
· Lending your card(s) to anyone.
· Leaving cards or receipts lying around.
· When you sign a receipt, draw a line through any blank spaces above the total.
· Writing your account number on a postcard or the outside of an envelope.
· Giving out your account number over the phone unless you're making the call to a company you know is reputable. If you have questions about a company, check it out with your local consumer protection office or Better Business Bureau.
If you lose your credit or charge cards or if you realize they've been lost or stolen, immediately call the issuer(s). Many companies have toll-free numbers and 24-hour service to deal with such emergencies. By law, once you report the loss or theft, you have no further responsibility for unauthorized charges. In any event, your maximum liability under federal law is $50 per card. Feel free to contact the FTC if you wish to file a complaint for credit card fraud. Make sure that you are covered with Identity Shield Legal Protection. With this type of coverage you will be protected and your claim handled by a professional firm, both with credit protection and legal counsel advice throughout your process. With Identity Theft Shield , you will not be alone, but will have access to unlimited phone consultations from Top Law Firms from across the world, to speak too. We hope that this information has been beneficial to you. We really aim to provide information that would help “Fight Fraud”.

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INTERNET SCAMS

INTERNET FRAUD

Internet fraud, what is that? What if I do not shop online, can I still fall victim to this? What type of fraud tricks do I need to look out for while shopping online? I always shop on line, what are some of the tools used in internet fraud scams? If think I am a victim of internet fraud, is there a place to report this?


Internet fraud is a crime committed where as the crook used the internet to either rip you off or steal your personal identification, to commit fraudulent activity. Internet fraud covers a large territory including but not limited to: auction fraud, internet extortion, phishing (fishing) and or spoofing, spam, trade, Nigerian Letter or “419” advance fee request letters, credit card, internet lottery, lender and or mortgage, home based business opportunities and or work from home scams. As you can see these are common types of internet fraud is not just restricted to stealing your identity, but stealing anything from your money to your identity to your reputation. Internet fraud is a growing trend among scammers. These scammers are ripping anyone off that they can all in the name of the internet. There are no bordering boundaries, no police or cyber authorities, no international FBI officials, and no formal individual investigations of the crimes. Internet crimes are virtually impossible to obtain justice, report and police. There are countless fake websites with thieves just waiting patiently to get their hands on either your confidential, financial, and or personal information. This information is normally then sold to help keep the identity theft fire alive. Internet thieves are constantly trying to get there hands on your bank account numbers, credit card numbers, passport numbers, social security numbers, and any other financial data.


What if I do not shop online, can I still fall victim to this?

Even if you do not shop online, your information can still be used in connection with internet fraud. You have to pay close attention to detail when shopping around even at your local mall. Clerks and other store workers can use your information to make online purchases from stores where they do not have to be present or show any ID while making the purchase. The only thing that they need to make a purchase is your credit card numbers and your mailing address, which they can obtain when you show your proof of ID on your driving license. They can then capture your billing address and use your credit card numbers at a later time to engage in online internet shopping. It is extremely important to have a Credit Monitoring Service , that will be on watch even when you are not. You also need to have affordable legal advice on hand where you can get unlimited phone consultations if you in fact find yourself to be a victim of internet fraud.


What type of fraud tricks do I need to look out for while shopping online?

While surfing the web, you need to look out for Phishing ( fishing). Phishing is when someone sends you an email and it contains information that requires you to fill in with personal sensitive information that would set you up to be a victim of identity theft. Watch out for unsolicited emails requesting personal information, always match your links up, and make sure that the site that you are shopping on is secured with an SSL certificate. Keep your computer clean from spy ware and stay up to date with all the latest internet fraud scams from our newsletter. It is crucial that if you are a frequent web surfer, that you have Anti Spyware software. It is important that your PC has the necessary tools to prevent spy ware, ad ware, Trojans, key loggers, Identity theft, Hijackers, Tracking threats, rogue, unwanted software, phishing, pop ups and known bad websites. This type of software protects by providing PC protection and warnings when there are any threats of illegal intrusions during web surfing. Avoid link farms and clicking on links that are sent in emails. If the page

I always shop on line, how do I know if it is safe ?

Most e-commerce or web stores have a SSL. The SSL certs normally provide protection and security while shopping online. On secure sites there is always a padlock at the bottom of the page and or a certificate posted on the front of the site that lets you know who the certificate is from, the service dates, and the site name. Secure Socket encryptions normally range between 156 – bit to 256 bit. SSL certificates are normally purchased by concerned website owners that do not want there customers information compromised. Customers are more likely to shop and or fill out web forms if they see some type of security on your site. SSL encryption encrypts information that is sent over the web.

If you have a website or if you are thinking starting your online store or business, please remember to secure your site for to avoid hackers from stealing your customers information.


If I think I am a victim of internet fraud, is there a place to report this?

If you think that you are a victim of internet fraud and or internet crime. Please find placed on where you can report your incident.

Report internet fraud to:

www.globaltradefraudfighters.com
www.ic3.gov
www.ftc.gov

OTHER EMERGING FRAUD SCAMS

OTHER EMERGING FRAUD SCAMS

There are countless fraud scams that take place around the globe. Please take a good look at some of these types of scams along with information on how and where to report these activities. Some additional scam alerts are : eBay auction fraud, Nigeria “419” scams, Mail – (USPS), Social Security Fraud, Telephone Telemarketer Scam, Ponzi / Pyramid, Investment Fraud, Escrow Services Tricks, Employment / Fake Home Based Business Opportunities, DHL / USPS, False Cashiers Checks, False Charity scams, and Pay pal fraud.

For a more in-depth explanation of these emerging fraud scams, please feel free to click here, and read all about them.

Fraud will always be in existence, however, we can not be intimidated by it we must combat this growing epidemic by fighting back. Please see some additional recommendations, that may assist you in combating this growing international and national trend.

Additional Fraud Prevention Tips:

Always get your yearly free credit report. Always review each item and report/dispute any accounts and or items that you think may be linked to fraud.
Consider a credit monitoring bureau to monitor you credit history report 24 – 7. Credit monitoring companies monitor credit reports daily and report any suspicious activities directly to you. This way you will always have someone monitoring your credit, even when you are not.
Consider Identity Theft Shield with Legal protection to be added to your Identity Theft coverage portfolio. If you have been a victim of fraud and think that you may need the assistance of a Legal attorney professional with unlimited consultations for direction on how to and where to report fraud, get covered by the Identity theft shield and start taking your life back!