Be internet fraud proof
Do Seniors like being defrauded?
30/07/08 14:37 Filed in: Internet fraud
The security experts at cNet tell us that according to Consumer Reports a fraud alert placed on your credit history requires an issuing entity to contact you first before opening a new account. Fraud alerts need to be renewed every 90 days unless you are a documented victim of identity fraud, in which case you are entitled to additional protection for up to seven years.
Watch out: the financial institution does not have to make a reasonable attempt to contact you, so the fraudulent account may still get opened. Even with a credit freeze, some financial intuitions won't contact you. There's no way to prove or disprove an institution called you, said ITRC's Foley.
Why not place a credit freeze on your credit history.
Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax are the leading credit bureaus. By law they each provide a complementary credit report from all three reporting agencies, continuous monitoring of credit activity and any online use of your personal information, and some insurance against identity fraud abuse. The plans range from $11 to $14 per month, with annual and family plans available for less. They do not, however, place alerts or a freeze on your credit history.
The Achilles' heel in all of these plans is that the financial institution does not have to make a reasonable attempt to contact you, so the fraudulent account may still get opened. Even with a credit freeze, some financial intuitions won't contact you. There's no way to prove or disprove an institution called you.
Until now.
A company called DEBIX WILL PROTECT YOU FOR $24 PER YEAR. 30,000 Debix-secured transactions during a two-month period at the end of 2007. Of those, 380 were identified as fraud and were stopped immediately. Overall, the rate of new account fraud among Debix customers was zero percent. If a bank, or other institution failed to alert you, by calling you, Debix maintains a record and can prove the institution in question did not attempt to call the customer.
And it gets better.
One adult can sign up for $24 a year; families with up to three adults and four children can sign up for $72; and families with up to five adults and four children can sign up for $144 a year. That's much less than similar plans being offered by Experian, Trans Union, Equifax, TrustedID, and LifeLock.
So get fraud safe for $24 per year, get DEBIX and secure your ID protection for minimal cost.
Watch out: the financial institution does not have to make a reasonable attempt to contact you, so the fraudulent account may still get opened. Even with a credit freeze, some financial intuitions won't contact you. There's no way to prove or disprove an institution called you, said ITRC's Foley.
Why not place a credit freeze on your credit history.
Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax are the leading credit bureaus. By law they each provide a complementary credit report from all three reporting agencies, continuous monitoring of credit activity and any online use of your personal information, and some insurance against identity fraud abuse. The plans range from $11 to $14 per month, with annual and family plans available for less. They do not, however, place alerts or a freeze on your credit history.
The Achilles' heel in all of these plans is that the financial institution does not have to make a reasonable attempt to contact you, so the fraudulent account may still get opened. Even with a credit freeze, some financial intuitions won't contact you. There's no way to prove or disprove an institution called you.
Until now.
A company called DEBIX WILL PROTECT YOU FOR $24 PER YEAR. 30,000 Debix-secured transactions during a two-month period at the end of 2007. Of those, 380 were identified as fraud and were stopped immediately. Overall, the rate of new account fraud among Debix customers was zero percent. If a bank, or other institution failed to alert you, by calling you, Debix maintains a record and can prove the institution in question did not attempt to call the customer.
And it gets better.
One adult can sign up for $24 a year; families with up to three adults and four children can sign up for $72; and families with up to five adults and four children can sign up for $144 a year. That's much less than similar plans being offered by Experian, Trans Union, Equifax, TrustedID, and LifeLock.
So get fraud safe for $24 per year, get DEBIX and secure your ID protection for minimal cost.