Identity Theft Prevention - Who to Use???

[Boomer10]

Other than contacting one's bank (or credit card issuer) and the store where the purchase was made, what else can you do if you notice fraudulent charges on your account?

In my case I contacted my bank as soon as I noticed the charges and the store actually contacted me since the addresses didn't match up, thank you SamAsh.com for the call. I'm sure I'll have the money back in my account soon.

What, if any, of the ID theft prevention services would you recommend?

LifeLock
Zander Insurance
CreditCheck (through USAA)
any others??

[RD62]

You can notify the major credit reporting bureaus (like Equifax, Experian, etc) and they will flag your credit as having had fraudulent charges made. If anyone tries to open any lines of credit in your name, it will flag. They will contact you for the OK prior to issuing the line of credit. I had to do it before after some charges where made to my CC. It's free.

-RD62

[6933]

The most secure way to protect your credit is to have a security freeze put on all your credit files. There is no way someone can obtain credit using your info. The credit "guard" services flag your credit file but do not absolutely prevent credit theft, i.e.- someone obtaining credit in your name.

Lifelock and the others do work, but they can allow things to slip through. If I'm not mistaken, the guy from Lifelock had a reporter take his info. and obtain a credit card. The only way to for sure stop someone from obtaining credit in your name is a security freeze, sometimes called a credit freeze.


noscamnc.gov----is a website set up by the North Carolina Attorney General.

It walks you through obtaining a credit freeze. I just printed out the forms, looked over each credit agencies requirements, and sent in $10 with each request. I think 2 agencies require money orders and 1 a credit card #. Very simple. If you need to apply for credit, you just call the agency(ies) that the company uses and have your credit thawed. I have done this twice and it was a breeze.

I sleep better knowing our credit is frozen. There is no way someone can obtain credit in your name when your credit is frozen.

Clark Howard's website--clarkhoward.com---also has good info on a credit freeze and how to do it.

Clark Howard's website has good info. on all things financial.

If you are a USAA member, go to usaaedfoundation.org and they have some excellent publications on various financial matters that members can get for free; just have your member # handy.

[markm]

Like you, I recently had two of my cards compromised. So I wanted to protect myself from the bigger hit - I.D. theft.

Here's what I did, and it seems to work. I went on to Equifax and found the area on their website where you can put a 90 day Fraud alert on your I.D. They automatically notify the other two major credit reporting agencies and take your name off of the pre qual junk mailing lists.

It covers most of what lifelock does, but it's free.... you just have to remember to re-up your alert every 90 days.

I applied for credit and I indeed got a call on my cell before it was approved.

[decodeddiesel]

Like you, I recently had two of my cards compromised. So I wanted to protect myself from the bigger hit - I.D. theft.

Here's what I did, and it seems to work. I went on to Equifax and found the area on their website where you can put a 90 day Fraud alert on your I.D. They automatically notify the other two major credit reporting agencies and take your name off of the pre qual junk mailing lists.

It covers most of what lifelock does, but it's free.... you just have to remember to re-up your alert every 90 days.

I applied for credit and I indeed got a call on my cell before it was approved.

Good advise. Thanks for posting that Mark.

[CryingWolf]

Like you, I recently had two of my cards compromised. So I wanted to protect myself from the bigger hit - I.D. theft.

Here's what I did, and it seems to work. I went on to Equifax and found the area on their website where you can put a 90 day Fraud alert on your I.D. They automatically notify the other two major credit reporting agencies and take your name off of the pre qual junk mailing lists.

It covers most of what lifelock does, but it's free.... you just have to remember to re-up your alert every 90 days.

I applied for credit and I indeed got a call on my cell before it was approved.

VISA had noticed some fraudulent activity on my card namely some charges made in Texas while I live in Washington. The credit union / VISA took care of the whole thing. Reissued cards took off the charges put a 90 day fraud alert on my credit etc.

Sad thing is, I think in the end it was VISAs fault, there was a few people hit from my understanding. :( Also, I travel quite a bit for work. Never once did they report suspicious activity until now.

[Voodoochild]

I use life lock and have been fairly pleased by it. No more Junk mail and phone solicitations. Plus they do all the credit fraud alerts for you I wouldn't remember to do it every 90 days.

[signal4l]

I paid $160 for Trusted ID. The fee covers everyone that lives in your house. I put a credit alert on their info as well. The service also scans the internet for anyone selling, trading your info. It also helps in the event of a lost/stolen wallet. I could have done much of this myself, but the convenience was worth the fee

[mech_eng]

VISA had noticed some fraudulent activity on my card namely some charges made in Texas while I live in Washington. The credit union / VISA took care of the whole thing. Reissued cards took off the charges put a 90 day fraud alert on my credit etc.

Sad thing is, I think in the end it was VISAs fault, there was a few people hit from my understanding. :( Also, I travel quite a bit for work. Never once did they report suspicious activity until now.

Was it the BECU visa? I was hit with fraudulent charges over the Memorial Day weekend on my Visa card. If it was BECU who did you speak with to get the 90 day fraud alert on your credit?

[randyman_ar]

WE have been using lifelock for over a year, no complaints.

[markm]

I use life lock and have been fairly pleased by it. No more Junk mail and phone solicitations. Plus they do all the credit fraud alerts for you I wouldn't remember to do it every 90 days.

That's the trick. I just set a reminder in my MS outlook every 90 days. In less than a minute, I'm done.

If you'll forget to do it, the lifelock option might be an option.