Identity Theft on the Rise: Visa reports another Security Breach


If you are one of the millions of Americans who uses a credit card, be aware that identity theft is on the rise. According to visa another major credit card processing company has reported a security breach in its system. Visa is not saying who the credit card processing company is, however, it is reporting that a substantial amount of information was stolen. Furthermore, the breach does not only affect a particular brand of Visa credit cards. All brands have been subjected to the security breach. Officials are saying that only credit card numbers, PAN numbers and expiration dates were stolen. They have indicated that social security information and encrypted PIN information was not stolen.

Both Visa and MasterCard are in the process of identifying those banks whose credit cards were affected. Individuals should check over their statements carefully to make sure that there are not any unauthorized charges.
I know I am guilty of not scrutinizing my credit card statements very well. Today’s worldwide economic crisis has caused identity theft to be one of the most committed frauds in the United States. Thieves are very creative as to how they will steel information. Thieves will go so far as looking through dumpsters or find more sophisticated ways of stealing information through the Internet. Do not reply to suspicious emails. I have on more than one occasion received unwanted emails claiming to be from Bank of America, the IRS, and the latest one I got today claimed to be from JP Morgan/Chase. These emails claim that they need information to update your account. They will send you to an authentic looking website where you are supposed to fill out the form. Do not ever give these people information. First of all, large corporations and the Internal Revenue Service do not ever solicit information via email. Cyber thieves are looking for any method that they can to steel information such as bank account numbers, credit card numbers, social security information and even your state driver’s license information.

I recently wrote a blog entry about an Internet customer wanting to buy a large and expensive amount of goods from my online website. He was claiming to be a priest from Ghana, Africa making a purchase for his church. Although I was not surprised that a church would want to purchase my products, it did surprise me that he was wanting such large quantities, did not give a phone number and send me four different credit card numbers to make the purchase with. As soon as I tried to process the cards, they were declined. Furthermore, the address that he gave me for the billing address could be found on neither Map Quest nor Google maps. I knew that I was dealing with a thief and immediately called the credit card issuer.

If you feel that you are a victim of identity theft report it to your credit card issuer immediately. The Fair Credit Billing Act of 1975 protects us as consumers from these types of frauds. You have between 30 and 60 days to dispute the charge with your credit card issuer. More than likely, the card issuer will credit the account and investigate the charges. However, if you are looking to take a more pro-active role than a reactive one than I highly suggest that you click on our sponsor add below.

Labels: Credit card processing companies, credit cards, Fair Credit Billing Act, identity theft prevention, identity theft protection, visa securty breach

TrustedID Identity Theft Protection

Identity theft is on the rise as the economy continues to get worse. Some people are becoming very desperate and looking for new ways to make money; be it good or bad. In recent news, it was discovered that a New-Jersey-based credit card processor found a security breach in their system that leaked data regarding credit card transactions. Essentially, hackers, more than likely from overseas broke into their computer system and stole a large amount of information regarding credit card transactions. Fortunately, there ways that we can protect ourselves from identity theft. There are companies that specialize in identity theft protection. TrustedID is a reputable service that offers consumers protection from identity thieves. CNBC’s financial guru Suze Orman also recommends TrustedID.

TrustedID basically works by putting a fraud alert on your credit file. This fraud alert requires that lenders contact you to verify that it is actually you who are applying for new credit. Identity thieves will use fake credentials to pass as you when they go fill out a credit application. Someone can be using your personal information to apply for credit and make purchases without your prior knowledge. TrustedID fraud alert feature will notify you automatically, should someone try to use your credit information.

TrustedID also offers additional features that many people will find very useful. Are you tired of receiving unsolicited credit offers in the mail? Choose the “CreditLock” freeze option place a security freeze of your credit. It will cost you an additional $10 per credit bureau to freeze your accounts. There is an additional $10 charge to unlock your files as well. will manage these features for you. A freeze on your account will prevent anyone from making unwanted inquiries into your credit.

TrustedID also offers different monitoring services as well. They offer credit card monitoring in case your account number has been stolen and is being sold on the black market. Essentially, what they is scan black market areas on the internet where stolen credit cards are bought and sold. They will do the same thing with your social security number and bank account numbers. It is like having a 24-hour private detective. In addition, also offers 24/7 live customer support in case of any questions or concerns that you may have.

TrustedID also offers $1,000,000 worth of identity theft insurance in case your identity is stolen under their protection. They will reimburse your legal fees as well as other expenses you might incur including lost wages for up to $1,000,000. In addition, will also notify your creditors and the FTC that your identity has been compromised.

TrustedID will also store important information for you such as credit card numbers, insurance policy information, etc. This is a very handy feature should you ever loose your wallet and need to access to important information.

TrustedIDwill also offer protection for your computer. Purchase any package and you will also get free anti-spyware software that will run on up to 3 computers. This will keep your computer safe from hackers trying to steal your passwords and account numbers from your computer.

offers both an individual and family plan. The individual plan offers coverage for individuals. The family plan will offer coverage for both adults and children living under the same roof.

Monthly Payment Plans
 30 day FREE Trial
 Family plan is $19.99 per month
 Individual plan is $10 per month

Purchase a full year and save money.
 Individual plan is $84.15 per year. Save $35.85 by purchasing a full year.
 Family cost is $189.99 per year. Save $49.89 by purchasing a full year.

TrustedIDwill offer you peace of mind during these turbulent times. They offer $1,000,000 worth of identity theft protection for a few dollars each month. Everyone will benefit from identity theft protection whether you sign up as a family or as an individual. Sign up now and protect yourself from unscrupulous identity thieves.

Labels: identity guard, identity theft prevention, identity theft protection, TrustedID

How to Protect Yourself from Identity Thieves

It is estimated that one in thirty-five Americans will be a victim of identity theft in his or her lifetime. One of the fastest growing crimes is now identity theft. There is even a good chance that you will not know that you are a victim of identity theft. On average, an individual does not discover that they are a victim of identity theft for about fourteen months.

There are many ways from keeping yourself protected from identity theft. One of the most important is to monitor your credit report on a regular basis. Be sure to pull your credit score at least once a year. The credit agencies will charge somewhere around $9 per agency should you wish to pull it more than once per year. If you see a sudden drop in your credit score after you have been keeping up with you’re your bills then there is a good chance that you have become another victim. You can contact any of the three credit agencies for a free annual report. Remember, that knowledge is power to stop the thieves from further ruining your credit.

Another good way to protect your self is to purchase a paper shredder. Thieves will go to any length to get what they want. A thief can find information in all sorts of interesting places like trash cans, dumpsters or even the city dump. It is very common for people to throw away voided checks, deposit slips, old tax return information, bank statements, credit card receipts and credit card offers that you receive in the mail. They will look for anything possible where they can get to your account numbers, social security information and even your drivers license number. The best way to avoid this is to shred all your important documents. You can purchase a shredder for under $75 at most any retailers like Office Max, Office Depot or better yet Wal-Mart.

Email is another way that thieves will also try to get information from you. Do not answer any emails that say they are coming from a bank and asking you for your information to update their records. These perpetrators will make the emails seem very realistic and convincing. They will disguise themselves as being from Bank of America, EBay, Pay Pal and even the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). I have received many an email claiming to be from the IRS telling me that I have unclaimed refund money. They want your social security number. That is why they claim to be from the IRS. Banks or the IRS will never solicit information from you via email. It is also very difficult to catch these online thieves as more often than not they are from out of the country. If you do receive an unsolicited email pretending to be the IRS you can report it online at www.IRS.gov. Should you receive an unwanted email pretending to be a bank such as Bank of America you can report to http://www.doi.gov/pam/Fraudalert411.html.

Also, be careful if you live in a dormitory or with roommates. You might know your roommates well enough to trust; however, they can bring someone else who brings another person that ends up steeling your check book. Lock up your valuables in your own home. You can never be too careful with important information like your bank statements, inactivated credit cards or even your driver license. All someone needs to open up new accounts is your social security number or license number and it’s off too the races. Many times people can find information about you on Google as well. One piece of information given to a search engine can retrieve other data as well.

Be careful where you give out information when online. Do not log on to online banking or other online financial sites like credit card online accounts when you are on an unsecured wireless network. Hackers can be intercepting data while you’re logged onto to your computer at popular wireless hangouts like Starbucks. Lastly, do not use public computers to access online account information either. It’s quite possible that your password information stays on that computer and is retrievable by the next person to log on.

Labels: business credit cards, credit card offers, credit cards, identity theft protection