| Article excerpted from the new book, How to Do | | | | the phone unless you initiate the call and you know to |
| Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain TM | | | | whom you are talking. Never carry your social security |
| copyright 2004, all rights reserved, by Eve Abbott, the | | | | number in your wallet. |
| Organizer Extraordinaire | | | | You don't have to give your SSN to businesses that |
| Each year billions of dollars in credit fraud is | | | | request it, although they do have the right to refuse |
| perpetrated on unsuspecting citizens. With so much | | | | service. Only government agency, and employment or |
| personal information publicly available (or easily | | | | tax related inquiries must be answered. |
| available to someone with medium computing skills) it is | | | | Reduce the number of pre-approved offers you get |
| essential to develop good habits to prevent your | | | | by requesting these credit bureaus remove your name |
| information from falling into criminal hands. It is possible | | | | from their lists: TRW (800) 353-0809, Equifax (800) |
| for someone to create an entire identity (get driver's | | | | 219-1251 and TransUnion (800) 241-2858. |
| license, etc.) based on just a few pieces of information. | | | | Once a year carefully check out your free credit |
| I know of an employee who sustained an on-the-job | | | | report from Experian (800) 682-7654 and free Social |
| injury then applied for disability. He was shocked when | | | | Security file (800) 772-1213. If you are denied credit |
| they turned him down. According to Workmen's | | | | based on your report, the issuing credit bureau must |
| Compensation records he had been collecting disability | | | | provide you with a free copy upon request - even if |
| for the last year and a half. Someone had gotten their | | | | they usually charge for it. |
| hands on enough information to drain his account! | | | | Do not give out confidential information on e-mail or do |
| It can take years and thousands of dollars to correct | | | | financial transactions on the Internet unless it's secure |
| an identity theft, credit fraud or a simple key entry | | | | and encoded. (Look for the SSL reference) |
| error by a clerk at a Credit Bureau. It takes minutes for | | | | Check guarantee and check verification agencies |
| you to do these simple tips: | | | | must provide the same protection as credit bureaus, |
| Destroy all pre-approved credit offers you get in the | | | | such as access to your report and correction of |
| mail before you discard them. Otherwise, someone | | | | errors. If your check is refused, get the agency name. |
| can fill out a new address and get credit in your name. | | | | For assistance in re-establishing good credit and |
| Use a paper-shredder for all documents with your | | | | correcting errors, the non-profit Consumer Credit |
| financial or legal information included. Sign all your credit | | | | Counseling Service may be able to help you. To find |
| cards with 'Please ask for photo ID' instead of your | | | | the office nearest you call |
| signature. | | | | (800) 388-2227. |
| Never give out your SSN or credit card information on | | | | |