Real Estate News Source

Page 1

Vol.III, No.8

www.renewssource.com

April 15, 2017

Are You A Target? By Pat Farrell

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID San Antonio, Texas Paid Permit #1590

Quite often we hear of someone who has just had their identity stolen and may even be at a loss to understand how that might have happened to them. And of course, depending on how smart we think we might be as to how these thing do happen, we might wonder how that individual could have allowed someone access to their information, or might feel sympathy for them, but at the same time be grateful that it didn’t happen to us. Unfortunately, a great number of the scam efforts today are successful because they are being perpetrated against the elderly, most of whom come from a time when the average person’s word could be believed. There are so many ways now that identity theft can happen, and even if you were to follow all the security measures that have been suggested, you could still wind up on

that loss list, for you are indeed a target! There are a whole host of folks out there that are interested in obtaining your personal information so they can make use of monies you currently have available through your financial institutions or credit cards. Or perhaps they would like to use your identity to apply for new loans or for new credit cards, or maybe try to get health care in your name. While most people today are pretty savvy about things like shredding any paper documents that contain personal data, and are careful about how, and to whom they release sensitive information, those receiving that information may not be as careful - so again, you are a target. Simply put, our information is often accessed via techniques that are considered either low tech or high tech. Having a wallet or purse stolen, may be considered a low tech method but it can certainly wreak havoc with one’s peace of mind, not to mention their bank account. If this theft should happen there are immediate steps to be taken, such as: contact your bank first and if you had a check or deposit slip included, change the account; notify your credit card companies; file a police report (banks often require that you provide them with a copy), so make copies but keep the original; put out a fraud alert with one of the credit reporting agencies who will then notify the others and again, make copies but keep the original; and you might want to contact your insurance company to see if any of the losses are covered. There are somethings you also might want to keep in mind should you now, as a result of the theft, no longer

have a driver’s license. Yes, you will have to replace it, but in the meantime consider what might be happening with your lost license. Should it wind up in the hands of someone who traffics in personal information, it could be sold to someone with similar features and you can only hope they don’t incur any type of traffic violation, like a DUI or worse. And, if there was a key in the wallet or a set of keys in the purse you might want to rekey your home as your address is now available to the person who is now holding the key. If you do not already have a home security system it may be time to think about getting one along with looking into a credit monitoring service so you can be alerted when any of your accounts are being used. I expect we have all watched at least one “police drama” show on TV or in the movies where we learned that anything we throw in the trash and take to the curb is now information available to the public. Those materials that have not been shredded are fair game to anyone seeking particulars about us through another low tech method known as “dumpster diving” or “urban foraging.” While many of the folks that participate in these activities are simply looking for things that will help them survive, like clothes, blankets or even food, others will work for the information gatherers who will pay them for any personal information they are able to recover in the process. Think about the last time you received an offer from some credit card company and said, “I am so sick of getting these things,” and just tossed it away without bothering to shred it. Well, the information gatherers may

already have put together some pertinent items about you that they may be able to use to fill out that offer, change the address, and now have a new card in your name to buy what they want. It is scary out there! And, what about the often talked about Nigerian email scam? Haven’t many of us chuckled over those folks who we thought were naive enough to think that someone had actually singled them out to receive such a great and rewarding proposition? Most likely no one today would respond to that particular scam but there are newer and somewhat more believable “phishing” efforts now being put forth. For those who would like to work from home there are several great sounding opportunities certain to leave the responder with less money in the bank and still no job! There are also those threatening phone calls supposedly from the IRS saying that if you do not wire money immediately you will be arrested for noncompliance and nonpayment of taxes. Another example has to do with a parent or grandparent being notified that a child or grandchild has met with a terrible accident while travelling (in some faraway place) and will need funds in order to receive medical treatment. There are still those who do not check to see if that person is actually travelling in that place before sending off the requested funds. Finally, but certainly not all inclusive of the full gamut of low tech methodology being used for identity theft is the misappropriation of information from credit and debit cards. When you have just finished your meal at a local restaurant and have determined


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