One reason this may be such a sensitive topic for me is because a member in our family was a victim of identity theft. Thankfully, it was caught very early before any damage was done. The person committing the crime? An office worker at a doctor’s office. Yes, you heard me correctly.

Come to think of it, this has been an issue for at least 14 years. I remember going into a drug store and writing a check. This was back in the day before debit cards. heehee The cashier wanted to know my SSN. When I refused, she said they couldn’t accept my check. I took my check, left my merchandise on the counter, and have never shopped there since. Then another time, I was shopped in a department store (that I like) and the cashier asked for my SSN. When I refused, she got rude and said, “Fine. I’ll probably lose my job over this.”. I had shopped there for years and no one else had ever asked my for my social.

Just today I took my foster son to the dentist and the office worker asked me for my social. I told her I don’t give it out. Then she made up some kind of excuse about the claim being denied because they don’t have my social. Ummm, hello! He’s still in foster care so he has Medicaid. She knew that. You don’t need the foster mom’s social to file a Medicaid claim.  She even got the confirmation number while I was standing there.

I am just so sick of people trying to manipulate you to get your personal information. What is up with this? Why do people ask for your social when they don’t need it? I just don’t get it.

Do you have issues with people asking for your social security number?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

It is disturbing that our identity and social security information has to be so carefully guarded, but even more upsetting is how someone can damage our credit if they obtain our personal information.  According to PC Magazine, we are can make ourselves vunerable through the passwords that we choose for our email, online banking, and other accounts.  PC Magazine has compiled a list of the 10 most common passwords.  If you’re using one of these passwords, then you might be setting yourself up for trouble.

1. password
2. 123456
3. qwerty
4. abc123
5. letmein
6. monkey
7. myspace1
8. password1
9. link182
10. (your first name)

When choosing a password, it is best to choose one that has both letters and numbers.  Also, be sure to choose one that isn’t obvious to others.

Is your password difficult to figure out?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

It is very unlikely that a jury coordinator will call you on the phone.  Most communication is done by mail.  If someone calls you asking you for personal information, hang up immediately and call your local District Court office and FBI field office.

Never give out your personal information when you receive an unsolicited phone call.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

If you have had your identification stolen there are certain things you need to take care of rather quickly to save a HUGE headache later.  Here is what I have done already.

• I cancelled my debit/credit cards immediately.
• My check book was taken, so I had to freeze my account and open a new one.  You could just tell your banking institution not to allow those checks to go through but the theif still has your routing number.
• I carry my insurance card.  So I had to notify my insurance carrier.  They were gratious enough to send me another card out immediately.
• I still need to file a police report.  (I am so behind due to the holidays!)

I had just cleaned out my purse that morning so here are some other things y ou will need to do as well.

• Check your credit report every three months.  You can get a free credit report from equifax, transunion, and  experian.  Each one will give you one free credit reort a year so go to one in 3 months and then the next at 6 months as so on.  There are plenty of places to get a free credit report so don’t pay for one.
• You have the option of putting a fraud alert on your credit with each of the 3 companies but if you need a loan, it will make it extremely dificult.  We opted not to do so.
• If your keys were in your purse when it was taken, change the locks on your home.  it will just make you feel safer.
• If you are really worried, I suggest you go to a identity protection company like LifeLock.  You will have to pay a monthly fee but it might make your mind rest easy.

I hope none of you have to deal with this, but as long as the funky, odd, and wierd stuff happens to me,  you can rest assured that the bad guys are busy and you are safe from their activites for the moment.  HAHA!

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

1. Carry only the bare necessities in your wallet in case it is stolen.
2. Do not carry your social security cards. A driver’s license should be all you need for most things.
3. Shred any financial offers that you get in the mail since someone can get your info and then dig through your trash to get an offer approved.
4. Do not put your social security number on your driver’s license if you don’t have to.
5. DO NOT give out any personal information out over the phone unless you are absolutely sure as to whom you are talking to.
6. Do not apply for any credit cards over the phone.
7. Use only secure sites for ordering anything online.
8. Use only sites you are familiar with unless you can talk to someone first.
9. Use common sense.
10. LOCK YOUR DOORS!

Be careful as you only get one identity and it is a huge mess to clean up. Don’t forget to monitor your credit on a routine basis.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I’m just curious to know, how well do you protect your social security number?  Do you have it posted on your checks?  Is it on your driver’s license?  Do you give it freely when stores ask for identification?

I’m just warning you.  This is a very touchy subject with me.  I am really holding back on the things I have to say.  So, here’s the nicest way I can say it:

I DO NOT GIVE OUT MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER!!!!!!

If I were to date back to a time when this became a major issue with me, I guess it would be about 10 years ago.  My husband and I attended a meeting of some sort about identity theft.  My mind was like a sponge as I absorbed everything they had to say.  I had always been careful with my social security number.  In fact, one time I even left a store with my purchases on the counter because a store refused to take my check without my SSN.  I guess it was at the meeting where my SSN became even more precious to me.

Another significant event was when a close family member of mine suffered from identity theft.  One day the family member received a call from a credit card company telling her that she couldn’t activate the new credit card from anywhere but home.  She was like, “What credit card?”.  To make a long story short, someone had used her name, SSN, and other information to apply for a credit card.  And do you want to know who was committing the crime?????  A receptionist at the doctor’s office.  Yes, it’s true!!!! 

A few years ago I was listening to Clark Howard on the radio and he said that you don’t even have to give your SSN to the doctor’s office.  I’ve pushed this issue some and he’s right.  Last year I had the hospital check-in lady get mad at me for not wanting to give my SSN.  My son had to have some x-rays.  She gave me some sassy attitude, so I told her that was fine, that I’d use the other hospital down the street.  Amazingly, she was able to bypass the prompt asking for my SSN.  Usually all you have to do is be firm about where you stand. 

Did you know that for the past 7 years, identity theft is the No. 1 complaint filed with the federal government?  Clark Howard has just let us know about a site that can tell us if our SSN has been compromised.  It is called stolenidsearch.com. The site tries to push other ID theft prevention software that costs money, but don’t buy into those. Just enter your number and read what it says.

Stop Identity Theft is another article I wrote that may interest you.

Do you have an identity theft story you’d like to share or have you had issues with people asking for your social security number?  Let us know.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Due to new Federal Consumer Protection laws, everyone is allowed to receive one free copy of their credit report per year from each of the credit bureaus.  Since there are three major credit reporting bureaus, this means you can get a free copy every 4 months. 

Be sure and write down the dates on your calendar or palm pilot to remind you of when you need to order one of the three free credit reports.  For instance, you can get one from Equifax in January, Experian in May, and TransUnion in September.   

Remember, it can sometimes take years to get your identity back and prove your innocence.  This prevention measure can save you big bucks and migraines when it comes to identity theft or other credit related headaches.

You may order each of your free copies from:
Annualcreditreport.com:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

For further reference:
Equifax (800-685-1111), Equifax.com
Experian (888-397-3742) Experian.com
TransUnion (800-916-8800).   Transunion.com 

P.S.  Be very skeptical of any other companies that offer free credit reports.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Reader’s Digest

1.  Child Identity Theft – Yes, there are actually people out there so greedy that they will steal a child’s SSN and use it for their own good.

2.  The Latest Work-At-Home Swindle – These are people that want to wire money to your account and have you keep a commission.  Most likely, anything that says “money transfer” is usually a phony.

3.  Fake Jury Duty Con – This is a sneaky one.  They call you and claim that you’re going to be arrested for not showing up for jury duty.  Then they get you to give them your SSN so that they can fix the situation.  Very sneaky indeed.

4.  Medicare Fraud – The new Medicare prescription drug plan is confusing and has attracted a lot of cons.  Be aware of anyone that asks for your personal information as part of their marketing.

5.  Pretexting – Never give your personal information over the phone.  Beware of people calling with surveys or someone saying they’re from a bank.  If you get a call like this, then tell them you’re not interested.  If they say they’re from your bank then hang up and call your bank.  You can never be too careful.

6.  “IRS” Phishing Scam – Someone tried to pull this one on us a few weeks ago. My husband received an email from a person claiming to be the IRS.  It is also very common to get emails that seem like they are from eBay, Paypal, your bank, etc. 

7.  Pharming – Pharming criminals hack into your computer and implant software.  Then when you log onto your bank or other website, they send you to another look alike site.  There they steal your information.  It’s scary, isn’t it?!?  Keep your anti-virus protection up to date!

8.  Internet Telephony Trickery – These people call you trying to sell you internet phone software in order to save you money.  Somehow they are able to disguise their location.  It may appear that they are calling you from a company within the U.S., but really they could be calling you from Costa Rica.

9.  High Tech ATM Snooping – This is done with digital cameras that are hooked up near ATMs.  They may appear like they’re installed by the bank.  Be cautious of any devices hooked up to the front of ATMs or keypads missing their Braille markings.

10.  Scholarship and Government Grant Flimflams – This scam claims that you or your child has won a scholarship or grant.  You just have to pay a processing fee or give them your SSN. 

Well, well, well.  All this is enough to make a person paranoid, isn’t it?  This is scary for sure. 

Thanks to Max Alexander from Reader’s Digest for reporting on all this information.  Be sure and check out the actual article.  It contains much more information than these points than I have highlighted to you.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

There have been 788 incidents of lost information by the federal government.  Nineteen agencies have lost information on the general public and on federal employees.   The Commerce Department has lost more than 1,000 laptops used by the U.S. Census Bureau.

So, how safe do you think your information is??????  I’m not so sure myself.  Pretty scary when you think about it.  In 23 states, it is possible to freeze your credit.  Even if nothing suspicious is going on, this might be good advice for you to follow.  To check the list for your state, click here and then view the information on consumersunion.org.

Thanks for the tip, Clark.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

The most recent edition of Reader’s Digest explores identity theft and lets readers know about the the latest target for theives: medical records. Most hospitals and medical facilities ask for your social security number every time you visit. You should ask for a good reason why these facilities need the number before you give it.

There have been cases of thieves stealing someone’s identity and getting medical attention, including surgery.  So now they are scamming the insurance companies too.

In other ID theft news, roughly half of these crimes turn out to be perpetrated by friends or family members. Turns out family members are just as likely to steal your information.  

Unfortunately, identity theft has occurred in my family.  The receptionist at the doctor’s office used my sister-in-law’s information to apply for a credit card.  Fortunately, she was caught.

About 3 years ago, we learned of someone in our family using another family member’s information to make some purchases.  Enough said about that one.

Just be very cautious about giving out your information.  Make sure you shred all your personal documents before disgarding them.  And of course, with Christmas just around the corner, there will be crooks out there trying to take advantage of others.  I’m not trying to make you paranoid, but please be cautious.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy