One You Blog

Somebody is Stealing my Mail

Do you have a feeling that somebody is stealing your mail? This is a very big deal, and you want to treat it as such. If your mail is being stolen not only are you missing out on a lot of important information, but your identity is being compromised as well.

So, what can I do about this?

1. Purchase a mailbox that locks. This is one sure fire way to keep others out of your mail. If the problem persists you can then begin to look at your mailman for answers.

2. Tell the post office. You want to make your post office aware of the problem. This way they can tell the mail carrier in your area to keep an open eye. Not to mention the fact that they can also watch their employees. It is unfortunate, but things like this do happen.

3. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity. You may be surprised at how much you learn by just watching for things that are out of place, etc. Soon enough you may have a line on what is going on.

If somebody is stealing your mail your identity may be next. You need to put a stop to this problem before it turns into something worse.

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More Tips on A Safe Job Search

Getting a job is a real issue for many people right now and scammers are salivating with the ways that they can take advantage of this fact. Here are some more tips to help you keep safe while you are looking for a job.

• Never respond to a blind ad. You should always know what company you are applying to.
• If you have never heard of a company then look it up before you apply.
• When doing number two, go beyond the official site. Use a search engine.
• Make sure on of those search engine passes includes the word scam.
• Only give out reasonable information. A possible employer does not need to know where you bank.
• When it doubt, count yourself out. It is better to be safe, then sorry when it comes to having your identity stolen.

Now, you can enjoy the thrill of the chase while minimizing the risks. Happy job hunting.

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Your Pin Number

The pin number of your ATM or debit card may not be something that you think about often, and that is a shame. Every time you use that pin you are potentially exposing it to the prying eyes of those around you. Which means that there are a few do’s and don’ts when picking one.

1. Do try to keep your hand in the way of other view.
2. Do not lip or say number aloud. (it sounds silly, but you would be amazed how many people do this subconsciously.)
3. Do not get the cashier to put it in for you. (Again, some people, usually ones who expect extremely high levels of customer service, or who are very bad with technology, sometime ask.)
4. Do not pick an easy to guess pin. (I’m talking to you Mr. Last four digits of my SSN as a pin)
5. Do be wary of any machine that looks like it has been tampered with.

Now, you can shop safely.

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Identity Theft News Stories for all

While it can make for good reading, it is a shame that so many identity theft news stories hit the internet everyday. This means that the problem is not going away, and that many more people have become victims. That being said, you can learn from every identity theft story – no matter what it may cover.

1. Burglars focus on identity theft

2. Attorney General targets ID theft, economy, crime

3. Hackers target the Guardian’s jobs website

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Why is it so hard to spot the dishonest online ?

A lot of times we are forced to wonder why it can be so hard to spot the dishonest online, even when you happen to be good at it in other times.  Well, here are a few reasons.

* You can’t judge body language, which is a major factor in determining veracity in face to face conversations.
* Obvious things, like a 15 year old claiming to be a gynocologist, are impossible to tell.
* Context doesn’t exist.  In real life where you meet someone is just as important as what they say.

That is why scams are so much more prevalent and why it is harder to tell.

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ID Theft Victims often times don’t know why

Nobody wants to be a victim of ID theft. To make things worse, when you don’t know how this happened you are sure to become frustrated. After all, it would be nice to know what caused this problem so you can avoid it in the future.

Some people never find out why their identity was stolen. If you want to find answers you may have to go “all out” in order to get them. Have you checked your credit report? This is a good place to start. It can show you what types of accounts were opened in your name. From there, you may be able to work backwards to get a better idea of what happened.

Did you share your information with somebody in the past? This could be anybody from a doctor’s office to an online store. Chances are that you did. You may not be able to pinpoint where the problem started, but at the very least you can narrow down your options and begin to close in on the perpetrator.

If your ID was stolen and you don’t know why you are not alone. You have two options: forget about what happened or do your best to find out what caused this problem. If you are up for it, go with the latter of the two!

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Keep Your Identity Safe While Searching For Jobs

Looking for a job can be stressful enough, without having your identity stolen in the process. If you want to minimize the chances of getting taken in by scams that are designed to ensrare your information then try out these tips.

• Know who you are giving information to. Never follow a link to an online job posting when you can find the comapnies job site through a search engine and get the listing that way.
• Be careful about where you post your resume. Remember that document has a wealth of personal information on it.
• Remember your general rules for spotting an online scam. The odds are that if a job looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Now, search safe.

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Top ID Theft Stories of the Weekend

No matter what time of the week it is there are identity theft stories making their way around the internet. This past weekend there were quite a few stories published online and talked about on both local and national news stations.

Here are a few of the top ones:

1. ID Theft Ring Traced To Stolen MVD Documents

2. Sophos ID Theft Experiment Reveals Public Are Too Careless with Their Personal Data

3. Feds crack down on medical ID theft and Medicare fraud

4. Millions fooled by ’scareware’ scams on the web, says Symantec report

5. 850,000 physicians urged to be on lookout for signs of identity theft

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Questions and Boundaries

When it comes to the online world questions can be a great way to get to know someone.  The question is, how do you know when a question is casual and when it is fishing for information?  Well today we are going to look at some common questions.

Safe: Where do you come from?

Unsafe: What is your address?

Safe: What do (or did) you study in school?

Unsafe: Where do (did) you go to school and when is (was) graduation?

Basically the guideline is whether you are giving out personal information or just general inquiry.  Keep your guard up and things will be ok.

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Can you really avoid Identity Theft?

You want to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft, right? Well, listen up. Nobody wants to have their identity stolen, but this happens time after time. When it comes down to it, you can do a lot to avoid becoming a victim. But even then, there is no way to be 100 percent sure that you are safe.

Throughout the year you probably give others your personal information more times than you can keep track off. This includes everything from your credit card number to your social security number and many details in between. What would stop somebody working at your office from taking your social security number and using it against you? The answer: nothing. So even though you may be working hard to avoid identity theft, in the end there is only so much you can do.

It should be your goal to keep your information as safe as possible, and to only share it with people who absolutely need it. Hopefully this will keep your identity safe now and well into the future.

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