Mistakes on credit reports do happen.  You can usually get them disputed and removed.  But how do you know when a mistake is identity theft?  You won’t always be sure but look for these common indicators:

* Multiple errors.  A pattern of errors may show intentional abuse
* Long term errors.  A card with an ever growing balance and no payment could be an intentional scammer.
* Problems that occur perennially.  If you fix one issue only to have a second your issues may be malicious.

Remember that vigilance is your best friend.

We all love to talk about ourselves but when you are talking to a stranger that becomes dangerous.  Resolve not to make it easy on an identity thief with these tips.

• Online Dating and Identity Theft: A Guide to Caution

• Rubber Duck Identity Theft Test on Facebook: How Your Identity Can Be Stolen

• Consider All Your Profiles When You Do Security Analysis

• Identity Theft and Online Gaming

• Facebook to Change Privacy Policy

It is easy to let your guard down when you are having fun or when you are in a familiar place.  Sadly, a potential identity thief knows this.  Luckily you can outwit him.  Resolve to do so in 2010.  Need logistical help?  Try these 2009 posts.

• Black Friday and Identity Theft

• How To Opt Out of Pre approved Credit Offers

• How To Opt Out of Pre approved Credit Offers

• More Tips For Keeping Your Mail Safe

You decided to try online dating.  It can be a lot of fun, if you don’t get burned in the process.  Aside from worrying about sexual deviants and possible serial killers you have to be worried about having your identity stolen.

Some people are creating phishing profiles designed to ensnare the lonely.  How can you spot one?  Just look for a girl (usually these profiles are female) that is too good to be true.

Does she look like a super model, love Stargate SG1 and the Denver Broncos?  Proceed with caution.  Beware if she is also, “open to experimentation” and lists beer as her favorite food.  You’ve found a honey pot trap.

Sophos, the internet security company decided to run a test on just how secure your information is, and the results were not promising. They sent out two fake identities, 21-year-old “Daisy Feletin” and 56-year-old “Dinette Stonily”

Each had a non-human photo posted on their profile (in Daisys case a rubber duck, and in Dinette’s two cats), and sent out 100 random friend requests.  The average acceptance rate: 95 people. What kind of information did they share?

• Date of Birth (Full)
• Personal information about friends and family.

Add that to some of the data in your profile, like your home state, occupation and wesites you visit, and Facebook is an identity theft banquet.

Be careful who you friend.

1. Identity theft hits close to home

2. New SSN may not solve identity theft

3. Is Online Shopping Safe for the Holiday Season?

Here are two tips to keep in mind:

1. Do not use your credit card at any store that you do not trust. This holds true for both land based and online stores – more so those that you find via the internet.

2. Keep a close eye on your purse or wallet. The holiday season is when many people are out on the prowl, looking to steal off of others. Imagine how much information you would be giving a thief if he has access to your wallet. This could include your credit cards, social security number, etc.

Have fun on Black Friday. Just make sure you are also doing all that you can to avoid becoming the next identity theft victim!

1. Help protect yourself from phishing scams and identity theft

2. Woman charged with identity theft

3. 6 arrested in South Florida identity theft case

Earlier this week, we looked at why you should opt our of pre existing credit offers.  Today, we are going to look at how to do it.

1. Go to https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t

2. Click on the button labeled “Click here to opt in or opt out”

3. Choose between opt out for 5 years and opt out forever.

4. Fill in the form and submit.

Now, go and opt out.

Credit offers are bad for your personal finances, but it can also be a danger to your identity.

Picture this scenario.  Your mail man drops off a shiny new credit card offer.  A scammer takes it out of the box and apples in your name.  The card is sent to them.  So are the past due bills.  You don’t even know that it exists until you apply for a loan and get rejected.

Now, you have to provide the proof that you were not the one who charged 10,000 dollars worth of junk in your name. Not exactly the way that you imagined spending the next few weekends? Then opt out!

So, choose to opt out of credit offers.