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For a limited time TrustedID, a leading identity theft protection company,  is offering a promotion that ends soon.  Receive a free Identity Theft Guide and 15% off from TrustedID (ends 7/31)  The Identity Theft Guide provides you with facts and information to help prevent Identity Theft, one of the fastest growing crimes in America.

IdentityTruth continues to keep its prices down and offer new promotions. See IdentityTruth: $10 Off Savings.

According to the company, IdentityTruth was developed in order to provide consumers with a convenient, comprehensive tool for managing and safeguarding their identity.  They provide:

• Free Experian Credit Report
• Free Tri-Bureau Fraud Alerts
• Credit Monitoring
• Breach Alerts and Personalized Detected Events
• Discovery of Unrecognized Names, Addresses, Utilities under Your SSN#
• Removal of Pre-Approved Credit Offers
• IdentityTruth Health Score^TM
• Personalized Custom Online Dashboard

If you want to see what they are all about, they also offer the IdentityTruth 7 Day Free Trial.

See also:
http://www.moneycafe.com/personal/featured/idtheft.htm

This weekend TrustedID is offering 18 months protection for the price of 12 months.  Click here to take advantage of the promotion – Receive 18 months of Identity Theft Protection for the price of 12 months from TrustedID (ends 5/31/09).  They also offer a 30 day risk-free trial.  (See below.)

TrustedID has a complete identity theft protection program.  The services they provide include:

• Financial identity protection
• Medical benefits protection
• Social Security benefits protection
• Online security to detect and remove spyware from your computer 
• Lost wallet protection to help cancel accounts and help replace cards
• Family protection for children and family members living in your household
• CreditLock to prevent credit bureaus from releasing your credit report

See also:
http://www.moneycafe.com/personal/featured/idtheft.htm

Like we mentioned the other day, many people think of identity theft only in the context of someone using your good name and credit history to get money or purchase things.  But your childrens’ names and personal information can be stolen as well.  College students, with or without a credit history, can especially be at risk.   Below is some information about Child Identity Theft, courtesy of Trusted ID – The Top Name in Identity Theft Protection. Click here for more information & 30 Day Risk Free Trial!

What is child identity theft?

Child identity theft occurs when someone uses the child’s personal information without their knowledge for another person’s gain.  All the problems that an adult experiences when their identity is stolen- from ruined credit to fraudulent accounts and rampant debt – can happen to a child. Minors make easy targets for scammers because they don’t normally check their credit reports, meaning that the identity theft can go on for years before being noticed. Also, it’s often easy for to get credit in a minor’s name due to their unblemished credit history.

A subset of this group, college students, are particularly at risk. Many colleges and universities use the student’s Social Security number as their student ID, and students are often bombarded with credit card offers.  Because this group moves often and may neglect to forward their mail, sensitive information such as pre-approved credit card offers and student loan letters may fall into the wrong hands.

You can protect your child’s identity with TrustedID, the only identity theft protection company that protects your entire family under one low-priced plan. Not only does TrustedID check and protect your child’s credit report but other aspects of their personal information is monitored as well, including their Social Security number and medical benefits.

 Key Stats and Facts

• - Nearly 500,000 children each year are victims of identity theft. (MSNBC, 2005)
• - The culprit is often a parent or guardian or anyone with access to the child’s information.
• - Identity theft against minors can go undetected for years since the theft is typically not discovered until the child applies for their first bank account, loan or credit card.
• - Identity thieves can obtain a minor’s Social Security number and personal information from many sources, including medical records, school files and online social networks.

 How to prevent child identity theft:

• 1) Do not carry your child’s Social Security number in your wallet. If necessary, make a photocopy of the card and cut off the last four numbers.
• 2) Be careful with whom you share your child’s personal information. For example, if your child’s after school sports program requires a copy of a birth certificate and/or Social Security card, ask if the coach has had a criminal and financial background check done by an independent or hiring source. Show the papers to the coach and then put them in a sealed envelope, and write your name across the sealed flap so you can tell if it has been opened when it is returned to you. Initial the back of each page so you can tell if you got the original back at the end of the season. Ask where these papers will be stored during the season.
• 3) College students should lock away their personal information. It is not uncommon for victims to have their information stolen by roommates who seem to be friendly.
• 4) Make sure you send and receive mail in a locked mailbox, and to fill out a change of address form with the Post Office each time you change residences. TrustedID will help reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, including pre-approved credit card offers which is a common way that identity thieves can apply for and obtain new credit in your or your child’s name.
• 5) Get your child’s identity protected with TrustedID – the only company that protects your entire family under one low-priced plan.

See also:
http://www.moneycafe.com/personal/featured/idtheft.htm

Many people think of identity theft only in the context of someone using your good name and credit history to get money or purchase things.  But your name and personal information can be used in other contexts as as well.  Below is some information about Medical Indentity Theft, courtesy of Trusted ID – The Top Name in Identity Theft Protection. Click here for more information & 30 Day Risk Free Trial!

What is medical identity theft?

Medical identity theft is when someone uses your personal information without your knowledge or consent to obtain, or receive payment for, medical treatment, services, or goods.  When this happens to you, the thief’s treatments could show up on your record, be taken out of your benefits, and even disqualify you from new health insurance. And most dangerous of all, if the thief’s medical history is confused with yours, your own medical care could be jeopardized.

Medical identity theft is a growing area of identity theft, and one that can have dire consequences. In addition to proactive protection for your financial identity, TrustedID can help prevent this new threat by protecting your medical identity and benefits.

Key Stats

• - 3 percent of all identity theft victims in 2005 were victims of medical identity theft, which means of 8.3 million ID theft victims, approximately 250,000 people were victimized by medical identity theft in that year alone
• - Identity Theft Resource Center (2004) follow up to “Identity Theft: The Aftermath 2003″ survey found that 23% of survey respondents found that “Using my information, someone obtained medical services.”
• - Health care fraud accounts for an estimated 3 to 10 percent of all health care costs, or 80 to 120 billion dollars of loss per year
• - Organized patterns of this crime tend to involve what is called “clinic takeover.” this is where a group purchases a small clinic, operates the scam out it for a few months to a year, then shuts the operation down and disappears. During the time of operation, these scams lure patients into their offices with promises of free checkups. When patients come in with the medical information, that information can be copied.

How to prevent medical identity theft:

• 1) Keep your health information private. Don’t share your policy information with anyone without knowing how that person plans to use it, who else will have access to it, and how the information will be protected. TrustedID scans black market areas of the Internet to check whether your policy information is being shared or sold online.
• 2) Avoid offers for free medical services, especially if they are asking for your medical information. TrustedID’s Resource Center offers the most updated information regarding the latest identity theft scams and data breaches you should be aware of.
• 3) Check your medical benefits statement for inaccuracies. TrustedID makes sure no one but you and your family is using your medical benefits by helping you review your annual medical benefits statement. TrustedID’s trained restoration specialists will help you resolve any inaccurate information you find.
• 4) Monitor your credit reports with the three major credit bureaus to identity reports of medical debts. TrustedID will request your free annual credit reports on your behalf and if you notice any suspicious activity, TrustedID’s trained restoration specialists will help you through the steps of recovering your identity and preventing any further damage.
• 5) Sign up with TrustedID to protect your medical benefits, Social Security number, bank and credit card accounts and more.

See also:
http://www.moneycafe.com/personal/featured/idtheft.htm