A great credit history doesn’t just happen - it is a result of conscious effort. Students, homemakers, divorcees or any other consumer who may need to build or rebuild their credit history will be helped by the following tips: Open a bank account. Here’s a basic step that’s sometimes overlooked by people seeking credit. Opening checking and savings accounts is also one of the few things you can do as a minor to start building a financial history. A savings or checking acco... Read Full Story

A mere 10-15 years ago, having an online identity meant you were on the fast track socially or professionally. Today, not blogging or networking is the exception. Just how broad an internet presence do you need? And if you’re in the slow lane, how can you catch up without compromising your privacy or safety? We’ll explore what having and maintaining an online identity means…and what can actually happen if you don’t keep up with web networking. Getting to Know You…... Read Full Story

The internet has long been a communications pathway among singles looking to connect. Savvy seekers watch out for well-known red flags. For example, an individual who can never be called or contacted any way other than e-mail may warn of another person already in the picture. Someone who asks for pictures but refuses to send any in return is another unspoken warning, and of course, anyone who asks for “help” with such issues as bills can be a bad sign. But one danger of online dating that mos... Read Full Story

Caller ID is meant to keep the recipient of the call safe by revealing the phone number of the caller. But crooks are using this safety feature to their advantage—by signing on with services that disguise their phone number and even, in some cases, the voice. For about $10 an hour, a con artist can potentially receive very profitable returns by stealing identifying information on any number of unsuspecting individuals. And amazingly, though ID theft is obviously a crime, these call spoofing s... Read Full Story

Last year, networking site Facebook launched its then-new public search listings feature. The idea was to allow non-Facebook users to view profiles. But researchers at England’s University of Cambridge say the feature could make it easier than ever to target individuals for ID theft. In a recently published paper, the UK-based researchers showed how they had developed a software tool to target Facebook users in ways you might never think of…but which could put the individual’... Read Full Story

With all the dire news on increasing identity theft, we have something good to relate: an ID thief recently tried to sell his stolen goods…and got caught in the act. The Tennessean reported last week that Nashville resident Steven Gilmore was arrested when he attempted to sell a flash drive—a portable storage device—to an undercover agent. The drive was filled with Social Security and bank account numbers, the Tennessean reported. Gilmore faces charges of identity theft, aggravated iden... Read Full Story

The words “April 15th” cause groans all over the United States each year. But for one citizen, Tax Day last year was his heads-up that someone had been tampering with his identity. Aaron Marks of Boston, MA told MSNBC that when he attempted to electronically file his taxes last year, the Internal Revenue Service informed him that he could not–because someone else had already filed in his name. Marks was told on the phone to submit his tax forms anyway, but has told reporters that a year... Read Full Story

You probably already know that identity theft can cause legal issues, not to mention financial loss. Now, one Indiana resident has found himself not only a victim of an ID breach…but of the consequences of another crime the thief allegedly committed. In a horror story of ID theft reaching new levels, Jeff Goldsmith of Elkhart was arrested in his own home Feb. 25 for abusing “his” girlfriend’s six-year-old child badly enough to put the boy in the hospital. It took many repetitions ... Read Full Story

A March 2009 report from the Consumer Federation of America has weighed paid-for services v. do-it-yourself identity protection, with revealing results. Comparing sixteen anti-ID theft services, the CFA report reveals that some may have misstated information during the time period they were studied (Sept. 2008-Feb. 2009) and lists steps that be taken independently, at no cost to the consumer. At the same time, the report notes the enormity of the problem of identity theft and acknowledges tha... Read Full Story

If only he’d requested annual copies of his credit report and gone over his accounts with a fine-tooth comb, Jake LeGette may never have become a victim of identity theft. And an occasional search on the internet to look for deliberate misuse of overuse of his name wouldn’t have hurt, either. But the thought of taking such standard precautions never crossed LeGette’s mind. And it’s not because he’s irresponsible or forgetful. It’s because Jake LeGette is on... Read Full Story