10 Dec Buyer Beware! – Cyber Crime Protection
Discover How You Can Protect Yourself From Unscrupulous Cyber Thieves, Merchants, and Bill Collectors
When was the last time you requested your credit report? When was the last time you provided your social security number to someone? Your activities and habits as a consumer might put you at risk for identity theft, credit card fraud. or cyber crime.
Answer these questions to determine the risks you are currently taking and make some changes to your habits to better protect yourself:
1. Do you have an up-to-date antivirus program on your computer? Do you often purchase items from unknown shopping websites? Do you have an efficient way to keep track of the transactions you make with your credit cards? What is your plan to address these habits?
2. Did you share personal information such as your name, date of birth, and social security number for a person or company recently? Do you keep track of who you share this information with? How can you avoid sharing your private details unless absolutely necessary?
3. How quickly do you think you would notice that something is wrong if someone were to steal your identity? What steps can you take to quickly notice any unauthorized charges or new credit lines opened in your name?
4. Did you request your credit report within the past year? If not, visit the official website at www.annualcreditreport.com or send requests to TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian to receive free reports. Take the time to go over these reports and have any mistakes corrected. Make notes here and get new reports to check on the corrections.
5. Are there any new credit lines you didn’t open on your credit reports? Are there any credit inquiries you do not recognize?
6. Do you have a system to keep track of your bills, organize them, pay them on time, and compare the amount you are billed from one month to the next? Are there steps you could take to improve your current system and make identifying billing mistakes easier?
7. Do you always do some research before using a new service provider or purchasing a product? Do you find yourself trusting businesses you do not know much about because they offer interesting deals? What steps can you take to make it safer to do business with a new merchant or provider?
8. Do you know about any existing debt and are you taking action to pay this debt back? If not, do you have a way to contact your creditors and set up payment plans?
9. Have you been contacted by collection agencies? If yes, do you think they respected your rights? How can you communicate with them to verify your debt and negotiate your best deal?
Use your answers to these questions to assess the risks you are taking regarding identity theft and credit card fraud. You might also want to rethink the way you pay your bills, shop online, look for contractors, or deal with your creditors.
You can greatly reduce the risks of becoming a victim of cyber crime and fraud or of having a bad experience by adopting a pro-active attitude regarding your financial security.
When it comes to your business, I can help you protect your data. I am a recognized Business and Marketing expert, Entrepreneur, Author, Speaker and Consultant. I am a highly motivated, energetic entrepreneur with an appreciation for marketing and business. In my entrepreneurial pursuits, I’ve launched and sold businesses, and collaborated with small, medium, national and international Fortune 500 companies. I am accustomed to working in competitive, result-driven environments in which the delivery of measurable results is very important, and l take that work-ethic to help my clients generate massive sales.