by ProgressOhio

Preventing Identity Theft & Consumer Scams

If you’ve ever been a victim of identity theft or consumer scams, you know how the situation left you feeling: violated and upset. Even if you’ve never personally experienced identity or consumer fraud, you probably know someone who has. You can protect yourself from the negative results of these unfortunate events with the following identity theft and consumer protection tips.

Tips to prevent identity theft:

Shred or destroy documents. It is important to securely dispose of any documents that include personal information, including bank statements, receipts and bills. Shred them or tear them up appropriately when you throw them away. A common cause of identity theft is thieves rummaging through garbage and locating personal information.  
Keep personal information private. Be careful about where you leave personal documents, e.g. don’t leave personal information unattended on your desk at work.
Use caution when offering information over the phone. You should never give your credit card or bank account number over the phone unless you initiated the call. Also, be aware of who is listening when you are relaying private information over the phone. Eavesdroppers can easily jot down your Social Security number or bank account number as you rattle them off.
Be careful with your cards and personal information. Secure all of your cards: write “see ID” on the signature line to ensure that cashiers are asking for the proper identification.  Try not to carry more cards than you need. Don’t keep your Social Security card, birth certificate or passport on you unless it’s necessary.
Keep records. Keep a list of all your credit cards, credit card companies’ telephone numbers, loan information, account numbers and expiration dates so you can notify creditors in case of theft or loss. This will save you valuable time if you ever find your purse or wallet is missing.
Monitor your credit. Keep track of your financial records on a regular basis. While you don’t need to check your credit score on a monthly basis, a quarterly or semi-annual monitoring should suffice.

Tips to prevent consumer scams:

Shop reputable companies. Only make purchases from companies you know to be reputable. You can find a list of trusted companies on the Better Business Bureau website.
Understand the policies. Review the return, refund and cancellation policies before making a purchase from any company. These policies are not only put in place to protect the company, but also to protect you, the consumer.
Keep all documentation. Make sure you hold on to all of the records of your purchase including receipts, confirmation emails and even the bank statements on which the purchase appears. These may come in handy if a question arises about receiving a refund for a return or even fraudulent charges.
Contact the company if an issue arises. If you do have a concern with a product you received or a question about a charge you may not understand, contact the seller directly. Keep records of your conversations. Write down the names of the people you spoke with, when you spoke to them and what they said. Also, save all email correspondence.
Don’t be afraid to escalate your concern. If you find that you are still not being adequately helped, ask to speak with a manager or someone at the company headquarters. You should never feel like you need to accept a fraudulent charge or another consumer scam no matter how minor it may seem.
Write a letter of complaint. When a phone call fails to bring closure, you may also write a letter of complaint. Your letter may reach an entirely different audience at the company. The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Consumer Protection website also recommends including copies (not the originals) of the following documents with your complaint letter:
Sales receipts
Repair orders
Warranties
Cancelled checks
Contracts
Any documented correspondence

Take the appropriate next steps. According to the FTC, if your phone call or letter does not receive an appropriate response and you believe you may be the victim of consumer fraud, you should investigate the following options. Find these individuals’ names, addresses, and phone numbers, and contact them:

State attorney general’s office
Local consumer protection office
Better Business Bureau
Local Postmaster
Local media including television, radio, or newspaper consumer hotlines

It is important to be as cautious as possible when handling and dealing with documents that contain private or personal information. After all, prevention is the best defense against consumer scams and identity theft. If you are looking for even more protection from identity theft, companies like Nationwide Insurance offers identity theft coverage to keep you protected. It now includes free credit monitoring services. Find out how it works today!

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