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50 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY AND YOUR CREDIT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IDENTITY THEFT, CREDIT CARDS, CREDIT REPAIR, AND CREDIT REPORTS

Name: 50 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY AND YOUR CREDIT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IDENTITY THEFT, CREDIT CARDS, CREDIT REPAIR, AND CREDIT REPORTS
Author: Steve Weisman
ISBN: 013146759X

by Steve Weisman

January 2005

Beginner

256 pages

5h 15m

English

Pearson

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Copyright
Dedication
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
INTRODUCTION
1. IDENTITY THEFT
FTC SurveyA Big ProblemTreasury Secretary John W. Snow on Identity TheftTerrorism and Identity TheftPatriot ActWhat Do Identity Thieves Do?Phishing—Go PhishPhishing with a PalFormer Good AdviceTwo Things to Look ForMore Good AdviceAOL ScamPhishing with a Large NetPhishing Around the WorldHow Do You Know That You Have Been a Victim of Phishing?What You Can Do to Prevent Identity TheftEndnotes
2. MAKING YOURSELF LESS VULNERABLE TO IDENTITY THEFT
Lottery ScamsVote for MeDo Not CallCell Phone CamerasA Danger in the WorkplaceIdentity Theft and the ATMA Primer on ATM Identity TheftWhat Can You Do to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft at the ATM?The Race to Catch an ATM Identity ThiefIdentity Theft and Young PeopleMailboxes and Identity TheftMore Tips for Making Yourself Safer from Identity Theft
3. DANGER ON THE COMPUTER AND WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE THE VICTIM OF IDENTITY THEFT
SpywareWhat Can You Do About Spyware?It's Not Always Good to ShareJust When You Thought It was Safe to Go Back to Your ComputerThe LessonWi-Fi: Something New to Worry AboutStoriesA Towering ProblemWe Regret to Inform YouKeys to Identity TheftIf You Can't Trust Your Lawyer, Whom Can You Trust?What to Do If You Are a Victim of Identity Theft
4. YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER—AN IDENTITY THIEF'S LUCKY NUMBER
Driver's LicenseWhen and Where Must You Provide Your Social Security Number?Should You Try to Get a New Social Security Number If Yours Has Been Used for Identity Theft?Restrictions on the Use of Social Security NumbersNot Even Safe After DeathIn the NavyDoctored RecordsNew Definition of “Chutzpah”Workplace Identity TheftLooking for a JobI Gave at the OfficeWho Do You Trust?Another Inside JobDisgruntled EmployeeTemporary Worker—Long Time ProblemAnother Horror StoryPreventing Identity Theft at WorkHigher Education and Identity TheftSchool of ThievesFool Me OnceOops
5. CRIMINAL IDENTITY THEFT,TAXES—AND MORE ARRESTING PROBLEMS
Criminal MisidentificationHoisted with His Own PetardThat's Me. That's Me. That's Not Me.Arrest Gone to PotAnd You Thought You Had a Bad DayIt's Not Just the MoneyWhat Should You Do If You Are the Victim of Criminal Identity Theft?Taxes and Identity TheftTax Preparation and Identity TheftIRS ScamMultiple Tax ReturnsAnother Taxing Form of Identity TheftMore Tax ScamsTax Scam on Non-Resident AliensIdentity Theft and InvestmentsDeadly Results of Identity TheftUrban MythStoriesNot So Happy BirthdayIt Can Happen to AnyoneIt's Not Nice to Fool with Mother NatureBelgian WafflingBattling the Companies with Which You Do BusinessTwice Victimized“The Same Old Watson! You Never Learn That the Gravest Issues May Depend Upon the Smallest Things.”Can't I Sue Somebody?And for Dessert, Your Credit CardEndnotes
6. TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS, AND GOVERNMENT FIGHT IDENTITY THEFT
High Tech Tactics to Combat Identity TheftBiometricsGarbage In—Garbage OutPrivacy ConcernsOh, Grandma, What Big Ears You HaveVoice RecognitionThe Future Is NowRetinal ScansFingerprintsBusiness Fights BackIdentity Theft InsuranceCulture of SecurityJust Do the Best You CanEndnotes
7. FINANCIAL PRIVACY PLEASE: THE GRAMM-LEACH-BLILEY ACT
Safeguard RulesPretextingOpt Out, Opt InGood Guys in CongressThe Bottom Line

8. CREDIT CARDS
The History of CreditPlastic ManDon't Leave Home Without ItVery InterestingTrivia That Can Win You a Bar BetFeesAnnual FeeMinimum Finance ChargeCash Advance FeesLate FeesOver the Credit Line FeeTransfer FeesReturned Payment FeeFine Print WarningBlockingPayment TipPayment Tip TwoOther Terms with Which You Should Be FamiliarGrace PeriodAnnual Percentage Rate (APR)Introductory RateFixed RateCalculating Your Monthly Finance ChargesPre-approvedSecured CardsDebit CardPersonal Identification Number (PIN)Extra Card BenefitsCash BackExtended WarrantyPurchase ProtectionTravel DiscountsRental Car InsuranceOnline Fraud ProtectionReward PlansPicking a CardGold CardsZero Interest Credit CardsCredit Where Credit Is Due
9. FINE PRINT
What Interest Rate Will You Pay?Diogenes Would Be ProudLate FeesAvoiding Late FeesIt's the FeesCash AdvancesCredit Card Disability CoverageAdvance Fee CardsWhat Happens When Your Credit Card Is Sold?Oh, You TeaseRisk-Based PricingTransferring BalancesThe Ultimate TrapIs It Always a Good Deal Even If I Get the Advertised Rate?More Fine Print in the Balance Transfer AgreementGolden Rule—Credit Card StyleThe Only Thing Certain Is ChangeA Light at the End of the TunnelA Few Things to RememberA TipTheir Holiday Gift to YouGambling with Your Credit CardsFair Credit Billing ActCheck the AddressCritical InformationPicky Little DetailAffect on Your Credit RatingWhat If the Investigation Rules Against You?Fine Print in Your FavorEndnotes
10. PROTECTION FROM CREDIT DISCRIMINATION
The Equal Credit Opportunity ActVoluntary Disclosures for Monitoring PurposesWhat the Law Does and Does Not DoCredit Over 62Good News—Bad NewsOptimistic LendersWho Are You Going to Call?For Love or MoneyIndividual Accounts and Joint AccountsCredit Following a Divorce
11. CREDIT REPORTS
Big BusinessHow the System WorksWhat Is in Your Credit Report?Who Has a Right to See Your Credit Report?Who Should Not Have Access to Your Credit Report?How Do I Obtain My Credit Report?Reviewing Your Credit ReportFree AdviceA Million Dollar MistakeAnother Scary StoryCredit ScoringIf You Can't Beat Them, Join ThemDo You Want to Know a Secret?The No-Longer Secret FormulaWhat's Your Score?What Does Not Affect Your FICO Score?How Often Is Your FICO Score Updated?State ScoringTimelinessYour Credit LimitWhy Would You Refuse a Credit Line Increase?Timing Is EverythingCredit HistoryDon't Know Much About HistoryEstablishing a Credit History QuicklySecured Credit CardsCredit InquiriesA Healthy DietRetail Credit CardsNo Good Deed Goes UnpunishedClosed AccountsCanceling a Credit CardThe Battle Against AgingHow Many Psychiatrists Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb?How Do I Get My Credit Score?What Does It All Mean?Garbage In—Garbage OutWhat Can You Do to Improve Your Score?
12. CREDIT COUNSELING AND CREDIT REPAIR
How Bad Is It?Credit Counseling Agencies (CCAs)“I Have Always Depended on the Kindness of Strangers”Effect on Your CreditConsumer Credit Counseling ServicesCredit Repair ScamsPromises to KeepThings to Watch Out ForHow You Can Get into Trouble: Or, If It Looks Too Good to Be True, It Probably IsSpam and Credit RepairWatch Out for That Helping HandNon-Profit for Whom?Because That Is Where the Money IsThe DebtWorks-Ballenger Group ConglomerateDebt Can Be ProfitableThe Cambridge-Brighton ConglomerateFees, Fie, Foe, FumCredit CounselingLegal Problems for AmeriDebtMore Horror StoriesThere Ought to Be a LawCreditor StandardsHow Do You Choose a Credit Counseling Agency?Will Working with a Credit Counseling Service Hurt Your Credit?Do-It-Yourself Credit RepairWhat Do You Look For?A Small But Significant Piece of AdviceNext StepWords to the WiseBe a Pack RatDo-It-Yourself Credit CounselingEndnotes
13. CONGRESS DEALS WITH CREDIT REPORTS AND IDENTITY THEFT: THE FAIR AND ACCURATE CREDIT TRANSACTIONS ACT
Major Provisions of FACTFree Credit ReportsReinvestigations Following Review of Free Credit ReportSummary of RightsFraud AlertsBlocking of InformationBusiness Records DisclosureRed Flag Guidelines for New Accounts and Change of Address VerificationCredit Card Number TruncationSocial Security Number TruncationBanning of Collecting Debts Resulting from Identity TheftMortgage Lenders Are Now Required to Provide Credit Scores and Other Credit-Related InformationOther Disclosure of Credit ScoresSingle Notice of Furnishing Negative InformationRisk-Based Pricing NoticeFuture Rules Regarding Accuracy and Integrity of InformationHigher Standards for Providers of Information to Credit-Reporting AgenciesThe Right of Consumers to Dispute Inaccurate Information Directly with the FurnisherFTC Required to Report on Credit Report ComplaintsDisclosures of Results of ReinvestigationNotification of Address DiscrepancyFuture Studies of Ways to Improve FACTNew Opt Out Rules for Prescreened Credit OffersNew Opt Out Rules for Marketing SolicitationsStudy of Information SharingCredit Scoring StudyEstablishment of the Financial Literacy Education CommissionPreemption of State Laws
14. STEVE'S RULES
Identity Theft Protection RulesRules to Follow If You Are a Victim of Identity TheftCredit Counseling RulesCredit Report and Credit Scoring Rules
15. FORM LETTERS
Letter to company with which you do business that has not been tainted by identity theftLetter to credit-reporting agency reporting identity theftLetter to business involved with identity theftFair Credit Billing Act letterLetter of agreement to settle debtLetter requesting removal of credit inquiry from credit reportLetter disputing information contained on credit reportFollow-up letter to credit-reporting agencyOpt out letterLetter transferring a balance on a credit cardLetter to bank to close account following identity theftLetter to check-verification companyLetter notifying bank of theft of ATM cardLetter requesting an extended fraud alertLetter requesting blocking of informationLetter to credit-reporting agencies requesting truncation of Social Security numberLetter requesting re-aging of credit card accountLetter canceling a credit cardSecond letter regarding canceling of credit cardRecord of Identity Theft CommunicationsCredit Bureaus—Report FraudBanks, Credit Card Issuers, and Other CreditorsLaw Enforcement Authorities—Report Identity Theft

Content preview from 50 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY AND YOUR CREDIT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IDENTITY THEFT, CREDIT CARDS, CREDIT REPAIR, AND CREDIT REPORTS

Chapter 9. FINE PRINT

Reading fine print is important. Of course, there is nothing “fine” about fine print. It should be called what it really is, which is “very small print of confusing language.” The print contained in credit card agreements is so small that recently I was trying to read a credit card agreement and the print was so small that I went searching for my reading glasses until I realized I was already wearing them. In any event, as much of a task as this represents, everyone would be well served by reading their credit card agreements. Perhaps to make this task seem less tedious you should think of this as a word game—a game that you win when you spot the tricks and legal scams contained therein.

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50 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY AND YOUR CREDIT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IDENTITY THEFT, CREDIT CARDS, CREDIT REPAIR, AND CREDIT REPORTS

by Steve Weisman

Chapter 9. FINE PRINT

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