| Financial fraud and identity fraud are
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| | card number. Watch out for e-mails from
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| one of the fasted growing forms of fraud.
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| | fraudsters that state they need your
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| The first line of defense to protecting
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| | account information or credit card number
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| yourself begins with you. Here are some
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| | to update your account with your bank or
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| steps you can take to help you protect
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| | an online company like e-bay. Never give
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| and fight against financial and identity
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| | out personal information over e-mail!
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| fraud.
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| | Many times these e-mails will have links
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| 1. Review and Protect Your Information -
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| | for you to click on that take you to a
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| The first line of defense in financial
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| | website that looks authentic. However
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| fraud is to periodically check your
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| | more times than not, it is a scam to get
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| credit report to ensure all your
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| | your personal and financial information.
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| information is accurate. Remember there
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| | 5. Monthly Bills - If your monthly bills
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| are three credit agencies (Equifax,
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| | stop arriving, take action quickly.
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| TransUnion, Experian) which all operate
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| | Notify the company right away. Also,
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| independently. Make sure you check your
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| | review your monthly statements promptly
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| credit report from all three because they
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| | and if you see charges or items on your
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| may each have different information.
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| | bills that you do not recognize get them
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| 2. Social Security Number - Keep your
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| | resolved immediately.
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| social security number in a safe place
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| | 6. Incoming / Outgoing Mail - Pick up
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| with other financial documents. DO NOT
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| | incoming mail promptly and do not send
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| carry your social security card in your
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| | outgoing mail in your residential mail
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| wallet and remember to shred your old
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| | box. Make every effort to keep your mail
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| social security statements. It is also
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| | as securely as possible when it leaves
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| recommended to not store your social
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| | your house.
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| security number on your computer as
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| | 7. Age Matters - If you are over the age
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| hackers may have access to it. Never
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| | of 50 you are more likely to be targeted
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| print your social security number on your
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| | for financial fraud. Therefore, keep this
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| checks, credit card or drivers licenses.
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| | in the back of your mind as you handle
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| 3. Destroy Credit Card Mail Offers and
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| | your daily tasks and personal
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| Old Financial Documents -If you receive
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| | information.
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| direct or pre-approved solicitations in
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| | 8. Credit Cards / ATMs - Report lost or
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| the mail for new credit cards and do not
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| | stolen credit cards and ATM cards
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| use them make sure you shred or tear them
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| | immediately. Be sure to carry the 1-800
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| up before throwing them away. In
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| | numbers of your bank and credit card
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| addition, shred all financial papers
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| | company in your wallet.
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| including cancelled checks, old bank
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| | Most analysts forecast financial fraud
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| account statements, or any document with
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| | and identity thief to cause financial
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| your identity.
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| | loss to hundreds of thousands people in
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| 4. Watch Out For E-mail or Telephone
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| | the next five years and beyond. While
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| Fraudsters - Never give your personal or
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| | fraudsters are very slick and you can
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| financial information out on the internet
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| | never be 100% safe the steps above can
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| or phone unless you initiated the
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| | assist in you significantly deterring
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| contact. This is especially true with
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| | yourself and family from being a victim.
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| giving out your social security or credit
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