Resources to Help You Learn About and Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

There is a new bill that is being passes, it is a very weak bill but if passed, it will prohibit using a social security number for identification purposes. This bill should take affect in 2006.

If you feel you have been a victim of identity fraud, contact the Department of Justice, consumer protection division. They offer mediation with identity theft; they also have a hot line for consumers that is available 8-5 Monday ? Friday. They maintain a database of written complaints that goes back to 1998. They offer seminars to school, seniors or your group.

Be aware that 40 million crooks obtained credit card numbers this past year, "Be Suspicious". Also be aware that most identify theft is not reported, especially when it involves family members, so the statistics are off. These statistics show that consumers lost $5 billion last year when in actuality it is closer to $50 billion. There have been an estimated 9.9 million victims in America.

U.S. Postal Inspection Service
www.usps.com/postalinspectors

Federal Trade Commission
www.consumer.gov.idtheft
877-IDTHEFT or TTY ? 202-326-2502

U.S. Secret Service
www.secretservice.gov

Department of Justice
www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
www.fdic.gov/consumers

Equifax
www.exuifax.com
800-525-6285

Experian
www.experian.com
888-397-3742

Trans union
www.transunion.com
800-680-7289

Social Security Administration Fraud Hotline
PO Box 17768
Baltimore, MD 21235
800-269-0271
www.socialsecurity.gov

North American Securities Agency Administrators (NASAA)
www.nasaa.org

Better Business Bureau
www.search.bbb.org/search.html

United States Postal Service
www.usps.com

National Do Not Call Registry
www.donotcall.gov
888-382-1222

Direct marketing Association Consumer Assistance
http://www.dmaconsumers.org/consumerassistance.html Registering by mail is FREE and registering online is $5.00. To remove your name from national mailing lists by mail:

Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
PO Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512

Identity Theft Resource Center
www.idtheftcenter.org
858-693-7935

International check service
800-526-5380

Telecheck
800-927-0755

Certegy Check Services
800-437-5120

Internet Fraud Complaint Center
http://www.ifccfbi.gov/index.asp

Fight Identity Theft
http://www.fightidentitytheft.com/

Michelle Dunn has over 17 years experience in credit and debt collection. She is the founder of Never Dunn Publishing, LLC, is a writer, consultant and the Editorial Advisor for Eli Financial Debt Collection Compliance Alert Newsletter. Michelle started M.A.D. Collection Agency and ran is successfully for 7 years. She owns and runs Credit & Collections.com a free online community for credit and business professionals.

She has written 5 books in her Collecting Money Series and is currently writing a book for the Streetwise Series, part of the Adams Media Corporation. For more information on Michelle's services or to order any of her books please email her at michelle@michelledunn.com or visit http://www.michelledunn.com & http://www.credit-and-collections.com



Budgeting your Savings - Did You Let Your Piggy Bank Get Away?

I think most of us have at some point in... Read More

Family Money Management: The Importance of Agreement

Are you having problems with debt? Are you afraid to... Read More

The Benefits of Banking Online

How many drawers did you have to look through to... Read More

Five Secrets for Long-term Financial Success

Future financial success is not a guarantee that any one... Read More

Saving Dimes Can Go a Long Way

On the other hand, there are those people who are... Read More

Portfolio Planning can Lead to Irreconcilable Differences

The judge had to ask the question, and we had... Read More

Budgeting Your Way to Financial Freedom

Financial freedom cannot be achieved without budgeting. Budgeting involves tracking... Read More

How to Balance Your Checkbook ? Get a Calculator and Pencil and You are Ready To Go!

Despite how easy it is to balance a checkbook, very... Read More

Dramatically Improve Your Stock Trading Success

Get Access to Realistic profitable strategies & discover the mindset... Read More

Budgeting the Key to being Financially Stable

Single Mother's in need of Financial GuidanceBudgeting is key to... Read More

Reporting Identity Theft

Would you know what to do if you suspect that... Read More

Do You Know What Tomorrow Will Bring?

I've been sharing the following idea with people for a... Read More

Budgeting Made Easy

Well, dang! From what I've heard and read, it looks... Read More

The Wonderful World Of Address Labels

Ever wonder where address labels come from? AveryŽ is perhaps... Read More

Why Live Frugally

What is it about being frugal, why do it at... Read More

How to Save for A Down Payment

Saving for a Down Payment is hard work, so it's... Read More

Personal Checks ? Extreme Benefits

Millions of people have a checking account and many people... Read More

Chex Systems ? Why Every American Needs To Guard His Checking Account With His Life

Most Americans have been brought up to be concerned about... Read More

Budgeting -- The Critical Flaw That Causes Most Budgets to Fail

Budgeting. It's a word we're all familiar with. Everyone knows... Read More

Saving Money - Are You Doing Enough?

It is estimated that we, as consumers, waste an average... Read More

Money Matters: Strengthen Your Marriage by Putting Finances in Order

Did you know that 43% of all married couples argue... Read More

7 Simple Ways To Save Money

Each of us knows how to spend money, but do... Read More

Developing a budget? Watch out for Those Budget-Bursting Gremlins

If you've developed a household budget to get your spending... Read More

Take Control and Master Your Kitchen

Those who keep a watchful eye on where their money... Read More

How Electronic Checks Work ? Will Paper Checks Eventually Go Away?

Traditional checks probably won't disappear anytime soon, but processing checks... Read More

If you'd like to keep up-to-date,
please complete the form below and we'll put you on the mailing list
to receive our twice-yearly newsletter for supporters

* Your email address:
* choes your language: