June 2011 Newsletter

Safeguard your identity while on vacation

Whether you're just planning a weekend away or a month abroad, the summer is the perfect time to travel — and an important time to protect your identity. With so many people traveling, identity thieves will be particularly active, but a few simple steps can help you enjoy your vacation worry-free.

Remember, protecting your identity isn't just about your possessions wherever you are but also the safety of your home and information while you're gone. One of the most important ways to protect yourself while you're away is to make sure to either stop your mail and newspaper delivery or have a responsible friend pick it up for you. Thieves could easily access your personal information by stealing your mail, and a pile of newspapers alerts them to the fact that you're out of town and the house is empty. Also, with all of the social networking we do today, remember not to post your travel plans. Tell your friends personally, if you want them to know, but keep this information away from potential thieves.

When you're packing up to hit the road for some fun in the sun, don't take all forms of ID with you. It's smart to leave some at home in a secure place — a safe if you have one. That way if your wallet is stolen or your bags are lost, you still have important forms of ID at home. Similarly, don't leave anything with personal information (wallet, passport, laptop) in your hotel room when you travel. Use the hotel safe instead.

Be sure to surf safe this summer; if you need to get online while traveling, be aware that Internet cafes are often targets for identity thieves. Hotel business centers are usually more secure, but it's safer to avoid doing any online banking from these public connections. And, you're still not safe if you're using your own laptop, as unsecured Wi-Fi connections can also be targeted by fraudsters.

Finally, try to use your credit cards instead of checks or debit cards while traveling. In the unfortunate event that someone makes fraudulent charges in your name, it's much easier to recoup your losses with a credit card than your checking account. You may also want to notify your credit card company to let them know you're traveling so they know where they should — and shouldn't — expect to see charges.

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From the Blog: What is a fraud alert and how does it protect your credit?

by Robin Holland

It can happen to anybody, but you never really think it will happen to you.

A few weeks ago, I was on a business trip in Washington D.C. when my luggage was stolen out of the back of a cab. I had to deal with the massive headache of getting new clothes and toiletries, but I also had to worry about possible identity theft and fraud.

My wallet and credit cards were with me in my purse, but I had stuck a bank statement and a credit card bill in my suitcase at the last minute, planning to pay my bills on the road. My bank account information and credit card numbers were now in the hands of whoever stole my luggage. I'm sure the thief loved my three changes of business-casual wear and one-quart plastic baggie with mini bottles of soap and shampoo, but my financial information was no doubt a whole lot more valuable to him.

I immediately got online and went to Equifax to put a free, temporary ninety-day fraud alert on my account. With this alert, no one can open an account in my name or do anything else with my personal information.

What Is a Temporary Fraud Alert?

An initial ninety-day fraud alert indicates to anyone requesting your credit file that you suspect you are a victim of fraud. When you or someone else attempts to open a credit account in your name, increase the credit limit on an existing account, or obtain a new card on an existing account, the creditor should take steps to verify that you have authorized the request. If the creditor cannot verify this, the request should not be satisfied.

When you file a fraud alert, you may also request one additional free credit report.

A fraud alert is a helpful tool anytime you feel your credit has been compromised or has the potential to be compromised. You don't have to wait to be pick pocketed. Set up a temporary fraud alert if you think your accounts have been compromised in any way — for example, if you get a copy of your credit report and see accounts on it that you didn't open, or if you see charges on your credit card statement that you didn't make.

When you place a fraud alert, you don't have to worry about contacting all of the credit reporting agencies and all of your creditors.

Once you place a fraud alert with one credit-reporting agency, the alert is automatically forwarded to the other agencies. This automatic reporting is helpful to you, because you don't know which credit-reporting agency a creditor is using. It's the same with fraud: you never know where the perpetrator is applying for credit and which credit-reporting agency is being used.

What Is an Extended Fraud Alert?

The temporary alert can be used by anyone who suspects fraud, but once you've established that your identity or your credit has been compromised, you can set up an extended alert to protect yourself.

An extended fraud alert is similar to an initial ninety-day alert, except that it lasts for seven years, and to verify your request a creditor must contact you at the telephone number(s) you provide to Equifax when you request the extended fraud alert. A valid police report showing that you have been a victim of identity theft is required to place an extended fraud alert. You can file a complaint with the FTC and fill out their
ID Theft Complaint form to take to the police. Also, you may request two additional free credit file disclosures, and your name is removed from prescreened offers of credit or insurance for five years. Download an extended fraud alert request form.

Extended Alert vs. Automatic Alerts

The extended alert is available only if you are a confirmed victim of identity theft, but what if you want to restrict access to your credit to prevent identity theft? Using a product like Equifax ID Patrol, which includes the Automatic Fraud Alert feature, can help you do this.

Equifax is the only credit reporting agency that offers the Automatic Fraud Alert feature. The feature enables Equifax to place your free initial ninety-day fraud alert on your credit file. Then every ninety days the fraud alert will automatically be renewed for you. This tool can come in handy if you know you won't have a lot of activity on your credit file and don't want to worry about identity theft.

Let's say you know you won't be applying for a loan or any credit cards in the next year or so. With the Automatic Fraud Alert feature, you can rest assured, as I do, that no one will access your credit file illegally or steal your identity.

Interactive Tool: Equifax Fraud Index™

Tip of the Month: Locking and unlocking your Equifax Credit File

Did you know that you can control who has access to your Equifax Credit File by locking it and unlocking it? ^‡ With the Equifax Credit Report Control™ feature, locking and unlocking your Equifax credit file is easy.

If your credit monitoring product includes Credit Report Control, simply log into the Member Center and select the "Report Tab." Near the top of the page, you can locate your "Credit Lock Status" (this is also accessible from your Dashboard). Your credit file remains unlocked until you lock it by clicking the red "Lock Now" button. You can unlock your file for a specific period of time or for a particular company. To unlock your Equifax credit file temporarily, click the "Temporary Unlock" tab. Here you can choose to determine a period of time (up to a year) in which it will remain unlocked. To grant access to your Equifax credit file to a specific company, click the "Specific Company Unlock" tab. You can now generate up to 10, 4-digit one-time use PINs to distribute to the companies of your choice. These PINs are active for 6 months or until they are used.

Equifax Credit Report Control is included in selected Equifax monitoring products, including Equifax Complete™ Premier at no additional charge. If you'd like to control who has access to your Equifax credit file, simply choose from the links below.

Already have Equifax Credit Report Control™ included in your product? Login to get started.

If your lock status shows "Not available", or you don't currently own an Equifax subscription, why not get started today with Equifax Complete™ Premier.

Or call us at 1-800-829-3616