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For more information contact:
Angie Barnett 410-347-3981
443-223-1303 cell
Jody Thomas 410-347-8593
443-254-0464 cell
BBB Warns Against Falling Prey to Identity Thieves over the Holidays
November 24, 2009 -- According to FTC Consumer Sentinel statistics, Maryland ranked 11th in the U.S. for Identity Theft. For every 100,000 Maryland consumers, there were 96 victims in 2008. Better Business Bureau warns that the holiday season provides many new opportunities for identity thieves to ply their trade and offers the following advice on how to keep your identity safe and secure both online and off.
BBB recommends taking the following steps to fight identity theft this holiday season:
In-Store Shopping Tips
Increased traffic at malls and retailers means more opportunity for ID thieves. When fighting the crowds, BBB offers the following advice for shoppers:
1. Prevent pick pocketing. Secure your purse under your arm and your wallet in your front pocket. Remember not to load up with too many bags. Leave non-essential identifying information and spare credit cards at home.
2. Keep receipts in your wallet.
3. Review your credit card statements regularly. During the holiday season check your credit card activity weekly, instead of waiting for the statement at the end of the month in order to catch suspicious charges as quickly as possible.
Fight Email Phishing Attempts
Many holiday scams can be found in your email in-box. BBB recommends the following steps to protect your computer from hackers:
1. Purchase anti-virus software from a business you trust. Make sure you update your computer's operating system, browser program, antivirus software and install all security patches.
2. Be leery of Charity Phishing. Hackers take advantage of consumers' generosity by sending emails that appear to be from legitimate charities which in turn are fake websites designed to steal donations and your credit card information.
3. Be wary of emails from retailers, banks or shipping businesses. If you receive an e-mail from your bank, retailer or a shipping company claiming that there is a problem with your account do not click on any links or reply with any information. Instead contact the business directly to confirm the issue.
4. Be cautious when viewing e-cards. These "links" may claim to be from friend/family but can install a virus on your computer.
Online Shopping
Forty-four percent of holiday shoppers make purchases online and every year scammers devise online schemes to trick them into divulging personal information such as credit card numbers. BBB recommends that online shoppers:
1. Confirm legitimacy of all "trust marks" on the website. You can confirm that certification from organizations such as BBB, Versign or TRUSTe is legitimate by clicking on the seal. A legitimate seal will direct you to the certifying organization's web site.
2. Make online purchases with a credit card or use PayPal if it's an auction site. If the credit card number lands in the hands of ID thieves, remember your Fair Credit Billing Act protection, which allows you to dispute the charges with your credit card company.
3. Pay on a secured site. Always look for the "s" in https:// and in the lower-right corner for the "lock" symbol before paying.
For more advice on keeping your identity safe over the holidays, visit bbb.org.
About BBB | Greater Maryland Headquartered in Baltimore, BBB | Greater Maryland is a non-profit organization that was established in 1922. It serves 18 Maryland counties and Baltimore City. BBB of Greater Maryland is supported by Accredited Businesses that have passed a comprehensive review, met standards of trust, and that agree to uphold those standards. BBB provides BBB Reliability Reports on nearly four million businesses across North America.
BBB Reliabilty Reports offer BBB's unbiased evaluation and include a rating and customer complaint history. For more information please contact your BBB at 410-347-3990 or visit www.bbb.org.
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