Protect Yourself from Identity Fraud ?

Opt-Out Now!

In the course of a few months, you may open a new credit card, take out a personal loan, finance a new car, refinance your current home, or buy a new home.  Chances are, when you complete these transactions you aren?t worried about the privacy of your personal information.  But in this age of dwindling privacy and rampant identity theft, there is more and more reason to be concerned.

I recently learned that under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Equifax, Experian, Innovis, and TransUnion, are permitted to include your name on lists that are bought and used by creditors and insurers to make firm (pre-approved or prescreened) offers of credit or insurance. This means that every time you apply for credit or insurance, your name, along with all other personal information, including your social security number, is placed on a list that is accessible by anyone with creditor or insurer credentials.  In general, the affect on you is little more than the annoyance of telemarketers and junk mail telling you that you're pre-approved for a new credit card. But in some cases, the provision of your personal information can lead to credit theft and identity fraud.

So how do you protect yourself? Well, the FCRA also allows you the ability to Opt-Out, which prevents Consumer Credit Reporting Companies from providing your credit file information for firm offers of credit that are not initiated by you.  I strongly encourage you to visit www.OptOutPrescreen.com, where you can choose to Opt-Out from having your name supplied to these lists by the four Consumer Credit Reporting Companies listed above. You will need to provide your personal information through this secure website, and your name will be removed from inclusion on all future lists. You have the option of either a 5-year opt-out, which can be completed online, or a permanent opt-out, which must be printed and mailed in. Your request will become effective within 5 days of submitting it.

Once you have completed the online or mail-in Opt-Out submission, you may find that you are still being solicited for new insurance policies or lines of credit.  This is because your name may have already been provided to some companies that have not yet mailed their offers to you.  In order to best protect yourself, do not apply for any new lines of credit until at least 5 days after you have submitted your request, to be sure that your name will no longer be added to any sellable lists.

Please note that OptOutPrescreen.com is the ONLY Internet website authorized by Equifax, Experian, Innovis, and TransUnion for this purpose under the FCRA.  NEVER provide your personal information to any other company or person in connection with Opt-Out services. If you have any additional questions about the Opt-Out program, you can visit www.OptOutPrescreen.com.

Make it a priority to protect yourself today!