Expert Real Estate Tips

Child Identity Theft

Sun, 02 Dec 2007 02:50:48 PST

Has your child's identity been stolen? While identity theft is often committed by strangers, sometimes parents and other relatives steal the financial identities of children to get access to more credit. Play video

Phishing

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:13:51 PST

Identity theft is difficult and time-consuming to fix. If you don't protect your identity, it's easy to get scammed. "Phishing is a type of identity theft that comes in your email. Play video

Medical Identity Theft

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:12:45 PST

Medical identity theft happens when someone starts filing medical bills in your name and collecting the payments. It's identity theft on steriods, but there are ways to fight it. Play video

Magazine Scams Abound

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:10:38 PST

Magazine scams are not what you'd consider traditional identity theft. In a magazine scam you pay for a subscription, but the publisher keeps sending you renewal notices. To avert a magazine scam, pay careful attention to who is selling you the subscription. Play video

Foreign Lottery Scams

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:08:55 PST

Foreign lottery scams are becoming more popular with the growth of the internet. They are another way that thieves try to steal your identity. If you are notified that you have won a foreign lottery, beware that this could lead to identity theft. Play video

Identity Theft

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:08:04 PST

Identity Theft is becoming a bigger problem, in part because people are using more and more technology. Consumers must become more vigilant about where and how they store personal information to avert identity theft.Download Transcript [PDF] Play video

Work-at-Home Schemes

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:06:12 PST

Work-at-home schemes are costly — to the victim. These schemes often promise fast, easy money for little work. Instead of working from home and earning money, your identity is stolen after you provide personal details to the scam artist. Play video

Scam Speak

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:04:41 PST

Crooks and scam artists who commit identity theft use some common phrases, also known as "Scam Speak." If you know what to listen for you can avoid getting ripped off, even if the scam speak is top notch. Play video

Secret Scams

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:03:38 PST

Secrecy is another warning sign of possible identity theft. When someone asks you to keep a deal a secret it may be a sign that it's a scam. To prevent identity theft steer clear of secretive schemes. Play video

Truth is Stranger than Fiction

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:01:21 PST

You may think wacky scams are urban legends or the stuff of fiction. Be aware that some crazy-sounding scams are real, are working, and result in people becoming victims of identity theft. Play video

Opt Out to Protect Yourself

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:59:58 PST

One way to reduce your risk of identity theft is to pay close attention to privacy policies. Some "opt out" policies offer consumers ways to remove or withhold personal information from databases. Opting out improves the chances that your identity will not be stolen. Play video

The Do Not Call List

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 18:58:22 PST

Identity Theft can happen any number of ways. Some crooks get information by calling unsuspecting consumers at home. To cut down on your risk of telephone identity theft, sign up for the government's Do Not Call list at donotcall.gov. Play video

Identity Theft Warning Signs

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:52:38 PST

If you're worried about identity theft, there are ways you can protect yourself. And if you know the signs, you can stop identity theft sooner. One of the best ways to protect your identity is to order your credit report annually from annualcreditreport.com. Play video