TraceMyID And Frank Abagnale Release 10 Holiday ID Theft Prevention Tips

STAMFORD, Conn., Nov. 15, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- In the search for the ultimate holiday gift or the biggest bargain, consumers need to make sure that they are not putting their identity at risk this holiday season.  A recent online survey sponsored by TraceMyID.com, a leading provider of identity theft protection, detection and resolution services, revealed that while the majority of consumers take steps to protect their identity, many admitted to risky behavior that could put them at risk for ID theft.  To help educate and protect consumers this season, TraceMyID.com has partnered with world-renowned fraud prevention expert Frank Abagnale to develop solutions and provide tips to consumers.

One of the biggest risks respondents reported was purchasing an item from a website that they were not familiar with at the time of purchase, with almost 60 percent admitting to this behavior. Almost 80 percent cited "best price" as the motivating factor for purchasing from an unfamiliar website, while others chose not being able to find the item anywhere else or free shipping as their reason. Purchasing from unknown, and potentially unprotected, sites can put consumers' credit, debit and other personal information at risk.

In addition to shopping at unfamiliar websites, more than half of the consumers surveyed reported that their payment information is stored on at least one website, between one to three sites, or that they do not even know how many sites have their information stored.

If these consumers fall victim to identity theft, the survey reveals some positive news regarding their other behaviors.  Consumers have seemingly come to understand the importance of checking their monthly debit and credit card statements, as more than eight out of ten check these statements at least once a month.  This is important in catching suspicious activity early, and in mitigating the damage done by an ID thief.

"While consumers may know the basic steps to take to prevent against ID theft, in the holiday season it can be easy to forget that you need to stay vigilant," said TraceMyID's spokesperson, Frank Abagnale.  "Shopping at unknown sites, having your payment information stored on multiple sites and failing to check your account statements – behaviors like these can put consumers at risk."

Frank Abagnale's Holiday ID Theft Prevention Tips

• Shop smart ...When shopping, limit the credit cards you carry and don't take extras.  Leave your Social Security card, birth certificate and passport at home.
• Keep receipts and check your statements ... For post-holiday statements; be sure to examine every charge on your statement before paying.  Your receipts provide a great cross-reference check and guard against suspicious activity. Remember, by law, you have 30 days from the date of your statement to notify your financial institution of any discrepancies, otherwise you can be liable for any purchases made.
• Protect computer prior to online shopping ... Make sure your security patch and antivirus software is updated regularly.  Consider purchasing technology that protects against potential viruses that threaten your identity. 
• Watch where you shop online ... Always check for the lock icon on the website's browser status bar, which signals a secure site that is safe for transactions.  If you have never heard of a website before, check to make sure it has security precautions in place and that it is not a fake website set up by identity thieves.  
• Don't write a check ... give cash or a gift card.  All of the information on a check, such as your name, signature, address and other information, can be used by thieves to steal your identity.
• Shred documents with personally identifiable information, preferably using a security microcut shredder.  
• Strengthen passwords ... so that they will not be easily cracked by hackers.  Use strong passwords with at least eight characters, including a combination of letters, numbers and symbols that are easy for you to remember, but difficult for predators to pounce upon. 
• Watch your purse/wallet at parties ... restaurants, fitness clubs, shopping carts or your car.
• Don't take the bait on phishing scams and beware of shoulder surfing (when a thief looks over your shoulder while you're at an ATM, either directly or via a camera).
• Stop mail, newspaper delivery ... If traveling during the holidays.

In addition to the above tips, consumers may also want to purchase an identity theft protection service.  Frank Abagnale recommends a low-cost solution, TraceMyID.  TraceMyID monitors the online criminal underground where identities are bought and sold and instantly alerts you if your social security number or up to 10 credit card or debit card numbers are posted for sale by thieves in a chat room. TraceMyID also scans online directories and search engines, prime sources for spammers and thieves, letting you know where your information is available and provides advice on how to remove it.  TraceMyID customers are also covered with up to $1,000,000 in identity theft insurance and receive personal fraud support in reclaiming their identities, should they become victims of ID theft.   TraceMyID is available for a $1 thirty-day trial period and is currently $7.99 per month thereafter.  More information can be found at www.tracemyID.com.

The survey of 500 adults was conducted on behalf of TraceMyID and the Affinion Security Center by Toluna/Greenfield Online, Inc. in October 2010.

About Affinion Security Center

Affinion Security Center (ASC), a division of Stamford, Connecticut-based Affinion Group, is a global leader in providing identity protection and data security solutions to corporations and individuals. For over 35 years products within ASC have been powering many of the world's leading personal data protection solutions offered to consumers by local, national and multi-national enterprises in the financial sector.

ASC currently protects over 10 million subscribers with services including IdentitySecure, PrivacyGuard, PC SafetyPlus and Hotline, and serves enterprise and government agencies with the data breach preparation and response tool, BreachShield. Affinion Security Center is part of the steering committee of the Identity Theft Prevention and Identity Management Standards Panel (IDSP). For more information please visit www.affinionsecuritycenter.com.

SOURCE Affinion Security Center