• Never throw away ATM receipts, credit statements, credit cards, or bank statements in a usable form.
• Never give your credit card number over the telephone unless you make the call.
• Reconcile your bank account monthly and notify your bank of discrepancies immediately.
• Keep a list of telephone numbers to call to report the loss or theft of your wallet, credit cards, etc.
• Report unauthorized financial transactions to your bank, credit card company, and the police as soon as you detect them.
• Review a copy of your credit report at least once each year. Notify the credit bureau in writing of any questionable entries and follow through until they are explained or removed.
• If your identity has been assumed, ask the credit bureau to print a statement to that effect in your credit report.
• If you know of anyone who receives mail from credit card companies or banks in the names of others, report it to local or federal law enforcement authorities.

Caller ID Spoofing

Caller ID spoofing can make a call appear to have come from any phone number the caller wishes. People are prone to assume a call is coming from the number displayed and hence the associated person, In some cases, they can also select whether the voice the call recipient hears is male or female.

Many spoofers pose as representatives of banks, churches or other respectable institutions. They may say they are owed money or that there is a problem with an account—all in an attempt to obtain Social Security or bank account numbers. Alternatively, posing as customers, technicians or even regulatory officials, they may call businesses to obtain confidential business information.

People who rely on caller ID should remember the adage: Trust, but verify. Knowing who is or isn’t really on the other end of a telephone line can save cold hard cash.