Keep Grinch at Bay During Holidays With 12 ID Theft Tips of Christmas

NORWALK, Conn., Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- With the holiday shopping season in full swing, and with the growing threat of ID theft looming, consumers may not know their identities could also be for sale.

The intersection of commerce and cyber-crime could be a bumpy road for shoppers over the next month, so don't let the ID theft grinches steal your holiday cheer this year.

"Wherever there's information about a person, whether it's retained by a retailer, bank, credit bureau or database, there's someone out there who has the ability to steal it," said Dan Clements, spokesman for ID Secure, a sophisticated new tool that uses leading-edge public records, Social Security number and credit card monitoring technology to fight identity theft. "The more difficult you make it for someone to rip you off, the less chance you have of becoming a victim of identity theft. These criminals are not looking for a challenge; they're looking for an opportunity."

ID Secure, a leading-edge public records, Social Security number, credit card and cyber-crime chat room monitoring service, is distributing a useful tip a day from Dec. 7-24 using the "12 Days of Christmas" theme to help protect consumers against the fastest growing crime in America.

With the holiday shopping season in high gear - retail sales are expected to hit $474.5 billion this year, according to the National Retail Federation, and online shopping soared 37 percent on Cyber-Monday this year - it is now more important than ever to take steps to protect your identity.

Before you load up your sleigh with holiday gifts, remember these tips from the experts at ID Secure:

    On the 10th day of Christmas my expert reminded me:

    1. 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.
    2. Keep receipts ... 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.
    3. 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.  Always check for the lock icon on the website's browser
       status bar, which signals a secure site that is safe for transactions.
    4. Don't write a check  ...  When considering the gift of money, give cash
       or a gift card.  If you write a check, make sure that your Social
       Security number is NOT on the check.
    5. Give the gift of safety  ...  Buy a cross-cut shredder - a great line
       of defense for would-be ID thieves - for that special someone on your
       list.  It is smart to purchase one to protect yourself, too.
    6. Strengthen passwords  ...  Create passwords that 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.
    7. Watch your purse at parties  ...  Never leave a purse or wallet
       unattended at holiday parties, restaurants, fitness clubs, shopping
       carts or your car.
    8. Don't take the bait on phishing scams and beware of shoulder surfing
      -- Phishing (also known as carding or spoofing)  ...  Be wary of
         deceptive e-mail scams that often masquerade as financial
         institutions, retailers or credit card companies that seek credit
         card numbers, bank account information, Social Security numbers,
         mother's maiden name, PINs, passwords or other information.  Don't
         give out personal information by e-mail and refrain from linking to a
         web site from e-mails.  Use the phone, and not your mouse - as a
         quick call can validate legitimacy.  And, always delete any e-mail
         directing you to type in a credit card number, Social Security number
         or other sensitive data.
      -- Shoulder Surfing  ...  Always be aware of someone looking over your
         shoulder during an ATM or purchase transaction.  Be conscious of your
         surroundings before making a transaction.
    9. Stop mail, newspaper delivery  ...  If traveling during the holidays,
       put mail and newspaper deliveries on hold and start one of the first
       lines of defense on ID theft.
    10. Resolve to get new credit cards ... Make your first New Year's
        resolution lasting by getting new credit cards - and change your
        credit card number on the card's anniversary. Your credit cards are in
        hundreds of databases, so protect yourself now.

Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, with 27.3 million victims in the past five years, and nearly 20 million in the past two years alone, according to a study from Javelin Strategy & Research. This crime costs more than $56 billion, or $6,383 per victim, annually and has become so prevalent that an identity thief strikes on average every 3.5 seconds. In fact, ID theft has now surpassed drug trafficking as the No. 1 crime in America, according to the Justice Department.

ID Secure's pioneering technology monitors the Internet for fraudulent activity involving consumers' personal information such as credit card account, debit card account PIN numbers, social security numbers, mother's maiden name and many other types of personal information. It alerts members instantly and keeps their identity safe.

About Affinion Group

As a global leader with nearly 35 years of experience, Affinion Group (www.affinion.com) enhances the value of its partners' customer relationships by developing and marketing valuable loyalty, membership, checking account, insurance and other compelling products and services. Leveraging its expertise in product development and targeted marketing, Affinion helps generate significant incremental revenue for more than 5,200 affinity partners worldwide, including many of the largest and most respected companies in financial services, retail, travel, and Internet commerce. Based in Norwalk, Conn., the company has approximately 3,000 employees throughout the United States and in 14 countries across Europe.

Affinion Group has established itself as a premiere security, credit monitoring and identity theft protection innovator. It launched HotLine, a leading ID theft, credit card, fraud protection and security service in 1969. PrivacyGuard, a comprehensive membership credit monitoring product which was created in 1992, remains one of the largest in the U.S. In 2006, ID Secure, a sophisticated tool that uses leading-edge public records, Social Security number and credit monitoring technology to fight ID theft, was born. Other ID theft protection services in Affinion's growing security business include PC SafetyPlus, an identity theft software service that protects members with a personal firewall to thwart hackers and other online ID threats. PC SafetyPlus software features automatic updates and service upgrades for protection against prevailing computer viruses, spyware and worms.

Editors' Note: With holiday shopping in high-gear and with ID thieves lurking, ID Secure, a leading-edge public records, Social Security number, credit card and cyber-crime chat room monitoring service, is distributing a useful tip a day from Dec. 7-24 using the "12 Days of Christmas" theme to help protect consumers against the fastest growing crime in America.