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Privacy & ID Theft
Privacy
Identity Theft
 

Identity Theft

Identity Theft: New York Laws And Procedures
Includes how to place a security freeze on your credit report.

NY Security Breach Reporting Form
Cyber Security form from the New York Attorney General.

Tips for protecting your privacy: Don't Become a Victim of ID Theft (New York)
Information and warnings about marketing schemes targeted at potential victims of ID theft, as well as consumer tips on protecting themselves from becoming these victims. It also elaborates various regulations on privacy and identity theft.

ID Theft Kit: What to do if You have been Victimized (New York)
Straightforward directions on immediate steps to take in various specific instances of identity theft, such as with missing credit/debit cards, stolen checks, and problems with a social security number or the U.S. Post Office.

Identity Theft: How to Protect Yourself (New York)
An explanation of what exactly identity theft is and how it works, along with a series of key precautionary tips for consumers, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the utmost reasonable privacy of personal information and monitoring credit reports.

Consumer Frauds Bureau (New York)
Prosecutes businesses and individuals engaged in fraudulent, misleading, deceptive or illegal trade practices. In addition to litigating, the Bureau mediates thousands of complaints each year from individual consumers.

Where To File A Consumer Complaint (AG Locations Throughout NY)

New York City Consumer Protection Laws
Laws that regulate advertising, cancellations, car rentals, caterers, contracts, credit cards, debt collection, food, flea markets, franchises, furniture & appliance delivery, gymnasiums, jewelry, layaways, refunds, restaurants, sales & discounts, store receipts, repairs, tax preparers, and utility bill payments.

AG Complaint Forms For All Occasions (New York)

New York City Complaint Directory (Complaints Handled Not By The NY AG's Office)
A-Z Directory of where to go for help. From abandoned property to trouble with veterinarians!

Identity Theft Resources Center (US Federal Trade Commission)
Preventing ID theft and damage control, straight from the federal government.

Finding The Owner Of A Lost Cell Phone/What to Do If Yours Is Missing (Consumer-SOS)

Victim Help With Filing an Identity Theft Report & A Police Report
File Both!  You get special legal protection when you file an ID Theft Report with the Federal Trade Commission.
Click Here for how to file with the FTC.

Internet Scams That Trick You To Reveal Your Passwords & Personal Data
So, You got a message that your email account/credit card will be canceled unless you click on the link below.  Well it could be a trap!!!!!  And you could be duped into giving information to a bogus look alike website which has nothing to do with your provider/credit card, etc.

Identity Theft Resource Center
Brochures and tips on numerous aspects of identity theft and how to protect yourself. Includes how to organize your case and firewall your computer.

ID Theft: Protecting Yourself After The Fact
Extensive checklist with links to important help agencies.

Coping with Identity Theft: What To Do When An Imposter Strikes
Are you a victim of ID theft? Scroll down for how to prevent it, who to contact and how to protect yourself after the fact.

Clean Your Computer Tracks-Privacy Tools
Freeware that deletes Internet cache, spyware, etc. and erases your deleted files for good.

Identity Theft, Step By Step What To Do  
Also Has Great Links For More Help

Identity Theft Laws In Every State  
Laws and/or Links For all 50 States

Your Wallet: A Loser's Manual

Classic Cons... And How to Counter Them  (Includes ID Theft)

Limits On Your Liability For Check Forgeries and Lost Credit,  Debit & ATM Cards

When Someone Else Uses Your Social Security Number

Student Records-Your Right To Keep Them Private (ACLU)
Also learn what you can see and what's off limits to you. 

How To Obtain A Copy Of Your Birth Certificate (General)
After ID theft, this may be needed to prove you're you.

Privacy.net (Great Links And Brochures)

National Help Orgs For A Variety Of Consumer Problems
The Elderly, Environment, Families, Fraud, Health & Safety, Insurance The Handicapped, Medical Problems, Telemarketing and more.
 

Related Topics
People Search
Public Records

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Privacy
Changing Your Name & Social Security #
Recording Conversations
Blocking Unwanted Mail, Phone Calls & Email
Records Kept On You


Changing Your Name & Social Security #

Changing Your Name On A Passport

Name Change and Estate Forms (New York)
For adults and minors.

Name Change Law In Every State & DC

New York City Court Forms For Non-Criminal Matters
Fee waivers for poor people, forms for Name Change, Starting or Answering a Case, Affidavits of Service, Appeals, Entering Judgments, Motions and Orders to Show Cause, Stipulations and preliminary Conferences.

Frequently Asked Questions About Social Security And Social Security#s
Use their search engine to find out how to change your Social Security# and much much more.

Name Change Law In Every State & DC

FAQs On Name Changes (Not State Specific)

Privacy.net (Great Links And Brochures)

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Recording Conversations

Secretly Recording A Call Between Two States Where It's Legal In One State But Illegal In the Other State
Here a Georgia company was found liable in California for secretly recording conversations with California residents, even though this was legal in Georgia.  The California Supreme court found the act illegal in California and that the case could be heard in a California court, applying California law. Who called who was irrelevant in the court's analysis. See also the precautions you should take if you plan on recording phone calls and conversations. See also Other Cases on Recording Interstate Phone Calls.

Taping Telephone Conversations (The Laws in all 50 States & DC)

Recording Telephone Conversations (FCC)

Privacy Resources On The Internet (Links & Descriptions)

Privacy Links (From The Privacy Rights Clearing House)

Related Topics
Internet
Phone Matters
Public Records

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Blocking Unwanted Mail, Phone Calls & Email

The National Do Not Call Registry
Most telemarketers cannot call your telephone number if it is in the National Do Not Call Registry. You can register your home and mobile phone numbers for free. Your registration will be effective for five years.

Avoiding Spam-How To Bypass Compulsory Web Registration (Bugmenot.com)
Get the news articles you want, without the Spam. Bypass the login of web sites that require compulsory registration and/or the collection of personal/demographic information (such as the New York Times). Gives you a list of passwords and login ID's to use so you don't have to register.

Privacy Clearing House Fact Sheets (Emphasis on California Law but good for everybody)
Learn what to do to stop junk mail, harassing phone calls and Identity Theft. Has numerous articles and tips.

Clean Your Computer Tracks-Privacy Tools
Freeware that deletes Internet cache, spyware, etc. and erases your deleted files for good.

André Bacard's Privacy Page
Scroll down for privacy websites, advice on surfing anonymously and getting rid of cookies.

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Related Topics
Internet
Mail Matters
Phone Matters
Public Records

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Records Kept On You

Who Can View Your Credit Report?
Lists the legal and illegal reasons people can access your credit report under the Graham, Leach, Bliley Act.
See also This Google Search.

Keeping Your Medical Records Private
Know what protections and rights you have and what you can do if you believe they have been violated.

Obtain Your Own FBI File

Project Sunlight – www.sunlightny.org (New York)
Free access to the workings of state government and the information it keeps.

Freedom Of Information and Open Meetings Laws (New York)

Finding The Owner Of A Lost Cell Phone/What to Do If Yours Is Missing (Consumer-SOS)

Federal Privacy Act (Your Right To See Records Kept On You)
Scroll down to the Unites states. (Lists many countries)

Clean Your Computer Tracks-Privacy Tools
Freeware that deletes Internet cache, spyware, etc. and erases your deleted files for good.

State Health Privacy Laws In All 50 States & DC!
The Health Privacy Project has prepared a summary of state health privacy statutes.  You can use this summary to: 
Learn generally about the kinds of protections afforded to you in your own state.

For More See
People Search and
Public Records  

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Finding The Owner Of A Lost Cell Phone/What To Do If Yours Is Missing Returning a Lost Cell Phone my cell phone is missing lost stolen

1. Use the Cell Phone to Call Yourself. See what name and # appears on your caller ID. See steps 7-9 if the cell phone doesn't work (dead battery, locked keypad, etc.). For Your own phone, see What To Do if Your Cell Phone Is Lost or Stolen;
    
2. If the Owner's Name Appears, call one or two of the local contacts listed in the cell phone address book. Then arrange for pickup. Or you can lookup up the owner's land line through any of the Internet phone directories (see Internet Phone Books);
    
3. If Caller ID Won't Display a Name or #, search the address book for a home number or for obvious family members i.e. HOME, MOM. UNCLE, BROTHER, etc. No obvious relatives? Then call other local contacts and ask if they know who's phone it is. Start with people who last called the phone. They might immediately recognize the #, but if not, have them search their own address book for who it belongs to;
   
   
4. Still no luck? Then Plug the # into Google. Normally Google won't list cell phone numbers, but the owner's name and # may turn up on a posting of some sort. The posting may provide other contact info such as the person's land line or company phone #, etc. For best results, Google the # twice, both with and without parentheses, i.e. (404) 867-5309 and 404-867-5309;
    
5. Got the name? See step two;
    
6. Leave the Phone On, and see who calls! Return recent callbacks and ask who they just dialed. Then arrange for pickup;
    
7. Put Their Sim Card Into Your Phone to get the #. (This may not work if they have a Different Service Provider); Or, if the keypad is locked, you may be able to unlock it and follow the steps above. Go to the manufacturer's homepage and find the online user manual. Somewhere in "security" or "privacy" the manufacturer will list the default lock code. If the person hasn't changed it, this will work. In some cases, the default code is either "0000" or the last four digits of the phone number;
    
8. Call the Service Provider. You can give the SIM chip number or the IMEI (unique handset identifier) usually located in the battery casing and the service provider can find the account belonging to the handset. Depending on the service provider's internal policies, they will either take your contact information or pass it along to the lost cell phone's owner, or provide you with the owner's landline phone number but no name. Or you could take the phone to a local cell store to get them to contact the owner (assuming you know if it's Sprint, Nextel, T Mobile, etc.);
   
   
9. When all else fails, go to the nearest lost and found where the owner would be expected to look for it. The latter works best when the phone was found near or inside a church, mall, school, or business, etc.). Note: Be mindful of where you return a cell phone. In the wrong hands, the owner of such could become another victim of identity theft.

Related Topics
People Search
Phone & Utilities

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