identity theft

The scams and cons that could clean you out.

Last time I gave you advice from the Real Hustle team, it was how to grab a few free drinks. A bit of harmless fun. This time, it’s much more serious. These former professional con artists take you through some of the easiest, most effective ways that thieves can rip you off. Anything from a simple watch theft, to grabbing everything you own.

I looked through The Real Hustle archives and found so many scary scenarios, but these are the ones that seemed to affect everyone. So, watch carefully and keep your guard up at all times. It’s a jungle out there sometimes.

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How To Get Mugged

Awesome, 10:45 and there's still one parking spot only a few buildings from mine. I do the parallel parking bit, grab my purse, lock the car, and start the quick walk to my apartment building. As I walk past our next-door building, a car stops in front of me, and the passenger steps out. Weird, he's talking to me. "OK, give me your purse."

Next thing I know I'm splayed out on my back like a dying cockroach on the curb -- except much wrigglier, and much, much louder.

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Man Tears Up Credit Card Application. Fills It Out. Sends It In. Result: Card Approved!

Go get a shredder immediately.

The mad scientist at Cockeyed.com tried a little experiment:

1. Take a regular credit card application from Chase Mastercard.
2. Tear it up into roughly 16 pieces.
3. Tape it back together.
4. Change the address on the application to ANOTHER address (his parent's mailbox).
5. Put down his cell phone number as the contact number.
6. Mail in the application (no stamp required, SCORE!)
7. Wait a few weeks.
8. Receive credit card in the mail.
9. Post story on Internet. Scare consumers worldwide!

The best part is the fact that tearing up your application is suppose to be enough:

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UCLA security breach affects 800,000 people (not just students)

LA Times reported this morning that "hackers have gained access to a UCLA database containing personal information on about 800,000 of the university's current and former students, faculty and staff members, among others."

The personal information stolen include names, birth dates, social security numbers, home addresses, and other contact information.

There are two things you have to know that are not widely reported by the media:

Breach Also Affects Applicants and Parents

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