Credit Cards Online Information

NEW YORK -- In a continuing effort to support the unique and diverse needs of small business owners, CitiBusiness(R) Credit Cards announces Citi Identity Theft Solutions and Fraud Early Warning to assist small business cardmembers in dealing with identity theft. This crime affected nearly 10 million individuals in 2003 and required an average of 30 hours to resolve, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Identity theft occurs when someone steals key personal or business information in order to commit theft or fraud. Citi's Fraud Early Warning service can notify small business owners of unusual activity that may be fraudulent and can temporarily block activity or stop approving charges until the cardmember authorizes the charges. This early detection service can save potential victims countless hours and frustration.

Should identity theft occur, Citi Identity Theft Solutions for small business offers a free comprehensive support program that assigns a specially trained Identity Theft Specialist to each victim. The Identity Theft Specialist may facilitate a call to a credit bureau to check for fraudulent activity, assist in placing a universal "Fraud Alert" with all three credit bureaus, provide advice and information on contacting other creditors to close unauthorized accounts, and help the victim understand and complete all the necessary paperwork, such as a police report, and follow the case through until it is closed.

"Citi Identity Theft Solutions for small business continues Citi's long-standing commitment to safeguarding its customers' personal information and providing consumers with the latest resources to help them achieve financial well-being," said Steve Freiberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Citi Cards North America.

A small business owner must not only protect his/her personal identity and business identity (taxpayer identification number), but also the identity of his or her employees. Judith M. Collins, a professor at Michigan State University, says her research suggests that 51 percent of identities are stolen in the workplace, often by people hired to perform data-entry or other low-level jobs.

# posted by Medical Information : 5:27 AM