When you conduct an online search for a home insurance quote, be extremely cautious. Cyber thieves are trapping people with the promise of "free" quotes to trick them into submitting their personal information so they can steal their identity.
With this being the case, your online or offline search for a reputable home insurance quote can prove to be a daunting task. Are you wondering who you can rely on to give you a legitimate home insurance quote?
Insurance Scams Have Flooded the Internet
Homeowners, watch where you shop online or offline for that matter, for so called free home insurance quotes. The Web is teaming with crooks hoping to con you into giving them your personal information by luring you with the promise of a "free" home insurance quote.
These thieves may keep your information for themselves to send you promotions you are not interested in, or sell you data to someone seeking to steal your identity.
They Should Not Ask for This Number
If folks would stop giving their social security number to websites, then there would be no need for me to mention it here. But unfortunately, people, despite all the warnings and exposés, continue to give their social security numbers to crooked Internet sites. Go figure! Listen, you do not need to give your social security number to anyone offering you a "free" home insurance quote.
You must always, without hesitation, vacate sites that tell you they need your social security number to give you a home insurance quote. Another protocol to follow is to clear your cookies. In doing so, you stop them from trying to lure you into giving them your SSN#.
At a time when people's identity is being stolen left, right, and center, you would think that common sense would dictate not to give your SSN# to anyone offering you a home insurance quote. But as a wise person once told me, common sense is not so common.
Should my Address be Off Limits?
Internet services advertising free home insurance quotes need your address in order to give you a quote. By your address, they can determine if they are authorized to do business in your state. Also, insurance and monthly rates are partially based on where you live.
But to be honest with you, I personally do not give my real address, I will give my real city, state and zip but I make up a fictitious street and street # address if this is required.
Keeping your home address private, until you are absolutely sure that the company is reputable, is the safe way to go. Once you put your information on the Internet, it's out there for potentially the whole world to see. I shutter to think of my home address hanging out on the net for everyone to see!
How to Reach Them
Legitimate online services/companies always post their street address and phone number, which enables you to talk to a real human being, and not a crackling answering machine. If they have not posted their "Here's how you can reach us" info, then get off that site!
This is worth repeating
You can be sure that one way to discover if a company offering a free, no obligation home insurance quote is reputable is by the posting of their About Us and Contact Us info. If it is not on the home page of their website, then it is a rip-off seeking to get away with your identity.
Cheap homeowners InsuranceAdditional Resources:
Be On the Lookout for the Online Home Insurance Quote Scam!Be On the Lookout for the Online Home Insurance Quote Scam!
