Identity Theft

IDENTITY THEFT

How can my identity be stolen?

Someone could steal your identity very easily by:

· Stealing your wallet

· Filing out a change of address form for you and collecting your mail snatching your un-shredded pre-approve credit slips from the mail.

· Ordering unauthorized credit reports on you and posing as potential employer or landlord.

· Looking over your shoulder at phones and ATM’s to gather PIN numbers (sometimes with binoculars or listening devices).

· Using phony telemarketing schemes to con you into giving your personal data.

· Illegally tapping a computer at a business to which you have provided information or by which you have been granted credit (this is often done by dishonest or disgruntled employees), or

· Gathering sensitive information and using it as a way to extract revenge (this is usually done by a former friend, lover, roommate, or co-worker and it is more common than most people realize).

· Perhaps the most frightening (and most thorough) way for a thief to steal someone’s identity is by purchasing it at one of the identity search companies that have sprouted on the Internet. For as little as $49.99, these companies will sell you someone’s Social Security number (the heart of identity theft), their mother’s maiden name (the second most valuable piece of information), their home and employment address, their previous addresses, their credit history, and more.

If my identity gets stolen, what can the thief do with my personal information?

A lot. A thief can cash a check, obtain a loan, open credit card accounts and charge them to the max, rent an apartment, buy a car, purchase a cell phone and talk to someone long distance all day, and, worse, commit a serious crime-- all in your name.

Will I be held responsible if a thief uses my identity to commit a crime?

Yes and no. From a momentary standpoint, if a thief uses your credit card in a credit scam, you will likely be responsible for only $50.00, or possibly nothing. However, you may spend months hassling with credit agencies, financial institutions, and police departments trying to clear your name and repair the lingering damage. Almost certainly you will have to take time off from work to write letters make calls, collect evidence, and demand action.

There is also the cost of anxiety and mental suffering to consider. Victims of identity theft report that police agencies are sometimes dismissive or even abusive, credit reporting agencies unresponsive, credit collection agencies hostile, and credit grantors disbelieving.

When victims ate actually accused of committing crimes, they are sometimes repeatedly detained by police and have trouble trying to convince law enforcement officials that the person they’re holding is not the person they want.

What can I do to protect my identity from theft?

Minimizing the disaster of identity theft depends primarily on your vigilance in guarding your privacy. You’ve got to guard your personal information diligently. Here are some tips for keeping your private information secure:

Never carry your Social Security card in you wallet.

Do not have your Social Security numbers or your driver’s license number pre-printed on your checks.

Use your initials (instead of your first name) and of your last name printed on your checks. If someone takes your checks, they will not know if you sign your checks with your initials or your full name, but your bank will know.

If you have a P.O. Box or work address, put that address on your checks instead of your home address. Put your work phone number on your checks instead of your home phone number.

When writing a check to a credit card account, do not put the complete account number on the "For" line-- just use the last four numbers.

Install a locking mailbox or a mail slit that goes directly into you house. Send your mail, especially payments, directly from the post office (don’t put it in the mailbox for the postal carrier to pick up).

Order your credit report every year. Promptly respond to any inaccurate information.

Change your password and PIN number regularly. Don’t use obvious codes such as birthdays, or the name of your spouse, child or pet. Memorize passwords and PIN numbers and shred any piece of paper on which they are written.

Diligently review credit card statements, phone, and utility bills. Call if you don’t recognize a charge or phone call.

Always take your credit card receipts, and never throw them away in public.

Tear up or shred any offers of pre-approved credit cards you don’t intend to use and beware of offers from companies you don’t recognize. It’s easy to create an official-looking and complete phony credit application offering you pre-approved credit if you provide your Social Security number, mother’s maiden name (for supposed security reason’s), and a signature.

Do not give personal information over the phone unless absolutely necessary, and do not ever give it unless you initiate the phone call. If someone calls who says they are calling from your bank or credit company, ask for a number to call them back-- and then make sure it is an official number.

Beware of anyone asking for your Social Security number. If they refuse to complete a transaction without it, consider taking your business elsewhere.

Pick up your new checks from the bank instead of having them sent to your home.

Do not put personal information on a computer or homepage or personal computer profile.

If you find your personal information posted somewhere on the Internet, demand that it be removed.

What to do if I discover that my identity has been stolen?

As soon as you are aware of the problem, you need to do the following:

Make an identity theft affidavit. You can download the affidavit at: www.consumer.gov/idtheft

Contact the police.

Cancel your credit cards, ATM cards, and phone cards. Call the credit bureaus.

The Major Credit Cards are:

Equifax: www.equifax.com (800-525-6285)

Experian: www.experian.com (888-397-3742)

Trans Union: www.transunion.com (800-680-7289)

Report stolen checks. Contact your bank and the following agencies:

Certegy: 800-437-5120

TeleCheck; 800-710-9898

TeleCheck: (merchant service): 800-366-1054

Alert the post office if you suspect the thief may have filed a change of address form in your name.

Alert the utility and phone companies

Review your Social Security earnings statement.

If someone is using your driver’s license number fraudulently, obtain a new number.

Keep Records. Keep short, dated notes of your conversations and interactions with everyone you notify of the theft. Make copies of all correspondence you send and receive relating to the theft.

Take Control. Most important, you need to take control of the situation and not waste time waiting for someone else to step up and help you. Vigilance is essential. Do not pay bills that you are not responsible for. Be persistent with police, credit bureaus, credit card companies, and banks. Continue to call and write letters. Keep track of your efforts to stop the theft and reverse the damage.

For More Information about Identity Theft

The Federal Government maintains a central website devoted to identity theft:

www.consumer.gov/idtheft

The Federal Trade Commission Consumer Response:

www.ftc.gov

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse:

www.privacyrights.

You can also access a wealth of information about identity theft at:

www.identitytheft.org

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	Never carry your Social Security card in you wallet.
	Do not have your Social Security numbers or your driver’s license number pre-printed on your checks.
	Use your initials (instead of your first name) and of your last name printed on your checks. If someone takes your checks, they will not know if you sign your checks with your initials or your full name, but your bank will know.
	If you have a P.O. Box or work address, put that address on your checks instead of your home address. Put your work phone number on your checks instead of your home phone number.
	When writing a check to a credit card account, do not put the complete account number on the "For" line-- just use the last four numbers.
	Install a locking mailbox or a mail slit that goes directly into you house. Send your mail, especially payments, directly from the post office (don’t put it in the mailbox for the postal carrier to pick up).
	Order your credit report every year. Promptly respond to any inaccurate information.
	Change your password and PIN number regularly. Don’t use obvious codes such as birthdays, or the name of your spouse, child or pet. Memorize passwords and PIN numbers and shred any piece of paper on which they are written.
	Diligently review credit card statements, phone, and utility bills. Call if you don’t recognize a charge or phone call.
	Always take your credit card receipts, and never throw them away in public.
	Tear up or shred any offers of pre-approved credit cards you don’t intend to use and beware of offers from companies you don’t recognize. It’s easy to create an official-looking and complete phony credit application offering you pre-approved credit if you provide your Social Security number, mother’s maiden name (for supposed security reason’s), and a signature.
	Do not give personal information over the phone unless absolutely necessary, and do not ever give it unless you initiate the phone call. If someone calls who says they are calling from your bank or credit company, ask for a number to call them back-- and then make sure it is an official number.
	Beware of anyone asking for your Social Security number. If they refuse to complete a transaction without it, consider taking your business elsewhere.
	Pick up your new checks from the bank instead of having them sent to your home.
	Do not put personal information on a computer or homepage or personal computer profile.
	If you find your personal information posted somewhere on the Internet, demand that it be removed.