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Written by Tim Gobble, Sheriff
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Thursday, 23 April 2009 |
Identity theft occurs when a person’s personal information is stolen and used to commit fraud or other crimes. It is arguably the fastest growing crime across the country right now and accounts for as much as 25 percent of all credit card fraud losses annually. According to the Federal Trade Commission, approximately nine million Americans are victimized by identity thieves each year.
Quite often, identity theft isn’t even detected until well after the fact, sometimes not until contacted by a creditor, or having credit denied, or having unfamiliar charges show up on bills. Many victims don't even know how the perpetrators got their personal information.
For the criminal, identity theft is a relatively low risk, high reward endeavor. Credit card issuers often don't even prosecute thieves who are caught because it is less expensive to simply write the losses off.
A criminal can get your personal information from any number of sources. Some criminals will pick through household garbage or business dumpsters to retrieve your bank or credit card statements. A dishonest person processing your credit card can use a special storage device to capture your info. Or someone may divert your billing statements by filling out a “change of address” form without your knowledge. There is also a method called “phishing” where a criminal pretending to be from a company or financial institution will send you bogus emails, spam or pop-up messages to trick you into giving up your info. Criminals can also simply steal your purse, wallet, mail and. Your personal info is also accessible through court records and other public documents.
The Federal Trade Commission recommends several ways to safeguard against identity theft:
* Monitor your monthly billing statements for any unusual charges. Be suspicious if bills do not arrive on time or if you receive unexpected billing statements. If you have a good credit record, but credit is suddenly denied, check to find out why.
* Shred financial documents and related paperwork instead of simply putting throwing them out with the trash.
* Do not give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or over the Internet, unless you can verify beyond any doubt the authenticity of the person requesting the information.
* Never click on links that are sent via unsolicited email. Install firewalls, anti-spyware and anti-virus software on your computer and keep them update (visit http://www.OnGuardOnline.gov for more information).
* Do not use obvious passwords, like your birthday, your pet’s name, your mother’s maiden name, or digits from your Social Security number.
* Keep personal information in a secure location at home, preferably in a safe; especially if you have roommates, employ outside help or if you are having work done in your home.
* Do not carry your Social Security card in your wallet, do not write it on your checks and only give it out when you are certain the person asking is legitimate and only if you absolutely need it as another identifier.
If you become a victim of identity theft, contact your local law enforcement agency and file a report. Also notify the company granting the card(s) and explain the situation. Establish a new password, ask that a “fraud alert” be placed on the account(s) and inform the bank that they are not to change your address without verification from you.
Close any accounts that have been tampered with or fraudulently established. Call the security or fraud departments of each company where an account was opened or changed without your consent. Follow up in writing and include copies of supporting documents and your police report.
You should also contact the three major credit reporting agencies by telephone and also follow up in writing so a fraud alert can be placed on your credit profile.
The big three credit reporting agencies are:
Equifax - 1-800-525-6285; (http://www.equifax.com)
Experian - 1-888-397-3742 (http://www.experian.com)
TransUnion - 1-800-680-7289 (http://www.transunion.com)
The law requires these three main consumer reporting companies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report each year, if you request it. To obtain a free copy of your credit report, visit http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com on-line, or call 1-877-322-8228. You can also write: Annual Credit Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.
Report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission by calling 1-877-438-4338, or 1-866-653-4261. Or write: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580. You can also visit their web site: http://www.ftc.gov/idtheft
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