HEY, I THOUGHT YOU WERE JESSE JAMES THE BIKER, NOT THE OUTLAW! Jesse James or James Jesse? Identity theft is big criminal business. I never thought I would be a statistic, but it happened to me. After eighteen months, I am still dealing with the nightmare (or crap as some call it). The better you understand how it works, the more you can protect yourself.
Identity theft and account fraud happens when someone steals personal information such as your bank account number or Social Security number and then poses as you, either withdrawing money from your account or running up debt in your name, or both. There are approximately 400,000 victims per year.
No matter how careful, skilled thieves, like pickpockets, burglars and computer hackers, have many ways (both low-and high-tech) to get information.
HOW IT HAPPENS:
• Stolen wallets and purses containing your identification, credit and bank cards
• Stolen mail, including your bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, telephone call cards and tax information
• Complete a “change of address form” to divert your mail to another location
• Dumpster diving to find personal data in trash.
• Fraudulently obtaining credit report posing as a landlord, employer, or someone else who may have a legitimate need for – and a legal right to – the information
• Get your business or personal records at work
• Find personal information in your home
• Buy your personal information from “inside” sources. For example, an identity thief may pay a company employee for information about you that appears on an application for goods, services or credit.
PROTECT YOURSELF:
• Carry only what information you need.
• Don’t put outgoing mail in or on your mailbox.
• Cancel all credit card accounts that you no longer use.
• Don’t reprint personal information on checks.
• Report lost or stolen checks immediately.
• Be alert to telephone scams. Be wary of someone requesting personal information or verifying your personal information. Keep your information private unless you have initiated the call.
• Be careful with your ATM and credit card receipts.
• Guard your Personal Identification Numbers (PINs)
• Keep track of bills. If your regular bills do not reach you, call the company and find out. Someone may have put in a change of address for you.
• Immediately investigate any suspicious items on your bills.
• Review your credit report and report errors.
• Protect your identity online. When making purchases or sending personal information, make sure the Web sites you visit are secure and protect your data from Internet theft.
If you are a victim immediately:
• Call the fraud departments of all three credit bureaus. Ask them to put a “fraud alert” on your file. This tells creditors to call you before they open any more accounts in your name.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Call the FTC’s identity theft hotline toll-free at 1 (877) IDTHEFT (438-4338). The hotline is staffed by counselors trained to help victims and take their complaints. You may also file a complaint online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.*
• Contact your local police and ask to file a report. Even if the police can’t catch the identity thief, having a police report can help you in clearing up your credit records later on.
• Complete the identity theft affidavit, which will assist you in reporting to many companies that a new account has been open in your name. Obtain a copy of the identity theft affidavit by clicking the link below: www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/affidavit.pdf.*
Important Contact Numbers:
Credit Bureaus
1. Equifax 1-800-525-6285
1. Experian 1-888-397-3742
2. TransUnion 1-800-680-7289
TeleCheck 1-800-710-9898
Certegy 1-800-437-5120
Securities & Exchange Commission 1-800-732-0330
Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Hot Line 1-877-438-4338
United States Postal Service online www.usps.gov/websites/depart/inspect
Social Security Fraud Hot Line 1-800-269-0271
