Introduction

The 1990’s spawned a new variety of crooks called identity thieves. Their stock in trade? Your everyday transactions, which usually reveal bits of your personal information:
Your bank and credit card account numbers; your income; your Social Security number (SSN); or your name, address, and phone numbers. An identity thief obtains some piece of your sensitive information and uses it without your knowledge to commit fraud or theft.

Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years, and their hard earned money cleaning up the mess the thieves have made of their good a name and credit record. Some victims have lost job opportunities, been refused loans for education, housing or cars, and even been arrested for crimes they didn’t commit.

Can you prevent identity theft from occurring? As with any crime, you cannot completely control whether you will become a victim. But, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), you can minimize your risk by managing your personal information cautiously and with heightened sensitivity.

How Identity Theft Occurs

Skilled identity thieves use a variety of methods to gain access to your personal information. For example:

• They get information from businesses or other institutions by:
  -stealing records from their employer,
  -bribing an employee who has access to these records, or
  -Hacking into the organization’s computers.
• They rummage through your trash, or the trash of businesses or sumps in a practice known as “dumpster diving.”
• They obtain credit reports by abusing their employer’s authorized access to credit reports, or by posing as a landlord, employer or someone else who may have a legal right to the information.
• They steal wallets, purses or laptops/briefcases containing identification and credit and bank cards, or vital strategic data.
• They steal credit and debit card number as your card is processed by using a special information storage device in a practice known as “skimming.” Your waiter or waitress may even have a card-swiping device on their person.
• They steal mail, including banks and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, new checks, or tax information.
• They complete a “change of address form” to divert your mail to another location.
• They scam information from you by posing as a legitimate business person or government official.
• They steal personal information from your home. Don’t forget about Nannies, or one of the Relatives you really didn’t trust. Also, new romantic interests of friends or family.

How can I Tell if I’m a Victim of Identity Theft?

Monitor the balances of your financial accounts. Look for unexplained charges or withdrawals. Other indications of identity theft can be:

• Failing to receive bills or other mail signaling an address change by identity thief;
• Receiving credit cars for which you did not apply;
• Denial of credit for no apparent reason; or
• Receiving calls from debt collectors or companies about merchandise or services you didn’t buy.

Is There Any Other Steps I Can Take?

If an identity thief is opening new credit accounts in your name, these accounts are likely to show up on you credit report. You can find out by ordering a copy of your credit report from any of three major credit bureaus. If you find inaccurate information check your reports from the other two credit bureaus. Of course, some inaccuracies on your credit reports may be because a computer, clerical, or other errors and may not be a result of identity theft. Note: If your personal information has been lost or stolen, you may want to check all of your reports more frequently for the first year. Federal laws allow credit bureaus to charge up to $9 for a copy of your credit report. Some states may allow a free report or reduced rates.

See the HOME page for credit reports.

Managing Your Personal Information

So how can a responsible consumer minimize the risk of Identity Theft, as well as the potential for damage? When it involves personal information, exercise caution and prudence.

Do It Now

Place passwords on you credit cards, banks, and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother’s maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of you SSN, your phone numbers, or a series of consecutive numbers.
When you are asked for your mother’s maiden name on an application for a new account, try using a password instead. Secure personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having service work done to your residence. (Safes are a good idea also-see Resource Links on this site)
Ask about information security procedures in your workplace. Find out who has access to your personal information and verify that your records are kept in a secure location. Ask about the disposal procedures for those records as well.

Everyday diligence

Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you’ve initiated the contact, or sure you know whom you’re dealing with. Identity thieves can be skilled liars, and may pose as representatives of banks, Internet service providers (ISP’s), or even government agencies to get you to reveal identifying information. Before you divulge any personal information, confirm that you’re dealing with a legitimate representative of a legitimate organization. Double check by calling customer service using the number on your account statement, or in the telephone book. Note: Services, and or devices are available that will show an erroneous incoming caller ID, as the number appearing is not really from that source.

Guard your mail and trash from theft. Deposit outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post offline instead of that unsecured mailbox. Remove mail from your mailbox promptly. If you’re planning to be away from home and can’t pick your mail up, call the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 to ask for a vacation hold. To thwart a thief who may pick through your trash or recycling bins, tear or shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications or offers, insurance forms, physician statements, checks and bank statements, and expired charge cards.

Before revealing any identifying information (for example, on an application), ask how it will be used and secured, and whether it will be shared with others. Find out if you have a say about the use of your information. For example, can you choose to have it kept confidential?

Keep your Social Security card in a secure place and give your SSN only when absolutely necessary. Ask to use other types of identifiers when possible. If your state uses your SSN as your driver’s license number, ask to substitute another number.

Limit the identification information and the number of credit and debit cards that you carry to what you’ll actually need.

Keep your wallet in a safe place at work, and purses don’t belong under the desk.

If Your Identity’s Been Stolen

Even if you’ve been very careful about keeping your personal information to yourself, an identity thief can strike. If you suspect that your personal information has been used to commit fraud or theft, take action immediately.

Call the toll-free fraud number of anyone of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report. This can help prevent an identity thief form opening additional accounts in your name. As soon as the credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two credit bureaus will automatically be notified to place fraud alerts on your credit report.

Equifax - To report fraud, call: 1-800-525-6285, and write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, CA 30374-0241 Experian - To report fraud, call: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742), and write: P.O. Box 9532, Allen TX 75013 TransUnion - To report fraud, call: 1-800-680-7289, and write: Fraud Victim Assistance Div., P.O. Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92834-6790 Wall Street Detective Services - To receive Investigative Services, call: 1-310-287-0464, and write: P.O. Box 481, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254-0481, or go to the CONTACT US or HOME pages.

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