Identity Theft

Everyday transactions require you to share personal information about yourself with others.

Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information, credit cards, checks, or driver’s license and uses those to obtain credit or merchandise in your name. It is one of the fastest growing crimes in America.

The harm to your credit and daily life can be devastating if you are a victim of identity theft. Many victims have difficulties getting new credit cards or loans because of the damage to their credit ratings. Frequently, victims aren’t aware they are a victim of identity theft for months or even years.

How is Identity Theft committed?

• “Shoulder Surfing” – watching you from a nearby location as you punch in your PIN number, calling card number, telephone number, etc.
• “Dumpster Diving” – going through your garbage cans, commercial dumpster or trash bin to obtain copies of your checks, credit card or bank statements or other records.
• Simply stealing your purse or your wallet.
• Stealing from your mailbox.
• Obtaining pre-approved credit cards which are discarded without being destroyed.
• Opening up a new credit card account or obtaining a loan using your personal identification.
• Establishing cellular phone service or other utility service in your name.
• Opening a bank account in your name and writing bad checks on that account.
• Working using another’s personal identification.

How can it be prevented?

Identity thieves sometimes pose as business, bank or government representatives to get you to reveal personal information. Legitimate financial or government organizations that do business with you already have this information and will not ask for it over the telephone.

• Limit the amount of personal identification you carry in your wallet or purse.
• Avoid carrying more blank checks on you than you actually need. Do not have your social security number pre-printed on your checks.
• Keep good back-up information about your accounts in case your wallet or purse if stolen.
• When you go on vacation, take a list of toll-free telephone numbers for your banking and credit card companies.
• Consider canceling any credit cards you don’t really need or haven’t used in six months.
• NEVER provide personal information over the telephone, internet or through the mail unless you’ve initiated the contact. This includes your social security number, mother’s maiden name, or any account numbers.
• Destroy (preferably shred) credit card applications and pre-approved credit cards you receive in the mail.
• Review your credit card bills and checking account statements as soon as they arrive to ensure that there is no fraudulent activity. If they don’t arrive at the normal time of the month, call your financial institution or credit card company immediately and ask them about it.
• Obtain a copy of your credit report at least once a year to check for errors. You can order a copy of your credit report from each one of the major credit bureaus. (See below.)
• Be careful and alert at ATMs and while using phone cards.
• Do not put checks in the mail from your home mailbox.
• When you order new credit cards in the mail or when you are expecting replacement cards or checks, watch the calendar to make sure the cards arrive within the appropriate time. Find out if a change or address was filed if you don’t receive the cards, checks or statements.
• Check your mailbox daily.
• Do not put your telephone number on checks.
• Consider making your telephone number an unlisted number or just use an initial instead of a full first name.
• Whenever possible, obtain credit cards and business cards with your picture on them.
• If someone you don’t know calls you on the telephone and offers you the chance to receive a “major” credit card, a prize or other valuable item, but asks you for personal data, ask them to send you a written application. If they won’t do it, simply hang up.
• When you are traveling, have your mail held at your post office or ask someone you trust to collect and hold your mail for you.

What do I do if it happens to me?

• Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus, report the theft, and ask that a “fraud alert” be placed on their file and that no new credit be granted without your approval.
• Contact all creditors immediately. Ask that old accounts be processed as “account closed at consumer’s request.” Watch your mail and credit card bills for evidence of new fraudulent activity.
• File a report with the law enforcement agency where the identity theft took place. Get the report number or a copy of the report in case the bank, credit card company or others need proof of the crime later.
• Keep a log of all transactions and conversations with authorities and financial institutions. Send correspondence by certified mail. Keep copies of all letters and documents.
• If you have had checks stolen or bank accounts set up fraudulently, report it to the check verification companies. Cancel your checking and savings accounts and obtain new account numbers.
• If your ATM card has been stolen, obtain a new card, account number and password. When creating a password, avoid using easily available information like your mother’s name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security Number, your phone number, or an easy series of numbers such as 1234.
• If your social security number is misused, call the Social Security Administration to report the fraudulent use. As a last resort, you might want to change your social security number. However, the Social Security Administration will only change the number if you fit into their victim fraud criteria.
• If you have a passport, notify the passport office in writing to be aware of anyone trying to order a new passport fraudulently.

The major credit bureaus are:

Some other options:

• Slow the flow of junk mail and telemarketers, mostly a waste of time and resources. Every pre-approved credit offer that’s sent to you is another invitation for someone to open a credit line in your name. To remove your name from the marketing lists of the three credit reporting bureaus, call the Opt-Out Line at 1-888-567-8688.
• Sign up for the Federal Trade Commission’s National Do Not Call Registry and the Direct Marketing Association’s Telephone Preference Service. Your name is added to the “deletion lists” used by nationwide marketers. You may also need to register for your state’s “do not call” list.
• National Do Not Call Registry or 1-888-382-1222
• Telephone Preference Service or mail in your request to: Telephone Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association; PO Box 1559; Carmel, NY 10512