How Serious Is The Problem?
Government officials
call identity theft "the fastest growing crime in the nation", with over
8,000,000 U.S. victims per year.
Thieves obtain personal
information such as, social security numbers, driver's license numbers,
credit card numbers and even birth certificates and passports.
Accounts are then opened in the victim's name for credit cards and loans
with the mail diverted to a different address.
To learn more about "Phishing"
and "Spoofing"
click here.
With identity theft,
it could take months or years to learn
that you are a victim. Pay
attention to the tips listed below.
How To Guard Against It
1. Remove mail promptly
from your mailbox. Never
use your mailbox for outgoing mail. Identity thieves raid mailboxes
to steal credit card offers and financial statements.
2. Guard your social security number.
Do not give out personal information like PIN
or credit card numbers over the phone or the internet unless you initiated
the transaction. Identity thieves often call you posing as an
internet provider or credit card company to gain knowledge of your
accounts.
3.
Be very careful with receipts.
Make
sure you have
them when you leave the store or ATM and do not throw
them into a public
trash can. Thieves use these receipts
to access your accounts.
4. Review your credit report from time to time.
You can obtain a free copy of your credit report
once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide agencies:
5. Destroy pre-approved credit card offers before you
throw them out. A home shredder is
the best thing to use on financial statements, receipts and old cancelled
checks that you are discarding.
6. Account for all new checkbooks when you receive them
in the mail. If any are missing,
report stolen checks immediately. Keep new and cancelled checks in a
safe place.
7. Block your ATM transaction with your body.
Keep the keyboard from view and prevent
someone from learning your personal identification number (PIN).
8. Commit all passwords and personal identification numbers
to memory. The less you have on paper the less likely it is that someone
will learn these numbers.
9. Be creative when you select a password.
Don't be obvious like using the last four
digits of your social security number, phone number, address, birth date
or any format that could easily be decoded by thieves.
10. Know your billing cycles. Watch for any
missing mail. Follow up with creditors if bills or new cards do not
arrive on time. An identity thief may have filed a change of address
request in your name with the creditor or the post office.
11. "OPT OUT".
Although many consumers appreciate the convenience and
customer service of general direct mail, some prefer not to receive offers
of pre-approved financing or credit. To "opt out" of receiving such
offers, call
(888) 5 OPT OUT (888-567-8688) sponsored by the credit
bureaus.
12. Direct Marketing.
The Direct Marketing Association offers services to help reduce the number
of mail and telephone solicitations. To join their mail preference
service, mail your name, home address and signature to: Mail Preference
Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY
11735-9008.
13. Social Security Earnings.
Check your Social Security Earnings and Benefits statement
once each year to make sure that no one else is using your Social Security
number for employment.
What To Do If You Are A Victim
1.
Contact your credit card company and your financial
institution and close your accounts. The FBI suggests that you put
passwords (not your mother's maiden name) on any new accounts you open.
2.
Call the three major credit bureaus (numbers shown
below) to tell them your identity has been stolen. Request that a "fraud
alert" be placed on your file and that no new credit be granted without your
approval.
3. Call the Social Security Fraud Hotline:800-269-0271
4.
Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) theft
hotline 1-877-438-4338
5. You should not only file a report with the police, but
also get a copy of the report in case you need proof of the crime later for credit card
companies etc.
Don't fall victim to
identity theft. Protect your identity with Deluxe ID TheftBlock.
Click
on the icon to learn more.
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