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Identity Theft

IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. It can occur when a criminal steals personal identifying information such as name, birth date, Social Security number, or your mother's maiden name and uses it for their own gain. These thefts can occur through lost or stolen credit/debit cards, non-secure online transactions, personal information recovered from your trash, and stolen mail from your mailbox.  The identity thief can use your information to fraudulently apply for credit, file taxes, or get medical services. These acts can damage your credit status, and cost you time and money to restore your good name. You may not know that you are the victim of ID theft until you experience a financial consequence (mystery bills, credit collections, and denied loans) down the road from actions that the thief has taken with your stolen identity.

 

Basic Safety Tips

  • Don't carry important numbers or passwords with you
  • Memorize your Social Security number
  • Don't use your date of birth as your password.
  • Never leave receipts behind

Credit/Debit Cards

  • Sign your new credit cards immediately
  • Cancel lost or stolen credit cards immediately.  Make sure you keep the numbers on the issuers somewhere besides on the back of your card.
  • Always check your monthly financial statements carefully against your receipts
  • Review your consumer credit report annually

Mail

  • Don't leave mail in your mailbox for more than one day.  If you are gone, arrange to have a trusted neighbor or friend pick up your mail.
  • Double check that mailboxes are official US Postal Service collection boxes before your deposit your mail
  • Shred all necessary documents that have your personal information on them.

Online

  • Never input a credit/debit card number onto a website unless it offers a secure transaction. A secure transaction will have a "padlock" icon at the bottom strip of the web page. The URL address will also change from "http" to "https" on the page where you input personal data.

Discovering ID Theft

  • Checking your financial statements frequently and carefully can be your best first step towards discovering ID theft.
  • The sooner you discover your identity is being used, the sooner you can begin to fight back to lessen the damage the criminal can do.

Other Steps You Can Take

  • Call the Federal Trade Commission 1-877-IDTHEFT for counseling and help to resolve problems arising from identity theft.
  • Call one of the major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion) to see if any new accounts were opened in your name without your consent.  You can place a "fraud alert" on your file. Note: If you call prior to filing a police report, the alert stays in your file for only 90 days.  If you call and provide a police report number, the alert will stay on your file for 7 years.
  • Keep a record.  When you begin contacting agencies to report your case, keep a records of the names and phone numbers of the individuals you spoke to, along with supporting documentation.
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