How can I protect myself from identity theft? There are different steps you can take
in order to protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft. Some
methods
of identity theft are harder to protect yourself against, such as stealing
your mail, credit report, wallet or purse. Most people agree that the best
way to protect yourself is to make sure that you are careful with your personal
information. Never give out personal information unless you are confident your
personal information is necessary (i.e. setting up a bank account or taking
out a loan) and the person or business asking for the personal information
is legitimate.
When you receive credit card offers or correspondence that details personal
information
(bank
statements,
check
stubs,
and credit
reports)
make
sure that you tear them up before you throw them away. A paper shredder
is another method of eliminating your personal information.
How do I know if my identity has been stolen?
There are some red flags that could suggest that your information has been
stolen. Some of these include:
1. Failing to receive bills or other mail. A missing bill could
mean an identity thief has taken over your account
and changed
your billing address
to cover
his tracks.
2. Receiving credit cards that you didn't apply for.
3. Being denied credit, or being offered less favorable credit
terms, like a high interest rate, for no apparent reason.
4. Getting calls or letters from debt collectors or businesses
about merchandise or services you didn't buy.
What should I do after I discover my identity has been stolen?
First,
contact any of the three consumer reporting companies to place a fraud alert
on your credit report. Once you report it to one of the
companies they are required to send that information onto the other two companies
which will place a fraud alert in multiple forms on your credit report. For
information on how to contact the consumer reporting companies please go to
the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft Resource Page.
The second step is to close down any account that you believe has been tampered
with or opened fraudulently. Most companies have a fraud department that helps
to deal with fraudulent activity on accounts. They will help you restore your
accounts or get the accounts closed. Always make sure to request written notification
that the accounts have been closed.
Thirdly, once you have dealt with the company and alerted them to start the
process, you need to call the local authorities. Identity theft is a crime,
and there are legal responsibilities that you must fulfill. You can file it
as a “Miscellaneous Incident.” This action will help with the creditors
who request proof of the crime.
Finally, you will need to report it to the FTC. By sharing your identity
theft complaint with the FTC you provide important information that can help
law enforcement officials across the nation track down and stop identity thieves.
The FTC can refer victims' complaints to other government agencies and companies
for further action, as well as investigate companies for violations of laws
the agency enforces. Visit the FTC’s Identity Theft web page for contact
information.
How does my identity get 'stolen'?
According to the Federal Trade Commission the following are of the most common
ways to access information about your identity:
•
stealing your records or information while they're on the job
•
bribing or conning an employee who has access to these records
•
hacking records from businesses or other institutions
•
stealing your mail, including bank and credit card statements, credit card
offers, new checks, and tax information
•
rummaging through your trash, the trash of businesses, or public trash dumps
in a practice known as
"dumpster diving"
•
accessing your credit reports by abusing an employer's authorized access to
them, or by posing
as a landlord,
employer, or someone else who may have a legal right to access your report
•
stealing your credit or debit card numbers by capturing the information in
a data storage device
in
a practice known as "skimming"
• stealing your wallet or purse
•
by completing a "change of address form" to divert your mail
to another location
• stealing personal information they find in your home
• stealing personal information from you through email or phone by posing
as a legitimate
company and claiming that you have a problem with your account
