Tips and Information

What to do if you become a ID Theft victim

Identity theft is quickly becoming the crime of choice for criminals. It is imperative that you take the proper precautions to minimize your risk of becoming a victim. However, if you do become a victim of identity theft we recommend that you go to the website of the Federal Trade Commission at http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/ . We also recommend that you print their publication "ID THEFT When Bad Things Happen To Your Good Name". This publication will provide you with the information you will need to begin resolving your problem. It also contains form letters, logs, and copies of other documents that you might need.

How criminals get your personal information

� They steal wallets and purses containing your identification, credit cards and bank cards.

� They steal your mail, including your bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, new checks, and tax information.

� They complete a "change of address form" to divert your mail to another location.

� They rummage through your trash, or the trash of businesses, for personal data in a practice known as "Dumpster diving."

� They fraudulently obtain your credit report by posing as a landlord, employer or someone else who may have a legitimate need for, and legal right to, the information.

� They find personal information in your home.

� They use personal information you share on the Internet.

� They scam you, often through email, by posing as legitimate companies or government agencies you do business with.

� They get your information from the workplace in a practice known as "business record theft" by: stealing files out of offices where you’re a customer, employee, patient or student; bribing an employee who has access to your files; or "hacking" into electronic files.

How criminals use your personal information

� They call your credit card issuer and, pretending to be you, ask to change the mailing address on your credit card account. The imposter then runs up charges on your account. Because your bills are being sent to the new address, it may take some time before you realize there’s a problem.

� They open a new credit card account, using your name, date of birth and SSN. When they use the credit card and don’t pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report.

� They establish phone or wireless service in your name.

� They open a bank account in your name and write bad checks on that account.

� They file for bankruptcy under your name to avoid paying debts they’ve incurred under your name, or to avoid eviction.

� They counterfeit checks or debit cards, and drain your bank account.

� They buy cars by taking out auto loans in your name.

� They give your name to the police during an arrest. If they’re released from police custody, but don’t show up for their court date, an arrest warrant is issued in your name.

How can I reduce my chances of being victimized?

- Remove your name from the marketing lists of the three major credit bureaus.

- Add your name to the deletion lists of the Direct Marketing Association’s Mail Preference Service and Telephone Preference Service used by banks and other marketers.

- Make copies of the contents of your wallet – front and back sides. Do this in the event it is stolen. BE SURE TO STORE THESE DOCUMENTS IN A SECURE LOCATION!

- Do not mail bill payments from your home mailbox. They can be stolen. Take them to the post office.

- Do NOT print your SSN or driver’s license number on your checks.

- Examine your monthly credit card statements prior to paying them.

- Cancel unused credit card accounts.

- NEVER give your SSN or any other identifier to anyone over the phone unless you initiated the call and trust that business.

- Subscribe to a credit report monitoring service that will notify you when someone applies for credit in your name.

- Shred pre-approved credit applications receive in the mail.

The above information has been excerpted from the Federal Trade Commission website

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