10 Ways to Help Prevent Identity Theft
Identity Theft has been called "the fastest growing crime in America" affecting millions of Americans each year. Nearly 10 million people fall victim to identity theft yearly, costing consumers an estimated $5 billion in out-of-pocket losses and businesses $48 billion, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
What steps can you take to protect yourself against identity theft? While there is no fool-proof way to protect yourself 100% against identity theft, there are so important steps you can take, and habits you can practice to improve your chances of being safe from identity theft:
1. Protect your social security number and drivers license number. Avoid carrying your social security card in your wallet or purse. If your health plan or any other card uses your social security number as an identifying number, request that this be changed. Don't put your social security number or drivers license number on your checks.
2. Be careful about what you say on the phone. Another popular tactic of identity thieves is to listen in on your conversations. If you must order a product or service over the phone, make sure you are in a secure and private location to avoid the chances that you will be overheard.
3. Don't give out your personal information. Scam artists constantly devise ways to capture personal information from victims. Pretending to be a bank, department store, government agency, or other "official entity" they may call you, email you, or send you unsolicited mail hoping you fall for the scheme. Never respond to a request to verify your social security number, account information, or password. The bottom line: Don't give out your personal information unless YOU initiated the contact.
4. Don't throw away your identity!. One of the easiest ways for identity thieves to steal your identity is to go through your garbage. Shred up or tear up thoroughly your papers and personal information before you throw them away. Pre-approved credit card offers, convenience checks, and any other personal information should also be destroyed.
5. Protect your computer against viruses and spies. Don't allow the personal information on your computer to be readily accessible to thieves. Use strong passwords with at least 8-10 characters, including a combination of numbers, and letters, or symbols. Use firewall, virus and sypware protection that is updated regularly. Download free software only from those sites that you know and trust. Set your browser security level to at least "medium." Steer clear of links in pop up windows or in spam email.
6. Be a smart and careful online shopper. The internet offers a convenient way for visitors to shop and buy online. However, you should be familiar with and trust the website you are visiting before entering your credit card number or any other personal information. Only enter personal info on secure sites that feature full encryption for protection. Look for a "padlock" symbol at the bottom of your browser window to indicate that the information provided will be "scrambled" to help ensure the safe arrival of your digital information.
7. Check all of your bills and bank statements carefully! Open your bank statements and credit card bills as soon as they arrive. Check very carefully for any unauthorized charges or withdrawals – and report them immediately. If you notice that a bill doesn't arrive on time, follow up with the company quickly, because a late bill may mean someone has broken into your account and changed the contact information to hide charges that are fraudulent.
8. You can stop pre-approved credit card offers. Pre-approved credit card offers are very tempting to identity thieves who may search through your mail. You can stop the majority of these pre-approved offers by requesting that your name be removed from marketing lists. The number to call is 888-5OPTOUT, or 888-567-8688.
9. Be Identity Theft Aware! When someone asks for your personal information, ask why it is needed, how it will be used, and whether it will be shared. Another important question is how it will be protected. Responsible companies will be happy to provide you with this information. If you aren't comfortable with the response, you should consider working with an alternative company.
10. Monitor your credit reports on a regular basis. One of the most important things you can do to give yourself a "first line of defense" against identity theft is to check your credit reports from all three credit bureaus on a regular basis. You can do this for free once per year through www.annualcreditreport.com, or you may order your 3-in-1 credit report that features a side-by-side comparison of all three of your credit reports. If someone has used your name to apply for credit, the "credit inquiry" should appear on one or more of your credit reports. If someone has opened up an account in your name, this should also appear on one of your reports, and if you discover that you have been victimized by identity theft, you should report it immediately. . When you review your credit report, look carefully for any item that you don't recognize, or any discrepancy that appears. Check these out very carefully because they may be a sign that you have already been victimized by identity theft!
What are some of the common warning signs of identity theft?
"Be informed. Identity theft can happen to anyone. In the past, criminals wanted your wallet to steal your money. Today, savvy thieves are more interested in stealing your good credit, and your good name. These can be far more valuable than the amount of cash you have in your wallet!"
The warning signs of identity theft may be obvious, but it is important to review a few of the most common ones:
1. You receive bills from a credit card account that you did not open.
2. You discover a "credit inquiry" on one of your credit reports indicating that someone has applied for credit in your name.
3. You are contacted by a collection agency regarding a debt that is not yours.
4. You are turned down on a credit application for a credit card, mortgage, or other form of credit due to unauthorized debts that appear on your credit report.
5. You see unauthorized charges you don't recognize on your credit cards, bank accounts, or even long distance bills.
6. Your bank account has been suddenly and inexplicably drained or depleted.
7. Your bank statement or credit account statements do not arrive on time. This is a sign that your personal information, including your address, may have been changed without your authorization.
What should you do if your private information is lost or stolen?
If personal information, your social security number, or other identification has been lost or stolen, it is important to be proactive and take immediate action to help reduce the threat of identity theft:
Call the toll-free fraud report line for any one of the three credit bureaus. You only have to call one of the three bureaus below to begin a fraud alert. The company you call is required to report the alert to the other two bureaus, and these bureaus will place an alert as well.
Equifax
P.O. Box 105873
Atlanta, GA 30348
http://www.equifax.com
(800) 685-1111
Trans Union
Consumer Disclosure Center
P.O. Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022
http://www.transunion.com
(800) 916-8800 or (800) 888-4213
Experian
P.O. Box 2104
Allen, TX 75013-2104
http://www.experian.com
(888) 397-3742
After a fraud alert has been initiated in your credit file, you have the right to order free copies of your credit reports.
When you get your credit reports, go over them very carefully. Keep an eye out for credit inquiries from companies you don't recognize and/or haven't contacted or new accounts that you didn't authorize, and debts on your accounts that you don't understand. Check to make sure personal information, like your SSN, address(es), name or initials, and employers are correct. If you discover fraudulent or inaccurate information, contact the credit reporting agencies to have it removed. For more information, you may refer to the Federal Trade Commission "For The Consumer" website at http://www.ftc.gov
It is important to monitor your credit reports on a regular basis, especially for the first year after you discover identity theft, to verify that no new evidence of fraudulent activity appears on your credit reports.
In addition to placing a fraud alert on your credit files, it is also recommended that you close accounts that are compromised, such as credit card and bank accounts, immediately. When new accounts are opened to replace them, make sure they are protected with new passwords – making sure these passwords include a combination of letters/numbers/symbols. You should avoid using your mother's maiden name, your birthday, the last four digits of your social security number, your phone number, or any series of consecutive numbers.
If your driver's license or other government-issued identification is lost or stolen, contact the DMV in your state and follow the appropriate steps to cancel the original license and have a replacement issued to you. You may request that the agency flag you file so that no one other party can obtain a license or other official identification in your name.
Identity Theft Victims: Immediate Steps to Take:
Note: If you should become a victim of identity theft refer to "Identity Theft Victims: Immediate Steps" The Federal Trade Commission has a comprehensive website, "Take Charge:Fighting Back Against Identity Theft" at http://www.ftc.gov.
This site is an excellent resource for helping consumers Deter, Detect, and Defend against identity theft. The site will give you the recommended contact information and procedures for you to:
1. Contact one of three credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit reports and review your credit reports. It is not necessary to call all three as the bureau you contact is required to contact the other two.
Equifax
P.O. Box 105873
Atlanta, GA 30348
http://www.equifax.com
(800) 685-1111
Trans Union
Consumer Disclosure Center
P.O. Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022
http://www.transunion.com
(800) 916-8800 or (800) 888-4213
Experian
P.O. Box 2104
Allen, TX 75013-2104
http://www.experian.com
(888) 397-3742
2. Close the accounts that you know, or believe, have been compromised or opened without your authorization.
3. File a report with your local police.
4. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
You can file a complaint online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. If you don't have Internet access, call the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline, toll-free: 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653- 4261; or write: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580. Be sure to call the Hotline to update your complaint if you have any additional information or problems.
*2006 Data Breach Reports of More Than 50,000 Records Each:
January 9, 2006, Atlantis Hotel (Bahamas) - 55,000 records
January 12, 2006 People's Bank (Connecticut) - 90,000 records
January 25, 2006 Providence Home Services (Oregon) - 365,000 records
February 9, 2006 Unknown Retail Merchants (Approx.) - 200,000 records
February 15, 2006 Department of Agriculture - 350,000 records
March 3, 2006 Metropolitan State College (Colorado) - 93,000 records
March 23, 2006 Fidelity Investments (Boston, MA) - 196,000 records
March 30, 2006 U. S, Marines (Monterey, CA) - 207,750 records
March 30, 2006 Georgia Technology Authority - 573,000 records
April 24, 2006 University of Texas (Austin, TX) - 197,000 records
April 24-May 4, 2006 Ohio University (Athens, OH) - 362,480 records
May 19, 2006 AICPAs (New York, NY) - 330,000 records
May 22, 2006 Department of Veteran Affairs (Washington, DC) 30,700,000 records
May 24, 2006 American Red Cross (St. Louis Chapter) - 1,000,000 records
May 30, 2006 Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corp - 1,700,000 records
June 1, 2006 Ernst & Young (UK) - 243,000 records
June 2, 2006 Buckeye Community Health Plan (Columbus, OH) - 72,000 records
June 2, 2006 YMCA (Providence, Rhode Island) - 65,000 records
June 11, 2006 Denver Election Commission (CO) 0 150,000 records
June 14, 2006 AIG Insurance Group (New York, NY) - 930,000 records
June 14, 2006 Western Illinois Univ. (Macomb, IL) - 180,000 records
June 29, 2006 Nebraska Treasurer’s Office (Lincoln, NE) 309,000
June 29, 2006 Minnesota Dept. of Revenue (St. Paul, MN) - 50,400
July 5, 2006 Bisys Group (Roseland, NJ) - 61,000 records
July 7, 2006 Naval Safety Center (U.S. Navy) - 100,000+
July 17, 2006 Vassar Brothers Medical Center (Poughkeepsie, NY) - 257,000 records
July 18, 2006 Nelnet Inc. (Lincoln, NE) - 188,000 records
July 18, 2006 CS Stars (Subsidiary of Marsh, Inc Insurance, Chicago, IL) - 540,000 records
August 4, 2006 PSA HealthCare (Norcross, GA) - 51,000 records
August 6, 2006 America Online (nationwide) Unknown number of records
August 9, 2006 U.S. Department of Transportation - 132,000 records
*This data was reported by the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse and is subject to change and update.
It is not complete. For more detailed information, go to:
PrivacyRights.org
Related Info
Daily Credit Monitoring: It can be your "first line of defense" against identity theft.
Checking All Three Credit Reports: Why you need to check all three.
How to get a side-sy-side comparison of all three of your credit reports.
How to receive your Free Credit Score.
Checking all 3 Credit Reports: Consumers may receive a free credit report from each of the three credit bureaus once a year.
For more information, go to annualcreditreport.com
