Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, Social Security number, credit card number or other identifying information, without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes.
This is a very common problem and has been made worse with the ease of passing around personal information. Victims may lose job opportunities, be refused loans, education, housing or cars, or even get arrested for crimes they didn't commit.
Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years and their hard earned money cleaning up the mess.
If you think your identity has been stolen, here's what to do now:
- Contact the fraud departments of all three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit file.
- Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Use the ID Theft Affidavit when disputing new unauthorized accounts.
- File a police report. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime.
- File your complaint with the FTC which keeps track of these crimes on a national level. This is a federal crime! 1-877-ID THEFT (877-438-4338) or TDD at 202-326-2502.
Many people do not realize how easily criminals can obtain our personal data without having to break into their homes. Some criminals engage in "dumpster diving" going through your garbage cans or a communal dumpster or trash bin -- to obtain copies of your checks, credit card or bank statements, or other records that typically bear your name, address, and even your telephone number. These types of records make it easier for criminals to get control over accounts in your name and assume your identity.
If you receive applications for pre-approved credit cards in the mail, but discard them without tearing up the enclosed materials, criminals may retrieve them and try to activate the cards for their use without your knowledge. Also, if your mail is delivered to a place where others have ready access to it, criminals may simply intercept and redirect your mail to another location.
In public places, for example, criminals may engage in shoulder surfing where they are watching you from a nearby location as you punch in your telephone calling card number or credit card number or listen in on your conversation if you give your credit card number over the telephone to a hotel or rental car company.
The Internet has become an easy place for criminals to obtain identifying data, such as passwords or even banking information. Spam is responsible for a lot of this crime. When you respond to an email from a person you do not know or did not request information from, you may be sent to a site which could have a trojan that can collect personal information you may have stored on your computer that could potentially tell the criminal who you are, where you live, your email addresses, your friends' email addresses, web sites you visit, passwords, bank and credit card log in account information, and any other dangerous things you do not want a stranger to access.
Even worse, a new trend called "phishing" is where a spammer sends out so-called official email from well known banks, credit card companies, and even stock companies. They will claim there is a problem with your account and say you must click on that link to correct your information or your account will be deleted. Often the people receiving the spam will have no idea what they are talking about because they do not have an account with the people and are not likely to click it. But if you do happen to have an account you are likely to click on it and be sent to a page where you are giving them all your personal access information where they take over your account.
Avoiding The Trap
Obviously, if someone is determined to go after you, they will find a way to do it. However, there are things you can do to greatly decrease your risk:
Saving Your Trash
- Invest in a paper shredder.
- All mail with any personal information that you are about to throw away - shred it.
- All personal documents [IRS, pay stubs, old bills, banks statements...] - shred it.
- All print outs you made on your computer with personal identifying information - shred it.
Keeping Safe In Public Areas
- Wear a fanny pack with the front zipper where you can see it when in a crowded area
- Never keep all of your important documents where someone can steal them
- Keep your social security card at home in a safe place and memorize it
- Do not put your social security number on your driver's license
- Only leave the house with the credit cards you will use that day and leave the rest in a safe place at home
- When using a public phone, keep the keypad out of sight of strangers
- Use a cellphone when possible if going in a crowded area instead of a public phone and watch out for people listening to your conversation or looking at you punching in numbers
- If sitting down on a toilet in a public restroom, keep your purse in your lap and not on the hook of the door
- If you have important documents in your car's glove compartment, make sure it is locked
- Watch out for people who may look suspicious
- If someone bumps into you, make sure you observe to see if there may be a partner nearby who is waiting for a distraction
- Do not throw out your ATM receipts
- Never verbalize your personal information when doing business in a fairly crowded area - instead write it down for those who need to know and tear it up when they get the required infomation
Keeping Safe Online
- Never respond to spam! Don't click on it. Don't ask to be removed from the list. Just delete it.
- There is no reputable company that will send you an e-mail asking you to give them your personal details after you have signed up. If someone says they are from a company you deal with, do not click on the e-mail link, but instead go direct to the company's web site by manually entering the URL on your browser and find a customer service number to speak with a person if you are in doubt.
- Clean up your cookie trail.
- Clean up your history trail.
- Invest in a good spyware removal tool.
- Get a different e-mail account to use for responding to online offers. Keep a private e-mail account for family and friends only.
Keeping In Control
- Ask periodically for a copy of your credit report
- Maintain careful records of your banking and financial accounts
