Identity theft can take many forms. The thief can rent an apartment, obtain a credit card to make purchases or even get telephone service in your name. You may not even know that you have been victimized until you see the evidence on your credit report or, even worse, a debt collector calls you.
Identity theft is considered a crime of opportunity. The thieves resort to many different methods of obtaining your personal information from searching your trash to using a special device to “skim” your credit card information to simply stealing your purse or wallet.
How can you protect yourself against identity theft?
1. Be careful when you open e-mail. If you don’t know the sender, don’t click on any links in the e-mail, especially if it is requesting personal information such as social security number, credit card information or your password. Phishing schemes send e-mail messages that look like they are coming from a company that you may have an account with. No legitimate business will request this type of information via e-mail.
2. Photocopy the contents of your purse or wallet. Your driver’s license, credit cards and insurance cards are a thief’s targets. Photocopy BOTH sides of these key identity cards, and keep a copy in a secure location. If you discover that you have become a victim of Identity theft, you will have all of the contact information available to cancel accounts and notify these companies of the theft. Do not carry your social security card or give out the number where others can overhear it.
3. Check your credit report regularly. Evaluate your credit report once a year to check for unauthorized credit activity. False transactions can be removed from your report. Get a REAL Free Credit Report and IGNORE THOSE “FREE CREDIT REPORT” ADS. Now that people are more concerned about checking their credit reports, I see a lot of ads for free credit reports, but when you check the fine print they require you to sign up for a $14.95/month credit monitoring service. HOWEVER, you CAN get a REAL free credit report at www.AnnualCreditReport.com or by simply calling 1-877-322-8228. The advantage of the online AnnualCreditReport.com service is that you get the report much faster online than if you order it by phone and wait for it to come in the mail.
5. Check your credit card and bank statements monthly. Be alert for charges that you did not authorize or missed statements. If you do not receive a statement, contact the financial institution immediately – an identity thief may have stolen your mail or filed a change of address with your bank..
6. Invest in a paper shredder. Use it on any document that you are throwing away that may contain your birth date, social security number, or other personal identification numbers.
7. File a police report if you find that you are a victim of Identity Theft. A police report known as an Identity Theft Report contains specific details of the theft and may provide you with certain legal rights in the case of Identity Theft. You can present it to the three major credit-reporting agencies and any company where a thief has fraudulently used your identity. After you have filed a police report, you will be able to get an enhanced Fraud Alert put on your file at the three major credit-reporting agencies.
8. Fill out the FTC online Identity Theft Complaint Form. After you fill out the online form, you can print it out (sensitive information will not print). This form can be used to support your local police report. You can find this report here: FTC Identity Theft Report Form
Awareness of Identity Theft is your most valuable weapon to combat it. By protecting yourself and taking action, you can make an Identity thief’s chances of accessing your personal information much more difficult. You can’t afford to think that Identity Theft can’t or won’t happen to you. Be aware and protect your information.
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