How does identity theft happen?
- Thieves look through your trash in search of bills or other documents with personal information on it.
- Skimming is when they attempt to steal your credit or debit card numbers by entering them into an additional storage device as they are processing a payment on your card.
- Through phishing emails in attempts to get you to reveal your personal financial information.
- Thieves divert your billing statements by diverting your mail by completing a change of address form.
- They steal your information in wallets, purses and mail. Including items like newly mailed checks, credit card offers, billing statements and personal financial information. They can also steal the personnel data from corporations.
Tips to deter identity theft
- Use a secure place to keep your personal financial related information. This is especially important if you employ others at your home or have roommates.
- Use uncommon passwords that are not obvious. For example don’t use your birth date or your mother’s maiden name.
- Do not give out your personal information over the phone, via mail or online unless you are know the people you are dealing with.
- When it comes to financial documents or any documents with personal information - shred it.
- Unsolicited emails are dangerous. Don’t click on links within them and make sure you are using software to detect spyware, viruses and phishing which is up to date.
- Be careful with your social security number. Don’t carry your card with you and do not write in on checks. You should only give this out when absolutely necessary when another form of identification is not adequate.
Tips to detect identity theft
- Watch for any credit denials when there shouldn’t be a problem.
- Investigate any calls or notifications for purchases you don’t remember making.
- Investigate if your bills do not arrive on time.
- Look for any charges on your credit cards or billing statements that you don’t recognize.
- Monitor your credit reports as they are a record of your accounts and history of paying bills.
- Each of the major credit reporting agencies are required to give you one free credit report per year when you ask for it.
- Call 1-877.322.8228 or visit AnnualCreditReport.com which has been created by the credit reporting agencies. Or you can write them at Annual Credit Report Request Service, PO Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.
Tips to defend against identity theft
- Close any accounts which have been established fraudulently or have had suspicious activities.
- Call the fraud department of any account that was opened or altered without your approval and then follow up with a written statement.
- Go to the FTC and create an ID theft affidavit in support of your claim.
- Require that the company give you verification that the account has been closed and any fraud corrected.
- Make sure to keep all documentation.
- Place a fraud alert with one of the three major credit reporting agencies.
- Experian - 1.888.397.3742
- TransUnion - 1.800.680.7289
- Equifax - 1.800.525.6285
- The fraud alert gives notice to creditors that there are additional procedures that need to be followed prior to opening new accounts or changing existing and will get you free copies of your credit report to examine.
- Creditors may require proof of a crime which will require a police report. You will need to file a report with the police.
