Fastest growing crime in America: approximately 500,000 new victims a year

Making things difficult, on average, it takes 14 months for a victims to notice the crime

Technology of today requires that people be identified by numbers, Social Security, Bank accounts, credit card numbers, internet addresses, etc.

Identity theft occurs when someone steals one or more of these numbers and uses them to tap into your good credit. They use your personal information as their own to open credit cards of their own or use your credit cards, rob bank accounts, tap into retirement, savings, ect.

SOME WAYS THAT ID THIEVES WORK:

-open a new credit card account using your name, DOB, and social security number. When they use the card and don’t pay the bill the delinquent account is reported on you credit report.

-call you credit card issuer, pretending to be you, change the mailing address on your account so that you don’t realize immediately that there is a problem.

-Establish a cellular phone service in you name.

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

-They may even buy cars in your name.

HOW THEY GET INFORMATION ON YOU:

-steal wallets or purses.

-steal mail

-change of address on accounts

-dumpster diving.

-fraudulently obtaining credit reports by posing as a landlord, employer, or someone with a legitimate and legal right.

-get your business or personal records at work.

PREVENTION:

-Don’t carry your social security card, birth certificate or passport except when needed.

-Never have your social security number or credit card account number as identification when cashing a check. Driver’s license number is okay.

-get credit check annually

-Properly dispose of material that contains your numbers. Don’t just put them in the garbage, shred them.

-Never give personal information over the telephone to an unknown caller. Bank examiner is a regular scam. When in doubt, call the bank or law enforcement. Make sure that you have a dial tone when you call out after a questioned call.

-Completely destroy unwanted credit card applications.

-Photo copy everything in your wallet and keep them at home. Helpful when a wallet is stolen or lost.

-Review your monthly credit card statements.

-Don’t mail items with numbers from your home mailbox, go to the post office.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE BEEN A VICTIM?

-Purse or wallet stolen?

-Withdraws from you checking or savings account that you didn’t make.

-Calls from creditors from bills that you don’t know about.

-Denied credit for an unknown reason.

WHAT DO I DO NOW?

-You should not be liable for debts that result, but it may take time and a lot of effort to get things straitened out. DON’T GIVE IN AND PAY

-Check with the 3 major credit reporting agencies.

-Immediately notify your credit card companies.

-contact your creditors involved and locations where your card was used.

-Contact local low enforcement. Make sure the police reports show the fraudulent accounts.

-Contact your personal bank. Have the old account canceled and get a new one issued. Do not use the old password for ATM cards.

-Contact Social Security if you think that your SS number has been used.

-Keep a record of names of the people that you report abuses to and when.

-Write a victim impact letter if someone is caught, but keep notes to do so