Identity Theft - What you should know!
An identity thief uses your personal information to commit fraud or theft.
How to Minimize the Risk
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Before you revealing personal information, find out how it
will be used: Will it be shared with others? Can I choose to have it
kept confidential? |
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Follow up if bills don't come on time. A missing bill could
mean someone has taken your account and changed the address. |
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Guard your mail from theft. Don't use your mailbox for
outgoing mail. Get incoming mail from your mailbox promptly. |
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Put non-obvious passwords on your credit card, bank, and
phone accounts. |
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Just carry ID's and credit cards you'll actually need. |
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Ask yourself, Was it I who initiated this contact?"
"Do I know who I'm dealing with?" If not, don't give personal
information on the phone, Internet, or by mail.. |
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Before discarding them, tear-up or shred charge receipts,
copies of credit apps, insurance forms, checks, bank statements, expired
charge cards, and junk mail credit offers. |
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Be careful about information in your home that could be
found by roommates, maids, or repair people. |
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Verify your employer keeps your personal information secure. |
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Ask to use other types of identifiers when asked for your
Social Security Number (SSN). Give it only when truly necessary. |
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Keep your SSN card secure. Don't carry it. |
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Verify your credit report yearly. Watch for activity that is
not yours. |
The Identity Theft Hotline
Toll-free: 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338). The FTC puts your information into a
secure consumer fraud database and may, in some cases, share it with other law
enforcement agencies.
How do Identity Thieves Get Personal Information?
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Stolen wallets and purses containing ID's and credit
cares. |
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Stolen bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit
offers, telephone calling cards and tax information from mailboxes. |
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A fraudulent post office "change of address form"
could divert your mail to another location |
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Your trash, or the trash of a business |
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Fraudulently posing as a landlord, employer or someone else
to get your credit report |
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Employment personnel records. |
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Personal information found in your home. |
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Personal information you shared on the Internet. |
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Personal information bought from "inside" sources.
For example, a thief might pay a store employee for information on an
application for goods, services or credit. |
How identity thieves use your personal information
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They get the mailing address on your credit card account
changed, then make charges. Not getting the bills, you are not immediately
aware of the problem. |
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They apply for new credit cards with your name, date of
birth and social security number. Then they don't pay the bill. |
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They use your name to get a phone or cell phone. |
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They open a bank account in your name and write bad checks. |
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They file for bankruptcy under your name to avoid paying
debts they've incurred under your name, or to avoid eviction. |
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They counterfeit checks or debit cards, and drain your bank
account. |
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They buy cars by taking out auto loans in your name. |
Social Security Numbers
Your employer and financial institution requires your Social Security number
for tax reporting purposes. When you apply for a loan, apartment, or other
credit, other businesses may need it to get a credit report on you.
In some cases, the business might be asking for your SSN just for record
keeping purposes, and may let you substitute a different number.
If asked for your SSN, find out if there are alternatives, then make the
decision on whether or not you wish to do business with the company.
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