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Preventing Identity Theft

Preventing Identity Theft. Jennifer Abel Virginia Cooperative Extension. What is Identity Theft?. An identity thief takes some piece of your personal information without your knowledge and uses it to commit fraud or theft. Fastest growing crime in the U.S.

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Preventing Identity Theft

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  1. Preventing Identity Theft Jennifer Abel Virginia Cooperative Extension

  2. What is Identity Theft? • An identity thief takes some piece of your personal information without your knowledge and uses it to commit fraud or theft. • Fastest growing crime in the U.S. • Example: A thief uses your personal information to open a credit card account in your name

  3. How do thieves get your info? • By stealing wallets and purses • They divert your mail with a change of address form • They steal your mail • They use info you share on the Internet • They find info in your home or in your trash • They get your personnel records at work • They obtain your credit report by posing as a landlord or employer • They buy your info from pretexters

  4. What can they do with your info? • Buy cars by taking out loans in your name • Open a bank account in your name and write bad checks on the account • Counterfeit checks or debit cards and empty your bank account • Establish phone or wireless service in your name • Change the address on your credit card or open new cards in your name. Delinquencies show up on your credit report

  5. How to protect yourself • Check your credit report once per year • Before you reveal personal information, ask how it will be used and shared with whom • Pay attention to your billing cycles • Mail bills at post office or collection boxes instead of from your mailbox • Put vacation hold on mail when you’re away. Call 800-275-8777.

  6. Protecting yourself cont. • Don’t carry your SSN card • Minimize the credit cards you carry • Put passwords on credit card, bank, and phone • Use an assigned license number rather than your SSN • Remove your name from telephone solicitation lists and national mailing lists. • Renew request every 5 years • Remove name from national e-mail lists: www.e-mps.org

  7. More tips for minimizing your risk • Use a locked mailbox at home or a P.O. box • When you order new checks, pick them up rather than having them mailed • Keep a photocopy of all credit cards • Take credit card and ATM receipts with you • Call 888-5OPTOUT to stop receiving pre-screened credit card offers • Shred documents with personal info before discarding

  8. And still more tips • Make sure your personal info at work is kept in a secure place • Make sure personal information in your home is secure • Don’t give out personal information unless you initiated the contact or trust the business • Memorize all passwords • Shield your hand when entering PIN at ATM • Assumption and Deterrence Act of 1998

  9. When SSN is requested, ask... • Why do you need my SSN? • How will my SSN be used? • What law requires me to give you my SSN? • What will happen if I don’t give you my SSN?

  10. What to do if you’re a victim:1. Contact credit bureaus • Call fraud units of three nat’l credit bureaus • Equifas: 800-272-9281 • Experian: 888-397-3742 or 800-301-7195 • Trans Union: 800-680-7289 • Ask that a fraud alert be placed in your file • Add a victim’s statement to your report • Review reports quarterly

  11. 2. Contact creditors • Contact all pertinent creditors, by phone and in writing • Request replacement cards with new account numbers • Victims are liable for no more than $50 fraudulently charged on credit cards • Request copies of all fraudulent credit applications and statements of charges

  12. 3. Contact law enforcement • Contact all police and sheriff's departments with jurisdiction over your case • Get copy of your police report or report number • Give the phone number of your fraud investigator to those requiring proof of your case • Provide as much documented evidence as possible

  13. If your address has been changed on an existing credit card account... • Close the account • When opening a new account, assign a password that must be used before any changes can be made to account • Avoid using birthdate, mother’s maiden name, last 4 digits of SSN, four consecutive numbers • Use different information for PIN

  14. If bank accounts have been tampered with... • Close accounts • Password-only access on new accounts • If checks stolen, stop payment on checks • Contact check verification companies • National Check Fraud Service: 843-571-2143 • SCAN: 800-262-7771 • TeleCheck: 800-710-9898 • Cross Check: 707-586-0551 • Equifax Check Systems: 800-437-5120 • International Check Services: 800-526-5380

  15. If ATM card lost or stolen... • Cancel card as soon as possible • Get a new card with a new PIN • Not liable for more than $50 if report loss or theft within two business days

  16. If the identity theft concerns phone service... • Contact service provider to cancel account • Open new accounts with new PINs • Difficulty removing fraudulent charges from bills? Contact the Federal Communications Commission: 888-CALLFCC; www.fcc.gov/ccb/enforce/complaints.html

  17. Mail Theft • Report mail theft or fraudulent changes of address to: • U.S. Postal Inspections Service, Operation Support Group, 222 S Riverside Plaza, Suite 1250, Chicago, IL 60606-800-372-8437 • www.nps.gov/websites/depart/inspect

  18. Passports • If you’re the victim of identity fraud, someone could fraudulently order a passport in your name • Contact U.S. Passport Agency, 202-647-0518 • Ask for form #DSP-64, used to notify the office of the theft of your passport • Make a copy of the completed form and send original to Agency

  19. Legal Help • If you need an attorney to help resolve your identity theft, contact the Arlington County Bar Association for a referral: 703-228-4465 • $35 consultation fee

  20. More Help • Report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission: 877-IDTHEFT, www.consumer.gov/idtheft • If you can’t get your financial institution to resolve banking ID theft problems, find the agency with jurisdiction over your institution: www.ffiec.gov/nic/default.htm • Contact the office of the VA Attorney General: 800-451-1525

  21. Summary • Guard your personal information • Pay attention to your billing cycles • Report identity theft to credit bureaus, creditors, and law enforcement • Get help from law enforcement, FTC, legal aid • Don’t give up until the situation is resolved and all erroneous information is removed from your credit report

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