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Identity Theft Don’t Let Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name

Identity Theft Don’t Let Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name. ID Theft -- A Major Problem. 27 million American victims over 5 years 9.9 million over the past year $48 billion in losses to business $5 billion in out-of-pocket losses to consumers Source: Federal Trade Commission.

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Identity Theft Don’t Let Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name

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  1. Identity TheftDon’t Let Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name

  2. ID Theft -- A Major Problem • 27 million American victims over 5 years • 9.9 million over the past year • $48 billion in losses to business • $5 billion in out-of-pocket losses to consumers Source: Federal Trade Commission

  3. ID Theft -- Defined • ID Theft – a wholesale takeover of someone’s identity for financial gain. • ID Fraud – creating a brand new identity from several different sources to commit crimes and evade detection.

  4. You May Not Know Until: • You are contacted by a collection agency; • Credit charges show up that you never made; • A lender tries to repossess a car you never purchased; • You are contacted by police about a crime you didn’t commit.

  5. What Does the Thief Want? • Your Social Security Card • Your Driver’s License • Your Account Numbers

  6. Where Does the Thief Get These? • Your Wallet or Purse • Your Mailbox • Your Car • Your Trash • Your Computer • You

  7. How Is This Information Used? • Use credit cards to go on buying spree • Open new accounts in your name • Change mailing address on your accounts • Buy a car, with loan in your name • Get phone service in your name • Drain your bank account • Apply for a job in your name • Use your name if arrested for a crime

  8. ID Theft & Your Family • ID thieves are targeting children • Information is easy to find • Hard to catch

  9. How to Protect Yourself • Your Wallet or Purse • Don’t carry your social security card • Don’t carry papers that contain your social security number

  10. How to Protect Yourself • Credit/Debit Cards • Don’t carry more than you really need • If you aren’t using a card, cancel it • Don’t sign…write “check photo ID” • Check statements for fraud • Keep copies of cards in secure location • Don’t forget the checkbook

  11. Cash Out

  12. How to Protect Yourself • Your Mailbox: • Place outgoing mail in secure box; • Use locked box or pick up incoming mail as soon as possible; • Consider central delivery into locked boxes.

  13. How to Protect Yourself • Your Car: • Check glove box and rest of car • Remove any personally identifiable documents

  14. How to Protect Yourself • Your trash: • Consider purchasing an inexpensive paper shredder from local office supply store; • Shred all documents containing personal information before disposing.

  15. Protect Yourself – Your Computer • Your login/password: • Use unique passwords with combinations of numbers, letters and characters; • This “th%d4get” • Not this “password” or “bob” • Change passwords regularly; • Remember them, don’t write them down.

  16. Protect Yourself – Credit Report • Get your free credit report • www.annualcreditreport.com

  17. Protect Yourself – Get off the List • National Do Not Call List • www.donotcall.gov • 1-888-382-1222 • Direct Mail Opt Out • www.optoutprescreen.com • 1–888-567-8688 • FTC Spam Complaints • spam@uce.gov

  18. You Are Your Own Best Defense • Never, never, never give out personal information to people you don’t know; • Beware of Internet “Phishing” – people who “phish” the Web hoping to hook you into giving them your login, password or credit card information

  19. If You’re a Victim • Contact your local police and report this as a crime for two reasons: • To help police track crime and spare others; • Because you will need a copy of the police report to help prove you are a crime victim.

  20. If You’re a Victim • Contact any of the three major credit reporting agencies: • Equifax • Experian • TransUnion Contact information can be found at: www.bbb.org/idtheft

  21. If You’re a Victim • Notify credit grantors • On your existing accounts; • On any accounts you believe may have been fraudulently opened in your name.

  22. If You’re a Victim • Complete an ID Theft Affidavit • A copy can be accessed through: • www.bbb.org/idtheft

  23. BBB of Northwest FloridaA Source for Information and Help Telephone – (850) 429-0002 Web Site – www.nwfl.bbb.org ID Theft Web Site – www.bbb.org/idtheft

  24. Identity Theft Don’t Let Bad Things Happen To Your Good Name

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