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Identity Theft Resource Guide

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is a crime in which someone obtains private personal information and use it without your knowledge for their own personal gain. Identity theives steal and use your Social Security number, your bank account, credit card number, your telephone calling card number, and your name, address, and phone number.

Some Ways theives steal your identity

Watch you when you punch in your calling card or credit card number in your telephone or listen to your conversation while giving your number over the phone.
Go through your garbage or a dumpster to obtain copies of your checks, credit card or bank statements, or anything that contains your name, address, and telephone number.
Activating a preapproved credit card from an application found
intercept your mail to another location
Using the internet to obtain passwords or banking information.
Steal your wallet containing credit cards and identification
steal credit and debit card numbers using an information storage device

What do the theives do with the information they steal?

Fill out false applications for loans and credit cards
Withdraw money from bank accounts
Fraudulent use of telephone calling cards
Open up new credit cards under your name
Open up new bank account under your name and bounce checks
Open up a wireless telephone account under your name

The criminal might also take steps to ensure that bills for the credit cards or bank statements showing the unauthorized withdrawals, are sent to a totally different address so the victim does not realize what is happening until the criminal has already inflicted substantial damage on the victim's credit.

How to prevent Identity theft

Shred all documents with personal information on them such as social security number, credit card numbers, checks, name, address, phone number.
Remove your mail from your mailbox as soon as possible
If you are traveling, have someone pick up your mail for you every day or put a vacation hold on your mail through the US Post office.
If you are in public and need to give personal financial information over the phone, make sure you are in a closed telephone booth or in an area where no one can hear you talking.
Only give personal information on the phone or internet if you've initiated the contact.
Check your credit report periodically to make sure there is no unusual activity happening

What to do if you suspect Identity Theft.

Contact one of the three credit agencies and ask to have a 90 day fraud alert placed on your report. This lets creditors know that your identity may have been stolen and they should be cautious of new loan applications. One call triggers an alert to all three bureaus. The next thing to do would be to call all of your creditors. Close accounts that have been tampered with or opened in your name and challenge the fraudulent charges. Make sure to follow up with certified letters. Many lenders have forms to use, or you can use the Federal Trade Commission's ID theft affidavit. File a police report which will let you extend a fraud alert up to seven years.

Something even better than a fraud alert would be to place a full freeze on your credit report. This prevents anyone from opening an account without your permission. There are only 12 states in which you can do this: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Washington