DON’T
LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!
How to Protect Your Good Name from Identity Theft
10/20/04
Are collection agencies
suddenly demanding payment for items you’ve never bought? Have
you stopped getting your credit card and bank statements in the mail?
Are stores refusing your checks, claiming you have a history of bouncing
them, even though you don’t?
You may be
a victim of identity theft.
Identity theft is
one of the fastest growing crimes in the U.S., claiming more than 10
million victims a year. The FBI is working with its partners--private
sector companies, regulatory agencies, and other law enforcement organizations--to
curb identity fraud (see Monday’s
story). But you can help us--and more importantly, help yourself--by
taking some basic preventative steps.
Some “do’s” and “don’t’s”:
DO:
- Order a copy of
your credit report each year from one of the national credit bureaus
and review it closely for any questionable entries;
- Shred or cut up
all credit card receipts and old bank statements and bills before throwing
them away;
- Close all unused
credit card or bank accounts;
- Remove your name
from mailing lists for pre-approved credit lines and telemarketers;
- Keep your PIN
number hidden when you use an ATM or public telephone;
- Contact
your creditor or service provider if you notice odd charges or
if expected
bills
don’t arrive;
- Update your computer
virus software, use a secure browser, and install a firewall program.
DON’T:
- Give out personal
information via the phone, mail, or Internet unless YOU initiated contact;
- Carry information
like your Social Security Number (SSN) or any PIN numbers or passwords
in your purse or wallet;
- Put your SSN on
your checks or other identifiers.
If your identity
HAS been stolen, we urge you to take immediate action:
- Place a fraud
alert on your credit file by notifying one of the national credit bureaus;
- Contact all creditors
and financial institutions that an identity thief may have used to
conduct transactions in your name and close all tampered accounts;
- Contact your local
police department, as well as your local FBI field office, and file
a report;
- File a complaint
with the Federal
Trade Commission (the FBI and other law enforcement agencies use
these complaints in their investigations). Online identity thefts may
also be reported to the Internet Crime
Complaint Center (IC3).
A Final Message: BE
AWARE and manage your personal information carefully!
Links:
FBI
Tips to Avoid Impersonation/Identity Fraud |
DOJ’s
Identity Theft and Fraud website | Identity
Theft and Your Social Security Number
