News and Issuances

WASHINGTON — The Office of Comptroller of the Currency has joined the public-private coalition that supports the third annual Protect Your Identity Week (PYIW), an initiative of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and the Council of Better Business Bureaus (BBB). The week-long initiative, October 17 – 23, 2010, brings focus to the PYIW national campaign's Web site and community events aimed at identity theft protection and education.

"Over 10 million Americans were affected by identity theft last year. Consumers must protect themselves and become educated about identity theft to prevent and resolve problems," said John Walsh, Acting Comptroller of the Currency.

As part of this initiative, the OCC has made available its Web resources that help consumers understand identity theft risks and how they may safeguard their personal information.

Consumers can find PYIW educational events in their area, hosted by local NFCC and BBB members, or other coalition partners, by visiting www.ProtectYourIDNow.org. Consumers can take advantage of identity theft workshops, onsite shredding and credit report reviews. The Web site also includes identity theft protection tips, videos, an interactive quiz to assess an individual's risk of identity theft, and resources for victims. The Web site is also available in Spanish at www.CuideSuIdentidad.org. The OCC's resources on identity theft may be accessed from the "Consumer Resources" section of the PYIW Web site.

Related Links

• OCC Fighting Identity Theft
• "Phishing"
• OCC If You Become a Victim of Identity Theft (PDF)
• OCC HelpWithMyBank.gov