No one deserves to be a victim of identity theft.
There are many things you can do to help prevent identity theft:
Monitor your financial accounts and statements.
Monitor your credit reports and make sure there are no unknown items present.
Use unique passwords to protect your electronic logins.
Store your personal information in a safe place.
Shred or destroy any documents that you do not need that contain your personal information, from junk mail to old statements.
Make sure you know who has access to your personal information.
Make sure all your accounts have your up-to-date contact information in case they need to contact you.
Identity Theft Facts
Only 28% of identity theft cases involve credit or financial fraud. Phone, utility, bank, and employment fraud make up another 50% of the cases. The average ID theft case takes 30 hours and costs $500 to correct. www.transunion.com
Identity theft can happen to anyone at any time. It is important to understand what identity theft is and what you can do to protect your identity. ID theft may result in fraudulent bank accounts, credit cards, and loans. Thieves may also try to obtain jobs, driver’s licenses, and/or assume your complete identity.
For More Information visit www.ftc.gov/idtheft and www.idtheftcenter.org
Who can fall victim to identity theft?
Almost anyone can become a victim of identity theft.
When do they get the information?
They get the information any time they can.
Where do identity thieves get personal information?
It can come from a number of places using a number of techniques. From dumpster diving, skimming, phishing, old fashioned stealing. or by using false inquiries to obtain your personal information from banks, credit unions, utility companies, or anywhere your personal information may be stored.
How do they steal an identity?
They take the personal information that they have gathered and they open bank accounts and credit cards. They can use social security numbers to obtain jobs, loans, and drivers licenses.
Who do I contact if my identity has been stolen?
- Contact all three credit reporting agencies and place a fraud alert on your report
- Equifax (1-800-525-6285)
- Experian (1-888-397-3742)
- TransUnion (1-800-680-7289)
- File a police report. A police report is an important document that will give you proof of the crime with creditors.
- Contact your financial institution and inform them of what is happening, they may be able to provide you with more information and help.