Identity Theft
Do you need to be a computer user to be a victim of identity theft? No. Purse snatching, dumpster diving, mailbox theft, picking up a receipt with a credit card number on it etc. are still ways for people with malicious intent to collect new victims. No matter how they get it, with enough information somebody can impersonate you.
With the arrival of the Internet and the massive amount of people using computers daily, identity theft has reached new levels. Not only can an individual’s information be hacked and stolen, but identity can be stolen on a large scale by attacking a company’s database that holds its customer’s credit card and other personal information. If this happens to a company you do business with, then you may become a victim of identity theft.
Recovering from identity theft is an ordeal that can be quite costly both financially and emotionally. The risk is there for each of us. Don’t think it can’t happen to you!
There are three major components to the issue of identity theft and we will address them here:
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First and foremost: use caution and common sense!
- Don’t do business with companies you’re not sure you can trust. Verify websites for their legitimacy before making a purchase.
- Check the privacy policy: how will a company use or distribute your information?
- Don’t reveal personal information on social networking websites. Identity thieves are clever at piecing information together.
- Use security features that are easily available to you: use good passwords and change them periodically, use anti-virus software and keep it up to date, install a firewall.
- Check your records! Keep track of credit card statements versus purchases you made, check the activity on your bank account(s) and run a credit report at least once a year.
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How can you tell if your identity has been compromised?
- Unusual activity on your bank account(s).
- Statements reflecting purchases you did not make.
- New accounts such as credit cards, store credit cards or loans which you did not set up, on your credit report.
- Collection agencies calling because of a past due account.
- When you try to buy something and your card is denied, it should raise a red flag!
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When you suspect your identity has been stolen, what do you do about it?
- Immediate action: Inform all of your credit card companies, companies where you have accounts and your banks.
- Immediate action: Contact the Social Security Office and the Department of Motor Vehicles.
- Immediate action: Contact credit bureaus and have a fraud alert placed on your credit reports. The main ones are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
- File a police report.
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Inform yourself! What are your rights? Do you need a lawyer? The following sites offer information and guidance:
- Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/
- United States Department of Justice: http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html
- Social Security Administration: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/idtheft.htm
- Keep track of the action you’ve taken and keep meticulous records of everything! When informing the above mentioned institutions it is best to do this both verbally and via certified mail.