IDENTITY THEFT and IDENTITY FRAUD

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IDENTITY THEFT and IDENTITY FRAUD
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Identity theft is a crime.

• Identity theft and identity fraud are terms used
  to refer to all types of crime in which someone
  wrongfully obtains and uses another persons
  personal data in some way that involves fraud or
  deception, typically for economic gain.

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• Identity Theft occurs when someone gains access
  to a persons basic information, including name,
  address and credit card or Social Security
  numbers, and uses that information to open new
  charge or bank accounts, order merchandise or
  borrow money, fraudulently use telephone calling
  cards, etc.

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• Identity theft is one of the fastest growing
  crimes in America, affecting approximately
  500,000 new victims each year.

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Identity Theft - How Does It Happen?

• Identity thieves steal wallets or purses
  containing the victims identification and credit
  and bank cards
• Identity thieves steal a victims mail, including
  bank and credit card statements, pre-approved
  credit offers, telephone calling cards, etc.

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• Dumpster Diving the identity thief may rummage
  through the victims trash, or the trash of a
  business, looking for personal data.

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• Access credit reports the identity thief may
  fraudulently obtain the victims credit report by
  posing as a landlord, employer or someone else
  who may have a legitimate need and a legal
  right to the information
• The identity thief may obtain personal
  information from the Internet

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Identity Theft How Do They Use Your Personal
Information

• Having your name, date of birth and Social
  Security Number, the identity thief may open a
  new credit card account in your name and make
  numerous charges to it. If the bill isnt paid,
  a delinquency account is reported on the victims
  credit report

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• They establish a telephone or cell phone service
  in the victims name
• They counterfeit checks or debit cards and drain
  the victims bank account
• They may purchase a motor vehicle by taking out a
  loan in the victims name

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• They may open a bank account in the victims name
  and write bad checks on that account

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Prevention of Identity Theft or Fraud - Reducing
Access to Personal Data

• Minimize the number of credit cards you carry in
  your wallet or purse. Dont carry bank account
  numbers, PINs or Social Security cards.

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• Do not have your Social Security number assigned
  drivers license number, middle name or telephone
  number pre-printed on your checks.

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• Keep a list or photocopy of your credit cards,
  account numbers, expiration dates and customer
  service phone numbers
• Consider canceling any credit cards you dont
  really need or havent used in six months

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• Never provide personal information (Social
  Security number, credit card number, address,
  etc.) over the telephone unless you initiate the
  call and are familiar or acquainted with the
  business
• Always take credit card and ATM receipts with
  you. Never toss them in a public trash
  container
• Shred credit card slips, canceled checks, phone
  bills and pre-approved credit offers

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• Do not use your Social Security number as any
  kind of identifier such as ATM PIN numbers
• Review your credit card bills, telephone bills
  and checking account statements as soon as they
  are received to ensure that no fraudulent
  activity has taken place
• Store your canceled checks in a safe place

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• When you fill out a credit or loan application,
  find out how the company disposes of them.
• Pick up new checks from the bank or print your
  own
• Obtain a copy of your credit report at least once
  a year to check for errors.

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• Be careful at ATMs and using phone cards.
  Shoulder Surfers can obtain your PIN number
  and get access to your accounts.
• Do not put checks in the mail from your home
  mailbox. Drop them off at a U.S. Mailbox or the
  U.S. Post Office. Mail theft is common. It is
  easy to change the name of the recipient on the
  check with an acid wash.

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• Obtain credit cards with your picture on them,
  whenever possible
• Remove your name from the marketing lists of the
  three main credit bureaus

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• When you are traveling or away from home for an
  extended period of time, have your mail held at
  your local post office, or ask someone you know
  well and trust to collect and hold your mail
  while you are away.

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• If your monthly credit card or bank statements do
  not arrive at the normal time of the month, call
  the financial institution or credit card company
  immediately and ask about it.

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• When creating passwords and PINs, do not use the
  last four digits of your Social Security number,
  your birth date, middle name, mothers maiden
  name, address, consecutive numbers or anything
  else that can be easily discovered by thieves.

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• Persons who prefer that their credit record not
  be used for marketing purposes can contact the
  three major credit bureaus with that request.
  Your name will be flagged in their computer and
  automatically deleted from any marketing lists,
  without hurting your chances for credit approval
• Experian 800/353-0809
• Equifax 800/685-1111
• Trans Union 800/680-7293

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• You can remove yourself from most national
  mailing lists by contactingDirect Marketing
  AssociationMail Preference ServiceP.O. Box
  9008Farmington, NY 11735-9008

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• They will put you into a delete file, which is
  sent to subscribing organizations (70) four
  times a year, your name stays on the delete list
  for five years. This should result in a
  reduction of catalogs, magazine offers, credit
  card solicitations, sweepstakes and other
  national advertising mail.

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• To remove yourself from national telemarketing
  lists, contactDirect Marketing
  AssociationTelephone Preference ServiceP.O. Box
  9014Farmington, NY 11735-9014

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• You can tell telemarketers who call you to put
  you on their Do Not Call lists. In many
  states, by law companies cannot call you back for
  a certain period of time (such as one year). If
  a telemarketer from the same business calls you
  again, make a note of the date and report it
  toFederal Trade CommissionConsumer Response
  Center6TH Pennsylvania Avenue, NWRoom
  240Washington, DC 20580Phone [phone]

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If You Are A Victim of Identity Theft or Fraud

• Report the crime to the appropriate local law
  enforcement agency. Provide them with as much
  documented evidence as possible. Obtain a copy
  of the police report. Obtain the telephone
  number of your fraud investigator and provide it
  to creditors and others who require verification
  of your case.

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• Identity theft is a federal crime investigated by
  the U.S. Secret ServiceIdentity Theft and
  Assumption Deterrence ActPassed in 1998. Under
  this law, a conviction for identity theft carries
  a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment, a
  fine and forfeiture of any personal property used
  or intended to be used to commit the crime

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• Immediately contact the fraud units of the three
  credit reporting companies Eperian (formerly
  TRW), Equifax and Trans Union.

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• Eperian (formerly TRW)P.O. Box 2104Allen, TX
  75013-2104Fraud - 888/397-3742Web site
  www.eperian.com
• EquifaxP.O. Box 105873Atlanta, GA 30348Fraud
  - 800/525-6285Web site www.equifx.com

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• Trans Union CorporationP.O. Box 34012Fullerton,
  CA 92834Fraud - 800/680-7289Web site
  www.tuc.com

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• Contact all creditors immediately with whom your
  name has been used fraudulently by phone and in
  writing. Obtain replacement cards with new
  account numbers for those that have been
  fraudulently used. Ask that old accounts be
  processed as account closed at consumers
  request. Carefully monitor your mail and credit
  card bills for evidence of new fraudulent
  activity. Report such fraudulent activity
  immediately to credit grantors.

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• If you have had checks stolen or bank accounts
  set up fraudulently, report it to the check
  verification companies. Put stop payments on any
  outstanding checks you are unsure of. Cancel your
  checking and savings accounts and obtain new
  account numbers.

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• If your ATM card has been stolen or compromised,
  obtain a new card, account number and password.
  Do not use your old password. When creating a
  password, dont use common numbers like the last
  four digits of your Social Security number or
  your birth date.

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• Social Security Number Misuse. Call the Social
  Security Administration to report fraudulent use
  of your Social Security number. As a last
  resort, you might want to change your Social
  Security number. The SSA will only change it if
  your fit their fraud victim criteria. Order a
  copy of your Social Security Earnings and
  Benefits Statement and check it for accuracy.

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• If you have a passport, notify the passport
  office in writing to be on the lookout for anyone
  ordering a new passport fraudulently.

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THANK YOU