Identity Theft

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Identity Theft

• By Nakeisha Barnett
• Thursday 2-315
• 3/4/06

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What is identity theft?

• Identity theft is when a person gathers personal
  information to assume the identity of another
  person for illicit reasons.

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Phising

• Phishing is another form of identity theft.
• What is Phishing?
• When an e-mail is sent to a user that claims to
  be a legitimate enterprise in order to trick the
  user into giving up important information that
  will be used in identity theft.

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Why Is It Done?

• An individuals identity is stolen in order for
  the criminal to
• Get credit cards.
• Steal money from the victims account.
• Rent an apartment.
• Apply for loans.
• Obtain a job with the victims identity.
• File for bankruptcy.

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How Is It Done?

• The criminal obtains the victims social security
  number, birth date, address, or phone number.
• Then the criminal uses a false drivers license
  with their picture and victims information to
  begin their crime.
• The criminal tends to claim they moved and
  provide their own address

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Where Can Criminal Get Information?

• From your doctor or dentist
• accountant or lawyer
• school
• place of work
• health insurance carrier
• incorrect disposal of personal information found
  in the trash.

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What Happens to the Victim of Identity Theft?

• They sustain abuse from collection agencies
• It takes them a long time to clean up their
  credit
• Some victims report ineffective help from banks,
  CRAs, and credit grantors

• They get little help from the authorities who
  informed them of their condition
• The police dont investigate such crimes
• There is emotional scarring

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Some Preventative Methods

• Get a locked mailbox or a post office box
• Do not place social security number on checks or
  credit card receipts
• Dont put social security number on the net
• Monitor all bank statements from every credit
  card every month
• Shred all important information and pre-approved
  credit card applications
• Obtain photo id on credit and business

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What to do If You Become A Victim

• Contact the Federal Trade Commission
• Local Postal inspection service
• Social Security administration
• Internal Revenue Service
• Three companies that can help
• Equifax
• Experian
• Trans Union

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Two Examples of Id Theft

• In 2005 an anonymous victim found out that
  someone was renting out his house to tenants from
  his realtor while he was away from the United
  States for 4 years.

• Linda Foleys identity was stolen by her employer
  Bari Nessel who used her identity to purchase
  credit cards and advertisements from a firm she
  currently worked for.

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Sources

• www.indentitytheft.org
• www.usdoj.gov/criminal /fraud/idtheft.html
• www.webopedia.com/TERM/p/phising.html
• www.privactyrights.org/AR/id_theft.htm