The following tips can help you lower your risk of becoming a victim.
- Protect your Social Security number and don't carry the card in your wallet. If your health plan (other than Medicare) uses your Social Security number, ask the company for a different number.
- Scam artists "phish" for victims by pretending to be banks, stores or government agencies. Don't give out your personal information - unless you made the contact. Don't respond to a request to verify your account number or password. Legitimate companies do not request this kind of information in this way.
- Shred or tear up papers with personal information before you throw them away. Shred credit card offers and "convenience checks" that you don't use.
- Protect your personal information on your home computer. Use strong passwords, with at least eight characters, including a combination of letters, numbers and symbols, easy for you to remember, but difficult for others to guess.
- Use firewall, virus and spyware protection software that you update regularly. Steer clear of spyware. Download free software only from sites you know and trust.
- Don't install software without knowing what it is. Set browser security to at least "medium." Don't click on links in pop-up windows or in spam e-mail.
Source: California Office of Privacy Protection.
STEPS TO TAKE IF YOU BECOME A VICTIM
If you are a victim of identity theft, take the following four steps as soon as possible.
1. Place a fraud alert on your credit reports.
Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening accounts in your name. Contact any of the three credit bureaus listed below to do this. The company you call is required to contact the other two, which will place an alert on their versions of your report, too.
- Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com; P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
- Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com; P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
- TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com; Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790
A fraud alert lets you order one free copy of your credit report from each of the three bureaus. Once you get your credit reports, look for inquiries from companies you haven't contacted, accounts you didn't open, and unauthorized debts. Check that your Social Security number, address(es), name or initials, and employers are correct. Remove any fraudulent or inaccurate information. Check your credit reports periodically, especially for the first year after you discover the identity theft, to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred.
2. Close accounts you think have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
Call the fraud department of each company. Follow up in writing, and include copies of supporting documents. Notify credit card companies and banks in writing. Send letters by certified mail, return receipt requested, so you can document what the company received and when. With new accounts, use new personal identification numbers and passwords. Avoid using your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security number or your phone number, or a set of consecutive numbers. If the identity thief has made charges or debits on your accounts, or has fraudulently opened accounts, ask for forms to dispute those transactions.
3. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
You can go to www.ftc.gov and file an online complaint or call 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261; or write Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.
Filing a complaint with the FTC provides important information that can help law enforcement officials fight identity theft. The FTC can refer victims' complaints to other government agencies and companies for further action, as well as investigate companies for violations of laws the agency enforces.
4. File a report with your local police or police in the community where the identity theft took place.
Call your local police department and tell them that you want to file a report about your identity theft. If the police are reluctant to take your report, ask to file a "miscellaneous incident" report, or try another jurisdiction, like your state police. Provide a printed copy of your online FTC complaint form. The FTC complaint, in conjunction with the police report, can entitle you to certain protections.
Source: Federal Trade Commission. For more information about identity theft go to www.ftc.gov or call the Commission's ID Theft hot line at 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338) or TTY: 1-866-653-4261.
However, the best way to combat ID Theft is to be proactive and have a service monitor your credit and provide the restoration so you don't have to spend 600 hours and $1500 to do it yourself.
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