Protecting Yourself From
Identity Theft
by
Mary Whitaker
Identity (ID) Theft
Identity theft is a very serious
matter. Consequently, it is the
fastest growing crime in the
United States. This offense can
have a devastating affect on
lives, and is time consuming and
costly to reverse.
It is our hope to enlighten and
offer information you can use to
prevent this from happening to
you.
COMMON WAYS Identity (ID) Theft Happens
First, identify the various methods thieves use to steal your personal information.
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Dumpster Diving – is where
perpetrators rummage through
trash looking for bills or other
papers with your personal
information on it.
Skimming - stealing credit/debit
card numbers by using a special
storage device when processing
your card.
Changing Your Address – they do
this to divert your billing statements
to another location by completing a
"change of address" form.
"Old-Fashioned" Stealing - is
where thieves steal wallets and
purses, and use the contents
therein to commit ID theft crimes.
Safe Guard
Take precautions by following these simple guidelines such as knowing the three
D’s of prevention: deter, detect, and defend.
Deter identity thieves by safeguarding your
information. For example, do not dispose of mail
that has your name, address, account numbers,
social security numbers on them (household bills,
banking statements, junk mail).
Instead, shred financial documents and
paperwork with personal information before you
discard them.
DO NOT carry your Social Security card in
your wallet or write your Social Security
number on a check. Give it out ONLY when
necessary.
DO NOT give out personal information on
the phone, through the mail, or over the
Internet, unless you absolutely know whom
you are dealing with.
Detect any suspicious activity by routinely monitoring financial
accounts, billings, and banking statements.
Whether accidental or deliberate human error is inevitable; therefore,
it is essential to review content of any document for accuracy,
legitimacy, and validity.
Defend against ID theft as soon as you detect anything out-of-theordinary by reporting problems immediately to proper institutions, and
by filing report at the police department.
By all means, DO keep
your personal information
in a secure place at
home.
Consider investing in a
shredder and a fireproof
file cabinet to ensure a
safe place for important
documents.
CREDIT CARD Usage
Besides owning a home or a car, a credit card is
one of the most valuable items you can obtain, and
one of the most transferable items you will ever
possess. It can be used for (1) purchasing grocery
(2) DVD's (3) CD’s (4) games (5) buying online
(6) clothing.
Its most admirable use is the ability to receive
cash, depending on your contract of course, and
more.
DO NOT sign or initial the back of VISA and Debit
cards, or credit cards, because, if the card is lost or
stolen the person who retrieves it will also have
your signature.
Instead, be prepared to present proof of ID to
cashiers and tellers when using credit cards.
Furthermore, to discourage unauthorized use of the card:
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Do not give your credit card number to anyone
over the phone without knowing why, or who.
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Only use Websites that state they have a
secure connection and is a reputable business.
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Do not put your credit card number on the
outside of envelopes, or post cards.
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Do not sign blank charge slips.
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In the event you are at a store that uses carbon
copies, ask for the carbon paper.
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Check monthly statements for accuracy.
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Cut up old and useless credit cards by cutting
through the account number.
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Protect your credit card pin number.
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Carry as few credit cards as possible.
Personally, I think anyone should inform institutions that
bearer of the card should present cashiers with picture ID,
especially when card is used in stores.
In addition, if you would like a free copy of your credit
report, contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. It is a
requirement by law for these agencies to give you a free
copy of your credit report each year, at your request.
Upon arrival, look for accounts that you have not opened,
and unexplained debts.
Below is contact numbers to request copy of report
from agencies.
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
INTERNET Usage and Firewall Protection
The World Wide Web or Internet has become the
largest means of communication of its kind. We can
email, fax, send and receive documents to almost
any city, country, or location in the world.
Nevertheless, there are precautions to consider
when forwarding information and retrieving
information on the Internet.
For example, when creating passwords on Websites
DO NOT use obvious password such as birth dates
personal numbers, your mother's maiden name, or
the last four digits of your Social Security number,
etc.
Create passwords with a combination of letters,
underscores, and numbers; but keep it simple
enough to remember.
Next, never click on links sent in unsolicited emails (people
that you do not know). Only, type in a web address you know.
It is imperative to install firewalls on computers to prevent
access of your information, anti-spyware, and anti-virus
software to protect your home computer; keep them up-todate.
To summarize, Do not share personal information with people
over the phone, do not sign the backs of your credit cards,
protect pin numbers, put important documents in a safe
place, dispose of important documents appropriately.
Protect your personal information as though your life
depends upon it. Report any suspicious activity to proper
authorities, immediately.
After all, a little prevention can save you a lot of heartache in
the end.
For more information about avoiding ID Theft, contact Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) by phone: 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338) or TTY,
1-866-653-4261, by mail: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade
Commission, Washington, DC 20580, or visit the Websites provided.
Sources
 http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=protecting+yourself+from+
identity+theft&FORM=MSNH (June 23, 2007)
 http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/idtheft/idt01.shtm
(June 23, 2007)
 http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/consumers/deterdetect-defend.html (June 23, 2007)
 http://www.creditcards.com/protecting-your-credit-card.php (June
23, 2007)
 http://onguardonline.gov/index.html (June 23, 2007)