In 2005, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received over 685,000 complaints dealing with consumer fraud and identity theft.  Consumers reported losses of over $680 million.

 VIEW FTC'S VIDEO ON IDENTITY THEFT

What is identity theft?

Identity theft involves the illegal use of identifying information (Social Security Number (SSN), credit cards, etc.).  In some cases, ID thieves steal this information through the use of bogus Web sites.  Other identity theft occurs as a result of simple theft – a home or vehicle break-in can provide a thief with enough information to access credit card or bank accounts.

What do I do if I think I’m a victim of identity theft?

Contact your local police to file a report.  If you believe that your credit or bank account information has been compromised, contact your credit card issuer and/or your bank or credit union.

Your financial institution or credit card issuer can give you more information on how or when to contact credit reporting agencies.

How can I protect myself against identity theft?

• Make a conscious effort to protect your personal information
• on’t give out account number or personally identifiable information over the phone
• Don’t be tricked into entering your information on Web sites – reputable financial institutions will not send you e-mail messages that ask you to “verify” information on a Web site

Be proactive

• Review your credit history at least once a year – federal law mandates that you receive one free credit report per year – go to the official site (https://www.annualcreditreport.com/) for more information
• Check your bank/credit card statements for unauthorized charges
• Shred all unsolicited credit card application letters and old receipts before throwing them in the trash
• Don’t carry your SSN card in your wallet

Using a personal computer

• Shop at established Internet retailers – if an offer on an obscure Web site seems to good to be true, it may be
• Don’t click on links in e-mail messages – if you need to go to your bank’s Web site, enter the URL directly into your browser
• Don’t keep credit card information on your personal computer – if you do, make sure that it is encrypted and/or protected by a hard-to-guess password
• Make sure your PC has up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spam software installed – unprotected computers are easy targets for hackers and identity thieves

 

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