ID Theft
It's the fastest growing crime in the
nation. If you and five friends are enjoying Mocha Lattes at the
local Starbucks, chances are that at least one of you has been directly
impacted by this crime within the past year. In fact, 280 adult
Americans are victimized every MINUTE.
Pay attention to this subject, America. You worked hard for your good
name. Don't let a thief take it away from you.
Google "Identity Theft" "2006" and you'll get over 36 million hits.
Here's what the Federal Trade Commission has to say about the topic:
The crime of identity theft. This website provides detailed information
to help you
Deter, Detect, and Defend
against identity theft. While there are no guarantees about avoiding
identity theft, there are steps you can take to minimize your risk and
minimize the damage if a problem occurs:
Deter
identity thieves by safeguarding your information
Detect
suspicious activity by routinely monitoring your financial accounts and
billing statements
Defend
against ID theft as soon as you suspect a problem
This site also
is a comprehensive reference center – for
consumers,
businesses,
law enforcement, and the
media
with access to
specific laws, contact information, and resources
from state and
federal government agencies.
Identity
theft is a serious crime. How does it happen?
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal
information without your permission to commit fraud or other
crimes. While you can't entirely control whether you will become
a victim, there are steps you can take to
minimize your risk.If you
think your identity has been stolen, here's what to do:
1.
Contact the fraud departments of any one of the
three consumer reporting companies
to place a
fraud alert
on your credit report. The fraud alert tells creditors to contact you before
opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts.
You only need to contact one of the three companies to place an alert. The
company you call is required to contact the other two, which will place an
alert on their versions of your report, too. Once you place the fraud alert
in your file, you're entitled to order free copies of your credit reports,
and, if you ask, only the last four digits of your Social Security number
will appear on your credit reports.
2.
Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or
opened fraudulently. Use the
ID Theft Affidavit (PDF, 56 KB)
when disputing new
unauthorized accounts.
3. File a report with your local police or the police in the
community where the identity theft took place. Get a copy of the report or
at the very least, the number of the report, to submit to your creditors and
others that may require proof of the crime.
4.
File your complaint with the FTC.
The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement
agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us learn more
about identity theft and the problems victims are having so that we can
better assist you.
View or print an easy-to-follow
brochure on how to Deter, Detect, and Defend against
identity theft. For more in-depth information on recovering from identity theft and help
with specific problems, read
Take Charge: Fighting Back Against Identity Theft.