Identity Theft - What is it?
An identity theft occurs when someone obtains piece of your sensitive information and uses it without your knowledge to commit fraud or theft.
Identity theft - Is that a crime?
Identity theft is a very serious crime. You can spend months or years - and a lot of money cleaning up the mess the thieves have made of your name and
credit record. You can lose job opportunities, be denied loans for education, housing or cars, or even be arrested for crimes you don’t commit.
Identity theft - What is stolen?
Identity thieves go after the bits of personal information:
- bank and credit card account numbers
- driver license
- Social Security number (SSN)
- name, address, and phone numbers
Identity theft - How they do it?
Skilled identity theft perpetrators use a variety of methods to get information from businesses or other institutions by and commit theft:
- stealing records from their employer,
- bribing an employee who has access to these records, or
- hacking into the organization’s computers.
- rummage through your trash, or the trash of businesses or dumps in a practice known as “dumpster diving.”
- obtain credit reports by abusing their employer’s authorized access to credit reports
- posing as a landlord, employer, or someone else who have a legal right to the information.
- steal credit and debit card numbers as your card is processed by using a special information storage device in a practice known as “skimming.”
- steal wallets and purses containing identification and credit and bank cards.
- steal mail, including bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, new checks, or tax information.
- complete a “change of address form” to divert your mail to another location.
- steal personal information from your home.
- scam information from you by posing as a legitimate business person or government official.
Identity theft - What they do next?
- using your credit and debit card account numbers to buy “big-ticket” items like computers that they can easily sell.
- open a new credit card account, using your name, date of birth, and SSN - when they don’t pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report.
- change the mailing address on your credit card account - the imposter then runs up charges on the account - bills are being sent to the new address so it may take time before you realize there’s a problem.
- take out auto loans in your name.
- establish phone or wireless service in your name.
- counterfeit checks or debit cards, and drain your bank account.
- open a bank account in your name and write bad checks on that account.
- file for bankruptcy under your name to avoid paying debts they’ve incurred, or to avoid eviction.
- give your name to the police during an arrest - if they are released and don’t show up for their court date, an arrest warrant could be issued in your name
How can you tell if you are a victim of identity theft?
- unexplained charges or withdrawals on your financial accounts
- failing to receive bills or other mail signaling an address change by the identity thief
- receiving credit cards for which you did not apply
- denial of credit for no apparent reason
- receiving calls from debt collectors or companies about merchandise or services you didn’t buy
Protect yourself against identity theft
...
If your identity stolen ... |
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