Identity Theft

 

It seems to be getting more and more common to hear of someone having their identity stolen. What is identity theft? It is when your personal information such as; name, address, date of birth, social security number, and mother's maiden name is obtained and used by someone other than yourself.

If you don't want to become a statistic, take measures, now, to protect yourself. It seems you can't be too cautious. If a criminal is intent on getting your information, they will find a way. Many times, a person may not know that their identity has been stolen, as there are no warning signs. However, there are a few identifiers that you can watch for such as; getting bills from companies that you have never done business with, bills not coming in the mail-these may have been grabbed by the criminals to obtain your information, charges on your credit cards that you have not made, credit collection agencies calling you for debts that you have not made, and credit rejection.

There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself. Here are a few:

1. Never carry your social security number, birth certificate, or passport unless it is necessary.

2. Shred all personal documents before throwing anything away. Making sure to peel off the name and address label on magazines and tearing up, as well.

3. Get a copy of your credit report every year, and make sure that you are familiar with all agencies listed. If something is not familiar to you, check it out.

4. Check your monthly credit card statement for charges that may not be made by you.

5. If you have credit cards that you do not use, store them in a safe place. When getting new credit cards to replace old ones, make sure to cut up the old credit cards before throwing them away.

6. Do not mail bills with checks in your mail box at the curb or a government mailbox that is not in a building, as criminals can get the mail, open the envelops, and rewrite the checks and get personal information. Make sure to mail all bills with checks by going directly inside a postal building.

7. Pick up new checks at your bank.

If you are unlucky enough to be a victim of theft identity, make sure to keep all records with all creditors and agencies that you contact. This list should include the person you spoke with, time, date, what they said, any receipts, copies of letters you send out and receive, and general information that is provided. Keep a list of all unauthorized charges and make sure to notify the credit card companies, local law enforcement, credit reporting agencies, utility companies, United States Postal Service, and the Social Security Administration that your identity has been stolen.

As I was researching this subject for an article, an alert was sent to me from an organization that I am a member of.

Very Important
There is a new theft identity scam that is currently using the IRS to get your information. They will send out informational forms that look just like an IRS form for you to fill in your personal information. Before you do this, read this link. http://www.accountantsworld.com/news/currnewsyb.asp?q1=32502651
They are out to get your information. This is not coming from the IRS.

Through my research, I also came across a few other links that offer very good information on identity theft. Visit these sites for more information on how to protect yourself.

www.consumer.gov/idtheft/

www.callforaction.org

I hope you and I never have to go through this.