Top Sources of Identity Theft

1. Mail theft
2. Dumpster diving
3. Unscrupulous employees
4. Stolen or lost wallets
5. Internet fraud
6. Burglary (home, vehicle, documents, computer files, etc.)
7. Friends or relatives
8. Phone scams
9. Unethical use of public documents
10. Shoulder surfing for passwords at ATMs, computers, etc.

Attorney Mari Frank knew something was terribly wrong as soon as her bank called regarding an outstanding $11,000 bill she knew nothing about. “I was really frightened,” she reports. “I didn’t know what to do.”

Frank regained her wits and immediately phoned the three major credit agencies to tell them a fraudulent account had been opened in her name. She learned that an imposter had stolen $50,000 in her name—and purchased a red convertible Mustang to boot. The identity thief had worked as a secretary at a law firm and accessed Frank’s credit report from an online subscription service.

Changed Life Forever
Almost one year after that first phone call—and hours of detective work, letter writing and telephone calls later—Mari Frank had her good name and credit back. But the experience changed her life forever. She continues to practice law, but she now also serves as a privacy consultant.

An Epidemic
“Identity theft is an epidemic,” Frank says, “affecting about 900,000 people a year.” It costs the average victim more than $1,000.00 to cope with the damages from identity theft.* Thieves steal identities to acquire money (and even use your résumé to get a job!), to avoid prosecution, or even to exact revenge. They use your personal information to obtain credit and services in your name. “It’s crucial to control your personal information,” Frank says.

Prevent Identity Theft
Take these five important steps today to protect your name, credit and reputation:

1. REVIEW YOUR CREDIT REPORT from each of the three credit agencies
   (listed at right) twice a year. See if there are accounts or addresses you don’t
   recognize. Is your social security number correct? Have there been more credit
   inquiries than normal? Any of these may be early signs of identity theft. If you
   find something suspicious on your credit report, call the agency’s fraud hotline
   immediately. You also may want to add a consumer fraud alert, which asks
   creditors to telephone you each time a new account is opened in your name.
2. LIMIT THE USE OF YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER since this information can aid a thief the most. Never give it to someone who calls you on the phone, don’t
   carry the card in your wallet, and never print it on your checks.
3. SHRED IMPORTANT PAPERS, especially credit card solicitations, with a
   crosscut shredder. Some identity thieves piece cut papers back together.
4. DON’T USE YOUR MOTHER’S MAIDEN NAME as a password on personal
   accounts; it’s too easy to learn. Change it to another word with the creditors.
5. SAFEGUARD CHECK USE. When writing checks to pay credit card
   accounts, don’t put the complete account number on the “for” line. Put your
   work phone number on your checks instead of your home number.

PRINT OUT THE INFORMATION BELOW TO SAVE WITH YOUR IMPORTANT PAPERS.

If you suspect identity fraud, contact your local police station (laws vary across states), the three credit agencies listed below, and the Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.

EQUIFAX
To report fraud: 888-766-0008
To order your credit report: 800-685-1111
www.equifax.com

TRANSUNION
To report fraud: 800-888-4213
To order your credit report: 800-888-4213
www.transunion.com

EXPERIAN
To report fraud: 888-397-3742
To order your credit report: 888-397-3742
www.experian.com

To learn more about identity theft, visit:
www.identitytheft.org
www.privacyrights.org
www.idtheftcenter.org
www.consumer.gov/idtheft

*Source: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

This article was reprinted with permission from Liberty Mutual Group. For more information please call Amy Ortzman at 860-659-4111 ext. 248.