Identity Theft
Identity Theft
f
eau of
20036
ed by the Crime
ashington, DC
om ADT Security
ograms, U.S. Department of Justice.
national Ltd. Company
.ncpc.org
www
evention Campaign, sponsor
yco Inter
venue, NW • 13th Floor • W
fice of Justice Pr
ect Marketing Association, Mail
TIONAL CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL
Services, Inc., A T
ence Service, PO Box 9008,
NA
oduction made possible by a grant fr
Pr
rite to Dir
efer
ect mail lists.
1000 Connecticut A
evention Coalition of America, is substantially funded by the Bur
W
Pr
Farmingdale, NY 11735 to get your name of
dir
Pr
The National Citizens’ Crime Pr
Justice Assistance, Of
s
.
d
d has
ed site.
ee
d within
d,
ess was
edit car
d account
eport in
eport back
ou should
d account
ds in the mail or
d is not
eceipt
ess.
edit is a prime
om all thr
edit r
edit r
n r
. Y
edit car
d number on the
t arrive on time. A
etur
oblems item by item
edit car
ed, watch the
eceive the car
edit car
t r
e you get the car
ds that you have not used
e a change of addr
edit car
d bill could mean an identity
eport at least twice a year
der new cr
eporting agency
edit car
edit r
edit car
ces: Equifax at 800-685-1111;
opriate time. If the car
edit r
editors if bills don’
om the agency within 30 days.
net unless it is encrypted on a secur
ect all mistakes on your cr
evious ones have expir
get.
der your cr
ransUnion at 800-680-7293.
quested. Identify the pr
Make a list of all your cr
numbers and bank account numbers with
customer service phone numbers and keep it
in a safe place.
When you or
pr
calendar to make sur
the appr
r
eceived within that time, call the cr
grantor immediately to find out if the car
been sent. If you don’
check to make sur
not filed.
Do not put your cr
Inter
Pay attention to your billing cycles. Follow up
with cr
missing cr
thief has taken over your cr
and changed your billing addr
Cancel all cr
in the last six months. Open cr
tar
Or
Reports should be obtained fr
major sour
Experian at 888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); or
T
Corr
writing. Send the letters r
r
e
and send with a copy of the cr
to the cr
hear fr
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
call home on your cell phone,
you may write a check at the
Chances are you don’t give
these routine transactions
or apply for a credit card.
drugstore,
In the course of the day
to a concert,
a second thought.
But others may
charge tickets
rent a car
.
,
cr
you may have thr
places. “Dumpster divers” pick up information
school, health insurance carrier
They get the information fr
they can continue to add to their cr
own addr
often claim they have moved and pr
cr
license, they can apply in person for instant
number
information such as your addr
number
The imposter obtains your social security
months or even years.
stolen without the victim knowing about it for
the victim’
apartment, file bankruptcy
lish accounts with utility companies, r
victim’
fr
victim’
Identity theft or identity fraud is the taking of a
MILLION NEW VICTIMS EACH YEAR
CRIME IN AMERICA, AFFECTING HALF A
IDENTITY THEFT IS THE F
om banks and r
edit car
edit or thr
s
s
.
,
existing accounts, apply for loans, estab-
identity to obtain cr
With this information and a fake driver’
your birth date, and other identifying
d slips, and other documents.
ess. Once the first account is opened,
s
name. Thousand of dollars can be
ough the mail posing as you. They
own away
etailers, steal money fr
om your doctor
, or obtain a job using
ASTEST GROWING
, such as utility bills,
edit and cr
ess and phone
, and many other
edibility
ovide their
ent an
edit car
om a
, lawyer
.
ds
s
,
s
s
s
s
s
s
s
TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING TO YOU
your accounts.
your PIN numbers, ther
Someone may look over your shoulder and get
Be car
Do not put your telephone number on checks.
accompanying the r
rity number
gover
them an alter
ness r
your checks or your cr
Do not put your social security number on
necessary
car
actually need. Don’
number of car
Minimize the identification information and the
as a passwor
security number
birth date, the last four digits of your social
Do not use your mother’
ar
ance forms, bank checks and statements you
cr
Shr
get you to r
pr
pose as bank r
whom you’r
unless you have initiated the contact or know
phone, thr
Do not give out personal information over the
e discar
edit applications r
oviders, and even gover
d, birth certificate, or passport, unless
ed all documents, including pr
nment agency r
equests your social security number
eful using A
ding, and other financial information.
.
ough the mail, or over the Inter
, ther
eveal identifying information.
e dealing with. Identity thieves will
nate number and explain why
d for anything.
ds you carry
epr
e must be a privacy notice
, or a similar series of numbers
TMs and phone car
esentatives, Inter
equest.
eceived in your name, insur-
t carry your social security
equests your social secu-
edit r
eby gaining access to
s maiden name, your
. T
nment of
eceipts. If a busi-
ake what you’ll
e-appr
ficials to
net service
ds.
oved
, give
net
. If a
