Identity theft is when a subject takes any identifier of another person and uses it for fraudulent purposes. These identifiers include: Birth dates, Social Security Numbers, Credit Card Numbers and other pieces of information that identifies a particular person. Identity theft is the largest form of fraud in the country.

This stolen information is used for many purposes including…

• Obtain and use credit cards from the victim
• Use victims credit to purchase items through loans
• Obtain utilities in the victims name
• Use victims information to have a "second life"

You may be notified that you are a victim in several ways. In some cases, credit card companies will contact you for either suspicious activity on your existing accounts or saying that you have not paid a bill for a credit card you have never applied for. In other cases law enforcement may notify you saying that you are a victim. Most identity thieves have numerous victims not just one.

How can you prevent being a victim?

There are several ways that you can help prevent becoming a victim of identity theft. These include…

• Shred all documents and mail that have your identification before throwing them away. This includes all pre-approved credit card applications, bank statements and bills.
• Check your credit report at least annually for any suspicious activity.
• Promptly report all lost or stolen credit cards.
• Keep your Social Security Card in a secure location and don't carry it with you.
• Don't give out your information over the phone to callers regardless of who they say they are.
• Monitor your credit card statements for unauthorized activity.
• If purchasing items on the Internet, use only secured sites. (Secured means that the transaction is protected by security software.
• Be aware of when your bills should arrive and notify the businesses if they do not arrive. A common method of obtaining information is by mail theft.
• Drop all outgoing mail in a secured or locked drop box instead of an open mailbox to prevent it from being stolen.
• Notify law enforcement IMMEDIATELY if you suspect you are a victim.

The moment you suspect that you are a victim of identity theft, you should do the following…

• Notify your local law enforcement.
• Get a complete credit check on yourself as well as others in your home and tell them you are a victim of identity theft.
• Notify all of your credit card companies and other debtors of your situation so that they can assist you with maintaining your current bills.
• Contact the Federal Trade Commission 1-877-IDTHEFT.
• Contact your local United States Postal Inspection Service. (www.usps.gov/postalinspectors)
• Contact the Social Security Administration Fraud Hotline 1-800-269-0271.

How can you get your credit report?

Contact one of these three credit bureaus for you full report.

• Equifax: www.equifax.com
  P.O. Box 105873
  Atlanta, GA 30348-5873
  1-800-525-6285
  
  
• Experian Information Solutions: www.experian.com
  P.O. Box 949
  Allen, TX 75013-0949
  1-888-397-3742
  
  
• TransUnion: www.transunion.com
  P.O. Box 390
  Springfield, PA 19064-0390
  1-800-680-7289