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Preventing Identity Theft

How Identity Theft Happens 

There are a number of ways that a criminal can get enough information to steal a person's identity. They can go through the victim's garbage to find personal information. They can get into the victim's mailbox to steal credit card and bank statements. They can pose as the victim's bank or creditors and call to ask for personal information to "update their files". They can pose as telemarketers or charity fundraisers to get your credit card number or bank account number. These bogus telemarketers and fundraisers also ask for their victim's social security number and say they need it for "verification purposes". Identity thieves sometimes pose as employers or landlords to get a copy of your credit report. Some theft rings pay dishonest employees at restaurants, stores, etc. for personal information on their customers.
 
How To Prevent Identity Theft
 
While it is impossible to be 100% safe from identity theft, there are a number of ways to greatly reduce your risk of becoming a victim.
  1. Shred or tear all documents with personal information before throwing them away.
  2. Bring all outgoing mail to the post office.
  3. Make sure there is a lock on your mailbox.
  4. Never give personal information to a stranger on an incoming telephone call.
  5. Use your check cards as ATM instead of credit because the store employees won't have access to your information and there is less paper floating around.
  6. Check your credit report on a regular basis (Every 6 months or every year). Check for transactions you did not initiate and monitor who has ordered your credit report. If your credit report has been ordered by "you", but you didn't order it, then someone is probably trying to steal your identity.

What To Do If You Are An Identity Theft Victim
 
If you discover that your identity has been stolen, you should first file a police report. Then contact all of your creditors and ask them to call you before authorizing any changes to your account. This way, the identity thief won't be able to order checks, charge your credit card, change your address, etc. Also, contact the fraud unit of the three major credit reporting agencies and tell them to place a fraud alert in your credit file. More Information for Identity Theft Victims
 

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