| Chances are you think that you won't be affected | | | | criminal record, outstanding arrest warrants, and |
| by the nation's number one fast-growing crime. Think | | | | possible consequences such as being fired from your |
| again. Identity theft is on the rise. | | | | job for not disclosing a conviction and even get you |
| In 2005, 9.3 million Americans were victims of identity | | | | thrown in jail. What if this happens on a Friday night |
| theft according to the Javelin Better Business Bureau | | | | and they toss you the local jail overnight? Do you |
| survey. 68.2 percent of the cases involved thieves | | | | have someone you can call that could bail you out? |
| who obtained personal information off-line vs. only | | | | Can you afford this kind of mistake happen in your |
| 11.6% obtained online. ID theft through lost or stolen | | | | life? |
| identification, misappropriation by family and friends, | | | | The results of this kind of criminal identity theft could |
| and theft of paper mail are among the most | | | | include a negative impact on future employment, loss |
| common ways thieves gain access to your | | | | of security clearance, lost jobs and higher insurance |
| information. | | | | premiums. It is the most difficult type of ID theft to |
| Most people do not have a clue how to protect | | | | clear up and in some cases, almost impossible. Some |
| themselves. | | | | victims have been reduced to carrying court |
| For a moment, let's just examine what could happen | | | | documentation with them at all times to prove who |
| in your life if you are targeted for this crime: | | | | they really are and not the actual criminal. |
| ·Victims now spend an average of 600 hours | | | | Social Security Identity Theft |
| recovering from identity theft over a period of years. | | | | If someone uses your social security number to get |
| This equals nearly $16,000 in lost potential or realized | | | | a job and they have a continuous work record, |
| income. Typical out-of-pocket expenses are $1,500 | | | | guess who gets to pay the tax bill? The answer is |
| on average. | | | | you. There are cases where someone's social |
| ·Even after a thief is stopped from using your | | | | security number was used a total of 37 times by |
| information, sometimes up to as much as 10 years, | | | | different people. In the employment screening |
| victims still struggle with the impact of identity theft. | | | | business, we see this happen every day. |
| That includes increased insurance or credit card fees, | | | | Medical Identity Theft |
| inability to find a job, higher interest rates, as well as | | | | This kind of ID theft involves someone using your |
| continuing to battle collection agencies that refuse to | | | | health insurance for medical and/or hospital care. The |
| clear records despite substantiating evidence of the | | | | result is a mixed up medical record that could result in |
| crime. How stressful do you think this situation would | | | | potentially deadly consequences. For example, what |
| be? | | | | would happen if someone used your identification and |
| ·The emotional impact on victims is likened to a | | | | health insurance number and got an HIV test that |
| violation similar to what victims of violent crime | | | | proved positive? Now all of a sudden, that record is |
| describe including rape, violent assault and battering. | | | | attached to your medical records and every time you |
| People feel dirty, ashamed, embarrassed and often | | | | see a healthcare person, they think you have aids. In |
| are afraid to ask for help. Many have reported a split | | | | addition, this can seriously impact your ability to get |
| with a spouse of significant other as well as being | | | | insurance and it can result in significantly higher |
| unsupported by family members. | | | | insurance premiums. |
| Most victims report a lack of responsiveness from | | | | A recent article in the November 2006 issues of |
| those entities they turned to for help including police, | | | | Reader's Digest reported that "fraud is estimated to |
| collection agencies, credit issuers, utility companies | | | | account for as much as ten percent of all health care |
| and financial institutions. The average arrest rate for | | | | costs ... including medical identity theft." "An insurance |
| identity theft based on reported cases is 5%. The | | | | card is like a Visa card with a $1 million spending limit," |
| message here is crystal clear - we have to fight | | | | says Byron Hollis, national anti-fraud director of the |
| identity theft ourselves! | | | | Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The most |
| Exactly what are the different types of identity | | | | frightening part of this article is the fact that |
| theft and how do identity thieves get access to your | | | | organized crime rings are realizing how lucrative |
| personal information? | | | | identity theft is and are adding a new dimension to |
| Financial Identity Theft | | | | the problem. |
| This is the kind of identity theft most people think of | | | | Driver's License Identity Theft |
| first. Thieves hack into your computer at home or at | | | | Our driver's license is the standard and most often |
| the office and steal personal information. It accounts | | | | used form of identification in United States. ID |
| for about 28% of all identity theft happening today. | | | | thieves are professionals at creating fake driver's |
| For example, thieves will: | | | | licenses that are virtually impossible to detect. Having |
| ·use your line of credit to make purchases | | | | this form of picture ID opens the door to numerous |
| ·use your credit cards to make purchase | | | | other types of ID theft. |
| ·open up a mortgage using your name and social | | | | On October 28, 2006 in California, a worker at the |
| security number | | | | Santa Ana DMV was arrested for her alleged role in |
| ·create a loan using your name and social | | | | an ID theft scheme that used applicant information |
| security number | | | | to create fraudulent licenses. The indictment alleged |
| ·file bankruptcy under your name | | | | that she used her position to sell fraudulent drivers |
| ·open phone or utility accounts under your name | | | | licenses to co-schemers who paid between $1,500 to |
| ·attempt checking and/or savings fraud | | | | $5,000 for each fraudulent license. She allegedly |
| (accessing your accounts) | | | | obtained the identifications of victims from the DMV |
| ·attempt to use existing accounts to make | | | | database and changed their address and identifiers to |
| purchases | | | | match the fraudulent purchaser who then had a new |
| Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your liability in the | | | | DMV photo taken. |
| case of unauthorized credit use is limited to $50 per | | | | What can You do to Protect Yourself? |
| card. However, in order to take advantage of this | | | | The good news is there are many things you can do |
| protection, you must file a dispute letter within 60 | | | | to protect yourself, but you must be proactive. This |
| days after the first bill containing the error was | | | | is a crime you cannot afford to wait to become of a |
| mailed to you. So what happens if the thief changes | | | | victim of. |
| your address and you don't receive your bill? Guess | | | | 1.Order the Federal Trade Commission's free report |
| what, you are held financially liable. In addition, the | | | | on identity theft by visiting or calling 877 382-4357 |
| Electronic Fund Transfer Act has the same 60 day | | | | 2.Get a copy of your own credit report and review it |
| notification provision or your liability is unlimited. Not | | | | carefully for accuracy. Because of the new Fair and |
| fair, but it's the reality. | | | | Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) you can |
| Some credit card companies promote zero liability for | | | | get a free copy once a year at |
| these kinds of fraudulent transactions. However the | | | | 3.Be careful with your mail. Don't use an unsecured |
| reality is that there are exclusions including cards used | | | | mailbox when mailing anything containing financial |
| by business purposes, ATM transactions, and certain | | | | information. Drop off at the post office or in a post |
| PIN-based transitions, all transactions processed | | | | office collection box. |
| outside the card issuer's network, and cases where | | | | 4.Guard your trash. Identity thieves will look for credit |
| the card holder gave permission for someone else to | | | | card receipts and applications, insurance forms, bank |
| use their card. You have to read your cardholder | | | | statements etc. Buy a shredder and use it regularly. |
| agreement carefully to find out the exact details. | | | | 5.Use your Social Security Number only when |
| Financial Identity Theft has significant impact on a | | | | absolutely necessary. Before you give your SS# to |
| person's life including: financial losses, inaccurate credit | | | | anyone, ask why it is needed and how it will be used, |
| reports that can mean being denied a job, difficulty | | | | or shared with others and how the company |
| getting new lines of credit, trouble opening new | | | | protects your personal information. |
| accounts as well as higher costs for loans and | | | | 6. Pay attention to billing cycles. If your bills don't |
| insurance. The toll of this kind of financial loss can be | | | | arrive on time, follow up with your creditors. A |
| significant as can be witnessed in a recent lawsuit | | | | missing statement can mean an ID thief has taken |
| filed by a plaintiff against Home Depot, Case | | | | over your account and changed your billing address. |
| #02CC13327 in Orange County Superior Court, where | | | | 7.Be cautious with online purchases. Before purchasing |
| a judge awarded the plaintiff $1 million in damages for | | | | anything on the internet, look for the icon of a lock in |
| identity theft. | | | | the lower right-hand corner of your browser |
| Criminal Identity Theft | | | | windows. If it's there, you're dealing with a secure |
| This is the second most common type of identity | | | | site. It not, you'll be safer finding another merchant. |
| theft and most people aren't even aware of it. | | | | 8.Remove personal information from old computers. |
| In this case, a criminal uses your information during | | | | Files you think you have deleted from your computer |
| encounters with the police. For example, a thief who | | | | may remain on your hard drive where hackers can |
| has your identifying information gets arrested for a | | | | easily access them. Use a wipe utility program to |
| crime and gives them your name and social security | | | | delete files with sensitive data. |
| number. One day you are driving along and get | | | | 9.Opt-out of receiving pre-approved credit cards |
| stopped for a traffic infraction. The cop runs your | | | | offers in the mail by calling 888 5-OPT-OUT or going |
| name through their database and finds out you just | | | | to ttp:// |
| committed a bank robbery in another state. Suddenly | | | | 10.Immediately sign up for an ID Theft Shield |
| you are being hauled off to jail for something you | | | | program which can not only monitor your credit and |
| didn't even do! | | | | let you know when anything changes, but can also |
| Never mind how stressful and embarrassing this | | | | provide restoration after the fact. |
| mistake could be, it can also lead to an erroneous | | | | |