Transcript Document

Identity Theft
Don’t Let Bad Things Happen to
Your Good Name
ID Theft -- A Major Problem
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27 million American victims over 5 years
9.9 million over the past year
$48 billion in losses to business
$5 billion in out-of-pocket losses to
consumers
Source: Federal Trade Commission
ID Theft -- Defined
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ID Theft – a wholesale takeover of
someone’s identity for financial gain.
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ID Fraud – creating a brand new
identity from several different sources to
commit crimes and evade detection.
You May Not Know Until:
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You are contacted by a collection agency;
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Credit charges show up that you never made;
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A lender tries to repossess a car you never
purchased;
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You are contacted by police about a crime
you didn’t commit.
What Does the Thief Want?
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Your Social Security Card
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Your Driver’s License
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Your Account Numbers
Where Does the Thief Get These?
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Your Wallet or Purse
Your Mailbox
Your Car
Your Trash
Your Computer
You
How Is This Information Used?
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Use credit cards to go on buying spree
Open new accounts in your name
Change mailing address on your accounts
Buy a car, with loan in your name
Get phone service in your name
Drain your bank account
Apply for a job in your name
Use your name if arrested for a crime
ID Theft & Your Family
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ID thieves are targeting children
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Information is easy to find
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Hard to catch
How to Protect Yourself
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Your Wallet or Purse
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Don’t carry your social security card
Don’t carry papers that contain your social
security number
How to Protect Yourself
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Credit/Debit Cards
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Don’t carry more than you really need
If you aren’t using a card, cancel it
Don’t sign…write “check photo ID”
Check statements for fraud
Keep copies of cards in secure location
Don’t forget the checkbook
Cash Out
How to Protect Yourself
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Your Mailbox:
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Place outgoing mail in secure box;
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Use locked box or pick up incoming mail
as soon as possible;
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Consider central delivery into
locked boxes.
How to Protect Yourself
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Your Car:
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Check glove box and rest of car
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Remove any personally identifiable
documents
How to Protect Yourself
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Your trash:
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Consider purchasing an inexpensive paper
shredder from local office supply store;
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Shred all documents containing
personal information before
disposing.
Protect Yourself – Your Computer
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Your login/password:
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Use unique passwords with combinations
of numbers, letters and characters;
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This
Not this
“th%d4get”
“password” or “bob”
Change passwords regularly;
Remember them, don’t write them down.
Protect Yourself – Credit Report
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Get your free credit report
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www.annualcreditreport.com
Protect Yourself – Get off the List
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National Do Not Call List
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Direct Mail Opt Out
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www.donotcall.gov
1-888-382-1222
www.optoutprescreen.com
1–888-567-8688
FTC Spam Complaints
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[email protected]
You Are Your Own Best Defense
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Never, never, never give out personal
information to people you don’t know;
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Beware of Internet “Phishing” – people
who “phish” the Web hoping to hook
you into giving them your login,
password or credit card information
If You’re a Victim
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Contact your local police and report this
as a crime for two reasons:
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To help police track crime and spare
others;
Because you will need a copy of the police
report to help prove you are a crime victim.
If You’re a Victim
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Contact any of the three major credit
reporting agencies:
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Equifax
Experian
TransUnion
Contact information can be found at:
www.bbb.org/idtheft
If You’re a Victim
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Notify credit grantors
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On your existing accounts;
On any accounts you believe may have
been fraudulently opened in your name.
If You’re a Victim
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Complete an ID Theft Affidavit
A copy can be accessed through:
www.bbb.org/idtheft
BBB of Northwest Florida
A Source for Information and Help
Telephone – (850) 429-0002
Web Site – www.nwfl.bbb.org
ID Theft Web Site – www.bbb.org/idtheft
Identity Theft
Don’t Let Bad Things Happen To Your
Good Name