PINELLAS COUNTY – When someone uses another person’s personal information without permission to commit fraud or other crimes, that person is a victim of identity theft.
Because of the nature of the crime, victims often don’t realize their identity has been stolen until they’re denied credit, sent a bill for purchases they didn’t make or are contacted by a collection agency. Every consumer is a potential target. While people can’t entirely control whether they will become a victim, there are steps to take to minimize the risk:
• Never give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or over the Internet, unless you initiated the contact or are sure whom you are dealing with.
• Tear or shred charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance forms, bank statements, checks, expired credit cards and credit card offers before discarding into the trash.
• Review credit card, telephone, cell phone and bank statements for irregularities and be aware of billing cycles. Contact creditors immediately if a discrepancy is found.
• Close all accounts that are no longer needed or used. Write the company a letter and ask them to verify, in writing, that the account has been closed.
• Order a copy of a credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once a year. Review the information carefully and dispute any discrepancies.
• Use passwords on all accounts. Avoid picking easily determined numbers such as a birth date, mother’s maiden name or last four digits of your Social Security number.
Even people who have been careful keeping personal information private can still fall victim to identify theft. People who think their identity has been stolen should take the following steps immediately:
• Ask the fraud departments of any one of the three consumer reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union – to place a fraud alert on your credit report. The agency contact is required to contact the other two agencies.
• Close the accounts that are known or believed to be tampered with.
• File a report with local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. Get a copy of the report or its number to send the information to creditors.
For more information on identity theft, contact the Federal Trade Commission at (877) IDTHEFT (438-4338) or www.consumer.gov/idtheft. For information on consumer issues, call the Pinellas County Department of Justice and Consumer Services at 464-6200.
