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Department logo Senior Safety: Identity Theft
Identity theft can be as simple as someone stealing your credit cards and using them to make purchases. But more sophisticated thieves can gather a few important numbers from you--your Social Security Number, your bank account or a credit card number—and assume your identity and make purchases in your name.

Individuals who are victimized by these thieves can face years of problems with their credit. They may not realize someone has damaged their credit rating until they apply for a home mortgage or another form of loan.

Thieves can peer over a customer's shoulder at an ATM or in a phone booth to get personal identification numbers or they can even go through trash containers to find discarded credit card applications and checkbooks.

To protect yourself:

  • Don't carry around extra credit cards and identification, especially your Social Security card. Thieves with that nine-digit number will have access to your medical, financial, credit and educational records;
  • Don't give out personal information over the phone unless it is someone you know or an established firm;
  • Shred pre-approved credit applications, credit card receipts, bills and other financial information you don't want before you throw them away; and
  • Order your credit report once a year to check for accuracy or fraudulent use.

If You Are A Victim of Identity Theft
You must act quickly to minimize the damage. When you discover you are the victim of identity theft, immediately make contact with the following organizations:

Credit bureaus: Call the fraud units of these credit reporting companies ñ Equifax (1-800-525-6285) and TransUnion (1-800-916-8800). Report the theft of your credit cards or numbers and ask that your account be flagged. This will help stop new fraudulent accounts from being opened by the impostor.

Ask the credit bureaus for names and phone numbers of credit companies that have granted fraudulent accounts in your name.

Financial institutions: Contact your bank or credit union if your checks or ATM card have been stolen, or if a bank account has been set up fraudulently in your name. Cancel your checking and savings accounts and get a new account number and a new ATM card. Do not use your old password for your new ATM card personal identification number or common numbers like your birthdate or the last four digits of your Social Security Number.

Creditors: Call and write to all creditors with whom your name has been used fraudulently. Get replacement cards with new account numbers and ask that the old accounts be closed.

Banks and creditors may ask you to fill out notarized fraud affidavits. This can become costly, and a written statement and supporting documentation should be enough.

Also, report any theft or fraud to your local law enforcement agency. Keep the phone number of your fraud investigator handy and give it to creditors and others who require verification of your case.

Most financial institutions and credit card companies have policies that will, in most cases, clear debts incurred in your name as a result of fraud. But the organizations may have deadlines by which you must file reports, so do not delay in letting them know if a transaction has taken place that you did not make.

For more help with identity theft, visit:


 Identity Theft Prevention and Survival

 

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse