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 Identity
Theft
What is Identity Theft
ID Theft is when a person
knowingly transfers or uses, without lawful authority,
a
means of identification of another person with the
intent to commit or to aid or abet
and unlawful activity that constitutes a violation of federal
law or that constitutes a
felony under any applicable state or local law.
Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence act, 18
USC 1028 (a) (7)
What to do if you believe you are a victim of ID
Theft
- Chart your course of action
Use this chart to keep
track of what you have done.
Course of Action Chart
- File a police report with your local Police
Dept.
(most other agencies will be looking for that
official document)
- Notify the Credit Reporting Bureaus to place
a Fraud Alert of your credit report
Equifax 1-800-525-6285
www.equifax.com
Experian (formerly TRW) 1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com
Trans Union 1-800-680-7289
www.transunion.com
- File a complaint with the Federal Trade
Commission
1-877-438-4338
www.ftc.gov/idtheft
- Complete an ID Theft Affidavit for accounts
opened with fraudulent ID only and provide a copy to
each company effected
Affidavit
- Close any accounts you believe may have been
tampered with
How to Prevent Identity Theft
- Request an Annual Credit Report from
www.annualcreditreport.com
You have a right to one free credit report a year, get
it and and look for any
discrepancies. If you prefer to request it in writing
you can use this form.
Annual Credit
Report Request Form
- Control Outgoing Mail
Hand it directly to a letter carrier
Place it in a blue street corner mail box Monday -
Thursday
Deliver it directly to a Post Office
- Control Incoming Mail
Stop all those Credit Card
Offers from coming in the mail,
You can
OPT-OUT of all those prescreen credit card
offers you get
Remove your name from Mailing lists by writing to and
sending a check for
$1.00 to:
Direct Marketing Association
Mail Preference Service
PO Box 282
Carmel, NY 10512
- Purchase a shredder
shred all unwanted mail and documents that may
contain personal information
- Clean out your purse of wallet. Problem items
you may be carrying un-necessarily
Social Security Card
Medical Insurance Card
Phone Calling Cards
Additional Credit Cards
Drivers License with your Social Security Number
on it
Store receipts
and much more that may contain personal information
that you do not need
with you at all times.
- Never give out personal information over the
phone.
Your bank would never ask you your account number, They
Have it."
- Be careful when using your credit card on the
internet
Do you know who you are dealing with?
Is it a secure sight?unless you are
sure of
Did you go to this sight on your own
or were you directed there through an
email?
This information is being provided to you to
help prevent you from becoming a victims.
The information here is from the Brockton Police
Dept, the Federal Trade Commission and the United
States Postal Service.
Got an idea for the
Monthly Spotlight Page? Please email them to us
at: spotlight@brocktonpolice.com
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