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Kenilworth Police Department
Identity Theft
Everyone should safeguard all their account numbers so they won’t be a victim of
identity theft. Identity theft happens when someone pretends to be you by using your
personal information when applying for loans, credit cards, or leases. In some cases
people may impersonate you when receiving traffic violations or other legal contact.
The thief takes advantage of your good history or credit record, leaving behind bad credit
or misdeeds in your name. Losses to consumer and institutions due to identity theft
totaled $845 million in 1997, according to the U. S. Secret Service.
How the thief gets your personal information
 | Stealing your purse or wallet |
| Pilfering information such as bank statements and pre-approved credit card applications
from your mailbox. |
| Posing as your employer, loan officer or landlord to get your credit reports. |
| Going through trash for credit card carbons or loan applications. |
| Watching transactions at automated teller machines to capture your PIN. |
| By using a "phishing"
scam on the internet. |
How to minimize the risk
| Never carry your SSN in your wallet or diary or printed on checks. |
| Guard your SSN closely, giving it out only to official authorities or businesses
you trust. Some firms will accept another identifier if you ask. |
| Be careful how you dispose of documents. Ideally, shred them. |
| Exercise your right to stop your credit header being sold, which will also stop
pre-approved offers of credit. Call the credit bureaus’ special toll free line (888)
567-8688. |
| Don’t post personal information on the internet—for example, on genealogical
or college reunion sites. |
| Check your credit report at least once a year. |
Should you become a victim, see below for where to go for help. Here are
some other tips.
- Obtain a copy of the fraudulent contract or application. This is the key document that
proves the person who signed it isn’t you. Finding the company that issued it and the
right person to talk to isn’t always easy.
- Try to get past the gatekeepers to someone who is in charge.
- Contact the credit bureaus that hold your credit report. Ask them to log the theft and
remove the bad accounts from your report, giving as much proof as possible. You may meet
difficulties, but by law, the bureau must correct any wrong information.
- Have a "fraud alert" put on your credit report. This should alert credit
grantors to check a new application.
- Keep meticulous dated records of your attempts to clean the record – letters, phone
calls, and what were said.
- Never agree to pay any portion of the debt just to get the debt collectors off your
back. The balance will stay on your record.
- Remember you are not a victim; do not let these people intimidate you. Contact the
police to fight back.
Where to go for help
To report identity theft and get help on how to restore your credit: contact Federal
Trade Commission, Consumer Response Center, 600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C.
20580, or call, toll free, (877) 382-4357. www.consumer.gov/idtheft for online info.
To report ID theft, get your credit record (free for fraud victims) and to have it
corrected, contact all of these:
http://www.equifax.com/
| Experian |
| Experian's National Consumer Assistance |
Phone: |
888-397-3742 |
| P.O. Box 1017 |
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| Allen, TX 75013 |
http://www.experian.com/
| TransUnion |
| Fraud Victim Assistance Department |
Phone: |
800-680-7289 |
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834 |
Fax: |
714-447-6034 |
http://www.transunion.com/
ADDITIONAL AGENCIES / CONTACT NUMBERS
For consumer-oriented information: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, 1717 Kettner Ave.,
Suite 105, San Diego, California 92101.
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