| 1. Financial Identity Theft - Ask any gathering of | | | | to steal the senior’s identity with a lower probability |
| Americans how many have been victims of idt | | | | of detection. |
| resulting in financial information or services being | | | | 6. SSN/Social Security Number Identity Theft - Every |
| compromised and usually more than half will raise their | | | | day, millions of Americans’ stolen identities are used |
| hands. Consequences from financial idt include: | | | | by identity thieves to commit crimes involving some |
| Damaged credit | | | | form of identity fraud. The common denominator in |
| Credit and debit card fraud | | | | most types of identity crimes is the theft and misuse |
| Checking and savings account fraud | | | | of Social Security numbers by identity thieves. With a |
| Investment account fraud | | | | stolen Social Security number, an identity thief can |
| Mortgage and other loan fraud | | | | easily commit crimes and financial fraud in your good |
| Tax fraud | | | | name or create a different identity. With a stolen Social |
| Unfortunately, financial idt is so common in the United | | | | Security number, an identity thief can either assume |
| States, most businesses and consumers consider idt | | | | your identity by using your actual name and |
| resulting in financial fraud a cost of doing business. | | | | biographical information or use your Social Security |
| Many businesses incorporate financial losses resulting | | | | number in combination with a different name and |
| from idt into the bottom line rather than combat the | | | | biographical information in order to create an entirely |
| crime in a meaningful way. | | | | different identity. This latter form of idt involving a |
| 2. Medical Identity Theft - Medical Identity Theft is one | | | | social security number combined with a different name |
| of the fastest growing forms of idt in the United | | | | is often referred to as synthetic idt. |
| States today. Medical identity thieves can leave you | | | | Because it is almost a given you will be a victim of idt |
| with medical bills for thousands of dollars of medical | | | | at least once during your lifetime, it is important to take |
| treatment while also altering your medical records in a | | | | steps to protect yourself, your family and your |
| way that could jeopardize your life. But in the | | | | business. While there is not a single method or |
| meantime, because medical idt has received scant | | | | product that will completely protect you from financial |
| attention compared to other forms of identity crimes, it | | | | idt, there are methods and products that can assist |
| can be the most difficult form of idt to prevent or | | | | you in protecting your financial identity to the highest |
| detect. | | | | degree possible. |
| 3. Criminal Identity Theft - Criminal Identity Theft is | | | | The Prepaid Legal Idt Shield plan includes: |
| everyone's worst nightmare. Criminal identity thieves | | | | A Credit Report - An up-to-date Experian credit report, |
| commit crimes while using your identity. Because law | | | | including your personal credit score calculated and |
| enforcement officials believe you are the actual | | | | analyzed by an independent service. You should know: |
| criminal, you could be arrested and jailed for a crime | | | | A credit report and your credit score (a statistical |
| you know nothing about. Criminal idt is the use of any | | | | analysis of your credit history) is reviewed by many |
| form of identification to deceive a law enforcement | | | | types of companies, from mobile phone service |
| officer or agency into assigning a criminal act to the | | | | providers and home loan lenders to potential |
| name of an idt victim. Once the name of an innocent | | | | employers. |
| idt victim is assigned to the criminal act of the true | | | | • Continuous monitoring of your credit file at all three |
| perpetrator, it can be very difficult for the idt victim to | | | | credit repositories means you will be alerted about |
| convince law enforcement authorities that they are not | | | | new activity. You should know: Credit monitoring is |
| the individual who committed the crime. | | | | essential to discovering if your credit file has been |
| 4. Children & Identity Theft - There is a growing | | | | accessed to open new accounts, if late payment |
| trend of identity thieves stealing the identities of children | | | | notations are added, or collection notices have been |
| – even infants. In particular, the Social Security | | | | filed. In many cases, changes of address and other |
| numbers of children are considered very valuable by | | | | public records are reflected in your credit file as well. If |
| identity thieves as parents are unlikely to check the | | | | not initiated by you, any of these actions can indicate a |
| credit reports of their children. After all, very few | | | | potential idt. |
| children are going to be involved in any type of credit | | | | The Prepaid Legal Identity Theft Shield plan also |
| transaction until sometime between the age of | | | | includes Identity Restoration. Identity restoration means |
| fourteen and eighteen at the earliest. Often, the first | | | | that licensed investigators will work to correct |
| time a child or parent becomes aware that the | | | | damages caused by idt. This includes working with |
| child’s Social Security number has been used to | | | | affected public agencies, like the Social Security |
| steal the identity of the child is when the child attempts | | | | Administration, the U.S. Postal Service and law |
| their first credit transaction such as applying for | | | | enforcement personnel. In addition, fraud alerts will be |
| financial aid, purchasing a cell phone, buying a car, or | | | | sent on your behalf to all three credit repositories and |
| applying for a job that requires a credit check or | | | | affected companies and agencies. Finally, proactive |
| background investigation. | | | | searches of applicable local and national databases will |
| 5. Seniors & Identity Theft - As long as there | | | | be made on your behalf (to look for information you |
| have been identity thieves, they have always targeted | | | | may not be aware of). |
| senior citizens. In fact, many identity crimes, crimes | | | | You should know: If someone steals your identity and |
| of deception and financial crimes are traditionally aimed | | | | no action is taken you can have serious problems |
| at our senior population as criminals believe seniors | | | | when you try to get a loan, apply for a credit card or |
| may be more susceptible to crimes of deception and | | | | during other types of financial transactions. Creditors |
| the amount of money that can be stolen from a senior | | | | may also use collection agencies to harass you to |
| may exceed that of other segments of the population. | | | | demand payments, even if it’s not your debt. This |
| Additionally, many seniors do not check their credit | | | | crime can disrupt all aspects of your life. NOTE: Your |
| reports on a regular basis, if at all, as they are at a | | | | IDT membership covers you and everyone in your |
| point in life where they are more stable in their financial | | | | household. |
| transactions and less likely to be opening new lines of | | | | Would You Know What to Do If It Happened to You? |
| credit. Identity thieves know that the Social Security | | | | Don't wait until it happens-enroll and get peace of mind |
| number of a senior may afford the thief an opportunity | | | | today! |