| Identity theft is the fastest growing crime according to | | | | found that respondents to the mailings were called and |
| the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It occurs when | | | | told they were winners, but had to mail "taxes" or |
| someone takes a piece of your personal information | | | | "Customs fees" to collect their money. Victims either |
| and uses it without your knowledge to commit fraud or | | | | received nothing at all or items vastly inferior to what |
| theft. An all-too-common example is when an identity | | | | was represented, losing $15,000 to $102,000 apiece in |
| thief uses your personal information to open a credit | | | | the scheme. The scammer agreed in March 2003 to |
| card account in your name, or uses an existing credit | | | | cease and desist his mailings and pay the Postal |
| card of yours. | | | | Service $200,000. |
| Did you know that someone's identity is stolen every | | | | Most identity theft somehow involves the U.S. mail - it |
| 20 seconds? | | | | crosses over to the "in person" theft described above |
| In a recent survey by the FTC, 12.7% of American | | | | because, beyond strangers robbing your mailbox, the |
| adults, or 27 million people, reported that they had | | | | friends, relatives or fellow employees who are stealing |
| become victims of some type of identity theft in the | | | | your personal information and credit cards are usually |
| last five years. People whose identities have been | | | | lifting it off of a piece of your U.S. mail. |
| stolen can spend months or years -- and thousands of | | | | The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has therefore |
| dollars -- cleaning up the mess the thieves have made | | | | become one of the world's lead agencies in |
| of their good name and credit record. | | | | investigating these crimes. Postal Inspectors have |
| Personal Identity Theft: Key Facts | | | | jurisdiction to investigate and enforce more than 200 |
| * Victims now spend an average of 600 hours | | | | federal statutes involving the U.S. Mail. They are |
| recovering from the crime of identity theft, often over | | | | allowed to arrest anyone suspected of stealing mail or |
| a period of years. Three years ago the average was | | | | filing a false change-of-address order. But don't |
| 175 hours of time, representing an increase of about | | | | depend on their measures for your peace of mind. |
| 2470%. | | | | Postal Inspectors strongly advise people not to leave |
| * While victims are finding out about personal identity | | | | mail in their mailbox overnight or on weekends. Further, |
| theft more quickly, it is taking far longer than ever | | | | you should never leave your mail on your desk at |
| before to clear their records and recover from the | | | | work when you are not in the vicinity (or even |
| situation. | | | | exposed at home if you will be having friends or |
| * Even after the thief stops using the information, | | | | relatives over that you don't trust 100%) Also, deposit |
| victims struggle with the impact of identity theft. That | | | | outgoing mail at the post office and try to remove mail |
| might include increased insurance or credit card fees, | | | | from your mailbox as soon as possible after delivery. |
| inability to find a job, higher interest rates and battling | | | | Online Theft: The Safest Place to Do Business is |
| collection agencies and issuers who refuse to clear | | | | Online ... If You're Smart |
| records despite substantiating evidence of the crime. | | | | Despite the fears of those unused to the (relatively) |
| This "tail" may continue for more than 10 years after | | | | "new" frontier of the Internet,online transactions |
| the crime was first discovered. | | | | account for less than 4% of identity theft! And almost |
| * Approximately 85% of victims found out about the | | | | all of that 4% is due to people not knowing the |
| theft of their identity due to an adverse situation - | | | | difference between a safe and secure website and |
| denied credit or employment, notification by police or | | | | one that may be "here today, gone tomorrow" ... or |
| collection agencies, receipt of credit cards or bills never | | | | just plain flimsy when it comes to safety of your |
| ordered, etc. Only 15% found out through a positive | | | | personal information. |
| action taken by a business group that verified a | | | | The key you must remember to make your chances |
| submitted application or a reported change of address. | | | | of online identity/credit card theft close to zero is to |
| Read Below for Key Steps to Protect Yourself! | | | | only make purchases through reputable and |
| The question remains, where is a person the most | | | | technologically secure websites like |
| safe to make a purchase using a credit card? We | | | | When you are making a purchase from the store of a |
| compare online, phone, mail and in-person purchases to | | | | reputable website like SixWise.com, the data you input |
| see where the most identity and credit card theft | | | | in the checkout process is encrypted by what is |
| occurs. Then we provide you the key steps to keep | | | | known as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) before it is |
| your credit cards and personal identity safe. | | | | sent over the Internet. This technology provides a very |
| Phone Theft: Talk is Not Cheap | | | | secure connection that keeps your data private during |
| Peter Reid, portfolio strategist for EDS Security and | | | | transmission over the Internet. |
| Privacy Services, says that "while consumers have | | | | How can you tell if a website has the high-level |
| learned not to divulge information such as their Social | | | | personal encryption technology, SSL, in place for your |
| Security number and debit card number over the | | | | personal information? When you are done adding |
| phone...they are still naive and share significant amounts | | | | products to your cart on a website and you enter the |
| of information from the contents of their wallet -- | | | | checkout process where your personal information is |
| putting them at greater risk for identity theft and | | | | being requested, make sure the beginning letters in the |
| phishing." | | | | URL (web address) at the top of your browser |
| Over 70% of consumers freely provide personal | | | | window have switched to "https:" instead of just "http:" |
| information, such as their name, address, postal code, | | | | If they have not, it is highly recommended you do not |
| phone number, and account number, or give the | | | | make a purchase from that website. |
| answer to a security question, to an unsolicited call. | | | | In total, computer crimes accounted for 11.6% of all |
| The price for not being aware is astonishing. For | | | | known cases of identity fraud in 2004. Over half of |
| example, more than 38,000 people lost close to $15.4 | | | | these digitally driven crimes stem from spyware -- |
| million to the operator of a sophisticated-but | | | | software the computer user unknowingly installs to |
| fraudulent-telemarketing scheme. The man convinced | | | | make ads pop-up when the consumer is online. |
| timeshare owners to pay $400 for unit appraisals by | | | | highly recommends you read the article, The World's |
| relying on misrepresentations to win them over, such | | | | #1 Internet Threat May Be Robbing Your Identity Right |
| as promising the unit would be purchased once it was | | | | Now ... How to Effectively Detect, Eliminate and Avoid |
| appraised. At sentencing, the judge stated that Postal | | | | It, for tips - and a free program - to prevent identity |
| Inspectors had uncovered "the most corrupt, the most | | | | theft by spyware. |
| extensive, and the most sophisticated mail fraud | | | | How to Protect Yourself from Credit Card and |
| scheme this Court has ever seen." Seven others, | | | | Personal Identity Theft |
| including three of the operator's children and his | | | | Can you completely prevent identity theft from |
| son-in-law, were convicted for their roles in the | | | | occurring? Probably not, but you can dramatically |
| scheme. | | | | minimize your risk by managing your personal |
| Be suspicious of marketing calls wanting to verify your | | | | information wisely and cautiously. |
| address or phone number over the phone. Do not say | | | | Here are some tips to help protect you from credit |
| yes at anytime during the conversation and hang up | | | | and charge card fraud. |
| immediately! | | | | Do: |
| In-Person Theft: How Much Are You Really Paying | | | | * Sign your cards as soon as you receive them in the |
| For Dinner? | | | | mail, at a store, etc. |
| Carrying and using your credit cards and other | | | | * Carry your cards separately from your wallet, in a |
| sources of personal information "in-person" appears to | | | | zippered compartment, a business card holder, or |
| be by far the leading cause of stolen identity and credit | | | | another small pouch. |
| card information. "In person" may mean you are right | | | | * Keep a record of your account numbers, their |
| there when the theft occurs - such as with retail | | | | expiration dates, and the phone number and address |
| purchases at stores or someone "shoulder surfing" | | | | of each company in a secure place. |
| you while you're at an ATM machine -- or you left | | | | * Keep an eye on your credit card during live |
| your personal information in a location vulnerable to | | | | transactions, and get it back as quickly as possible. |
| theft. | | | | * Destroy carbon copies of your credit card bills. |
| According to 2004 research by Javelin Group, a | | | | * Save receipts to compare with billing statements. |
| respected retail and business research firm, over 30% | | | | * Open bills promptly and reconcile accounts monthly, |
| of personal identity theft occurred because of a lost or | | | | just as you would your checking account. |
| stolen wallet, checkbook or credit card. | | | | * Consider replacing paper bills, statements and checks |
| Meanwhile, nearly 25% of personal identity theft is due | | | | with online versions. Think about moving to an |
| to a "friend" or relative who had personal access to | | | | electronic bill payment service, such as your bank or |
| the information, or a corrupt employee who had | | | | biller's web site, and stop sending signed paper checks |
| access to the information. | | | | through the mail. Visit the site(s) to monitor account |
| Offline transactions account for nearly 10% of such | | | | activity on a regular basis. |
| theft. A common scenario is going to out to eat at | | | | * Sign up for automatic payroll deposits. |
| restaurant and paying with a credit card. The problem | | | | * Use and regularly update firewall and anti-virus |
| occurs when you receive your next credit card bill and | | | | software |
| see charges of several hundred dollars for things that | | | | * Notify card companies in advance of a change in |
| you didn't buy! At the restaurant the likely scenario is | | | | address. |
| that the employee probably ran the credit card twice, | | | | * Examine your credit card report from each of the |
| once for the meal charge and a second time on a | | | | three major credit-reporting agencies once a year. |
| magnetic card reader. The employee then copied the | | | | Report any credit card fraud to them. Equifax: |
| data onto a blank credit card and sold it to a third | | | | 800-525-6285, Experian: 888-397-3742, TransUnion: |
| person or used it personally. This is not limited to | | | | 800-680-7289 |
| restaurants, of course - the threat exists at any retail | | | | * Shield your credit card number so that others around |
| location where you submit your credit card. | | | | you can't copy it or capture it on a cell phone or other |
| Garbage Theft: Your Trash is Another Person's New | | | | camera. |
| Identity | | | | * Before throwing out any statements containing your |
| Another common "live" location for theft of your | | | | credit card (or social security) numbers, it is highly |
| identity - account for nearly 5% of such crimes | | | | recommended you shred the documents |
| according to the Javelin research - is the garbage. | | | | Do NOT: |
| If you fail to properly dispose of personal information | | | | * Lend your card(s) to anyone. |
| containing account numbers, addresses, and dates of | | | | * Leave cards or receipts lying around, whether at |
| birth, you're making it easy for "dumpster divers" to | | | | home or at the office. |
| obtain valuable information and steal your identity. | | | | * Sign a blank receipt. When you sign a receipt, draw a |
| Such garbage diggers will often target upscale | | | | line through any blank spaces above the total - this |
| neighborhoods. They pick up garbage bags on | | | | includes the space for "Tips" if you have not filled it in |
| collection day, take them home and rummage through | | | | at restaurants. |
| them for "the gold." The gold can include pre-approved | | | | * Write your account number on a postcard or outside |
| credit cards, discarded bills, and a host of other | | | | of an envelope. |
| information containing social security numbers, credit | | | | * Give out your account number over the phone |
| card numbers and more. Tax season is an especially | | | | unless you're making the call to a company you know |
| prosperous time for dumpster divers as people | | | | is reputable. If you have questions about a company, |
| dispose of old receipts and financial records carelessly. | | | | check it out with your local consumer protection office |
| Mail Theft: Involved in Most U.S. Identity Theft | | | | or Better Business Bureau. |
| Identity theft is one of the most serious issues for the | | | | * Discard a computer without deleting all sensitive data |
| U.S. Postal Service, and of course for the general | | | | * Respond to emails that request you provide your |
| public. | | | | credit card info via email - and don't ever respond to |
| Thieves check mailboxes looking for paid bills or credit | | | | emails that ask you to go to a website to verify |
| card payments that people leave in their mailbox for | | | | personal and credit card information. These are called |
| the postal carrier to collect. They use information from | | | | "phishing" scams. |
| these items to obtain credit or to purchase products | | | | * Write your PIN number on your credit card or have it |
| and services in the victim's name. | | | | anywhere near your credit card (in the event that your |
| One story involves the operator of a sweepstakes | | | | wallet gets stolen). |
| scheme in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Postal Inspectors | | | | |