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Elisha Hoffman Abrams Attorney At Law - Legal Information

ARM YOURSELF AGAINST IDENTITY THEFT

Identity theft is running rampant, and it is a crime that can strike anyone, anywhere. The Federal Trade Commission ranks identity theft as the No. 1 fraud-related complaint. This does not mean that you should live in a sheer state of paranoia that prevents you from going about your daily affairs. However, you should take efforts to keep personal information under lock and key.

PREVENT PRYING EYES

Your personal information can be readily captured on the Internet, over the telephone, through the mail, at your workplace, and even in the comfort of your own home. Many of us, on a daily basis, inadvertently give out our mailing address and personal information. For example, you leave yourself open to identity theft each time that you sign up for a catalogue, join a contest, surf the Web, order by mail, or respond to surveys.

To prevent additional dissemination of your private information, and to request that your name be removed from the major credit bureaus' mailing lists, you should call: 888-567-8688. Always guard your social security number and other personal information, and do not have your social security number, telephone number, or driver's license number printed on your checks. You also want to remember your passwords and pin numbers, and do not carry this information in your purse or wallet.

When you create passwords, make sure they are not obvious. For example, do not use the last four digits of your social security number, your favorite pet’s name, or your birth date. Monitoring the status, and guarding your private information are ways to minimize your risk of becoming an easy target. If you are victimized by this crime, there are ways to fight back to regain your stolen identity.

RECOVER AND REPORT YOUR STOLEN IDENTITY

The Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") has made available an "ID Theft Affidavit" which is a standard form that can be used by a victim of identity theft to report the crime to creditors and companies where a new account was opened, goods were sold, or credit was used in the victim's name.

To obtain a copy of the ID Theft Affidavit, and to report the theft, call the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft Hotline 1-877-ID Theft (1-877-438-4338), or access www.ftc.gov. In addition to completing the ID Theft Affidavit, there are additional steps you should take to recover your identity.

• Contact the fraud departments of the major credit reporting agencies, and request that a fraud alert be placed on your file. Equifax - 1-800-525-6285, Experian - 1-888-397-3742, Trans Union - 1-800-680-7289. You should also request that creditors contact you before opening or changing any of your accounts.
   
  
• Notify the local police and file a formal report. Request the report number, and order a copy of the report.
   
  
• Ask all of your creditors to close your existing accounts, request a copy of all documents related to your accounts, and ask that all charges be verified.
   
  
• Alert your bank and other financial institutions of the fraud, and request new account numbers, ATM cards, and pin numbers.
   
  
• Contact the Social Security Administration Fraud Hotline (1-800-269-0271) about flagging your number for fraud use, and/or about issuing you a new number.