PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY

You have heard of cases where a person’s identity was used to purchase items, increasing credit card debt and commit crimes. That person could be you. Here are some tips to help prevent identity theft:

• Manage your personal information wisely. Protect your home address, phone number, Social Security number, bank and credit card account numbers and PIN numbers.
   
• Do not carry your Social Security card in your wallet. You will lose more than cash if your wallet is stolen.
   
• Shred papers with personal bank or credit card information before you throw them away.
   
• Do not give personal information on the phone unless you made the call and know the caller.
   
• Ask how your information will be used before you give any personal information to a business.
   
• "Opt out" of sharing your personal financial information with outside companies as permitted under Federal law.
   
• Check your credit card bills carefully, looking for unauthorized charges, and report any to your credit card company. Call if bills do not arrive on time to ensure that someone has not changed the address or other information so that you wouldn’t learn about fraudulent charges.
   
• Have your name removed from credit bureau marketing lists. Call 1-888-567-8688.
   
• Check your credit reports.
   
• The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on   them. If someone takes your checkbook they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name but your bank will know how you sign your checks.
   
• When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.
   
• Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.
   
• Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine, do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. It's also a good idea to carry a photocopy of your passport when traveling either here or abroad.
  
   

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Here is some critical information to limit the damage in case identity theft happens to you or someone you know:

1. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.
   
    
2. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
   
    
3. Most important, call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. The last thing you want is to be contacted by a bank that calls to tell you that an application for credit was made over the Internet in your name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.
   
     The numbers are:
   
     Equifax: 1-800-525-6285=20
     Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
     TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
   
     Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

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