What
is Identity Theft?
According
to the Federal Trade Commission, "identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information and uses it without
your permission. It’s a serious crime that can wreak havoc with your finances, credit history, and reputation —
and can take time, money, and patience to resolve."
Scam
& Fraud Alerts
For information
on all the latest Fraud Alerts, check the Federal Trade Commission’s
website for alerts here: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts
Protecting
Your Identity
There are
several simple steps that you can take to better protect your personal information from theft and misuse. These include,
but are not limited to:
Keep
your personal information secure offline
Keep personal
records (birth certificate, passport, tax returns, etc.) in a safe and secure place at home or in a safe deposit box.
Lock your purse or wallet in a safe, secure place when you are at school or work. Don't leave them in a visible location
in your vehicle - consider locking them in the trunk if you plan to leave them in the vehicle. Shred receipts, credit
applications, expired credit cards, tax returns, and similar documents when you no longer need them.
Keep
your personal information secure online
Know who
you share information with. Store and dispose of your personal information securely. Be alert to imposters, phishing
attempts, and other social engineering efforts to obtain your personal information. Don't give out personal information
over the phone, through the mail, or over the internet unless you have initiated the contact. Don't follow email links
- instead, type the company name into your web browser, go to their site, and contact them through their customer service.
Or, call the customer service number listed on your account statement. If contacting the company about a request for
information you received, verify that they company really sent the request. Report all phishing attempts to the company
being misrepresented. Be careful when using public computers - avoid making financial transactions or purchases from
public computers or someone else's mobile devices.
Keep
your personal devices secure
Password
protect your device! Lock the device when not in use. Encrypt your data on your personal computer and mobile devices.
If your mobile device has an app available for tracking lost devices (such as Apple's "Find My iPhone" app), configure and
use it. Before you dispose of a personal computer or laptop, wipe the hard drive using a wipe utility to overwrite the
entire hard drive. Before you dispose of a mobile device remove the memory card and SIM card, erase all contacts, voicemails,
messages, organizer folders, web history, photos, and calls, and if possible reset the device to factory defaults. Remember
that just resetting to factory defaults does not remove all information from most devices - you will still need to take steps
to remove all personal data.
Keep
passwords private
Use strong
passwords with your computers, bank accounts, and online accounts - especially the online accounts where you might have credit
card information stored. Be careful about storing credit card informatin online - use only trusted sites and change
your passwords regularly. Be creative with passwords - use a mixture of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and
symbols. Substitute numbers and symbols for some words or letters.
Don't
overshare personal information on social networks
Posting
too much information about yourself online can make it much easier for an identity thief to find information about your life
and use it to answer "challenge" question on your accounts, and gain access to your money and personal information.
Consider limiting access to your networking pages to a small group of people. Never post your full name, social security
number, address, phone number, or account numbers in publicly accessible sites.
Identity
Theft Resources
Understanding
what identity theft is and how to prevent it is something we strongly recommend. Here are some identity theft informational
resources that may help you better protect your identity:
· Identity Theft: Consumer Information from the Federal Trade Commission
· Identity Theft Protection Services - Reviews.com (The Whitehall Police Department
does not endorse any services. This link is provided as an informational resource only.)
· Identity Theft Resource Center
I think I’m the victim of Identity Theft…
What do I do?
If you
are a victim of identity theft, you should immediately call the three national credit reporting organizations to place a fraud
alert on your name and Social Security number, and contact your local police department to file a report regarding the matter,
The responding Officer will gather your information, file a report, and investigate the matter. You will be issued a Case
Number, keep this number and refer to it when discussing your report.
Identity
theft will involve you setting up new credit lines and accounts. The fraud alert will let any company that checks your credit
know that your information has been stolen and that they should contact you by telephone to authorize any new credit lines
in your name.
· Equifax 1-800-525-6285 www.equifax.com
· Experian 1-800-397-3742 www.experian.com
· Trans Union 1-800-680-7289 www.tuc.com
· Social Security Administration Fraud Line 1-800-269-0271 www.ssa.gov
Also, file
a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Hotline. The FTC can help victims of identity theft by providing
information to assist them in resolving financial and other problems that can result because of this crime.
FTC Identity
Theft Hotline 1-877-438-4338 www.comsumer.gov/idtheft