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According to some authorities, identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in the nation—accounting for as much as 25 percent of all
credit card fraud loss each year. Though victims are not liable for charges made on
fraudulent accounts, it can be a nightmare to improve credit reports. The theft of your identity can
leave you with a poor credit rating and a ruined reputation, which may take months or even
years to correct.
What to Do If You Are a Victim:
• Call credit card issuers and your bank to “flag” or close accounts.
• Cancel all credit cards, passwords and PINs.
• Notify police, credit bureaus, utility companies and the post office.
• Take action to remove criminal or civil
judgments against you.
• Seek the assistance of a lawyer, if advisable. |
There are several ways to help
prevent identity theft. Here are some things you can do to protect yourself:
• Protect personal information. Opt out of mailing lists to keep your mailbox free of
identity theft temptations.
• Avoid sharing unnecessary credit card
information. Resist providing your social
security number.
• Shred documents with personal information before throwing them away. It is very
common that important account numbers and statements are simply tossed in the trash
where they can be easily retrieved.
• Keep documents with personal
data secure.
• Choose PINs and passwords that cannot be easily guessed, and do not reveal them
to anyone. Be sure to change these codes frequently.
• Never write down PINs and passwords, especially on the outside of envelopes
or checks.
• Regularly check your credit report
for fraudulent information.
• Exclude personal information from
company and family websites.
• Be sure your information is not available via online directories and searchable databases.
For more information on identity theft, visit:
www.consumer.gov/idtheft
www.idtheftcenter.org
www.privacyrights.org/identity.htm
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