Facts About Identity Theft
- Every year, nearly 9 Million people across the nation become victims of identity theft.
- Identity theft in Michigan is greater than the National average for credit card, telephone, cell phone and utility frauds.
- Most victims of identity theft in Michigan are more than 40 years old.
- Identity theft victims can be living or deceased.
- Many identity theft victims fail to notify the proper authorities and fail to file formal complaints.
Identity Theft Prevention
- Never give out your Social Security number, Driver’s license, or other identifying information unless you know the person or organization or you initiated the contact.
- Treat checkbooks, ATM cards, credit cards as if they’re cash – PROTECT THEM.
- Before discarding, you should shred personal information such as receipts, insurance forms, bank and credit card statements and other documents or mail that contain personal information.
- Notify financial institutions and credit card companies before relocating to a new home or care facility.
- Have your mail held when going on vacation or into the hospital.
- Cancel unused or unwanted credit cards.
- Say NO to credit card and insurance offers by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (567-8688) or go to www.OptOutPrescreen.com.
- Keep a list of customer service telephone numbers for current accounts in case you need to report a credit card stolen or any other kind of identity theft.
- Consider enrolling with a credit monitoring service.
- Always keep security software on your devices and keep it updated.
- Review financial and credit card statements frequently for unauthorized activity. Set up on-line access to your bank and credit card accounts to easily monitor your account activity instead of waiting for a monthly statement.
- Switch to paperless billing and financial statements so you get less sensitive information in the mail.
- Obtain and review a copy of your credit report each year. A list of credit reporting agencies will follow below.
- File your tax return as early as possible. Tax ID thieves who have obtained your personal information will try to beat you to it.
- Use a PIN or other type of passcode for unlocking laptops, tablets and smartphones. This way if a device is stolen or lost it will be harder for thieves to gain access.
- Don’t use the same password for multiple online accounts and create strong and varied passwords. Use two-factor authentication if available.
- Do not check your email, use social media or do online shopping or banking on public Wi-fi networks, many are poorly secured.
- Never carry your Social Security card and only carry documents with your SSN on them when necessary.
- Don’t leave personal information in your vehicle, even if it’s locked.
- Visit the Federal Trade Commission website to learn more about identity theft and protection at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.
What Do I Do If It Happens To Me?
If you’re a victim of identity theft, don’t panic. Do the following:
- Immediately contact the three credit reporting agencies listed at the end of this page. Ask for a “fraud alert” or to place a freeze on your credit report, which will help prevent new credit accounts from being opened without your consent.
- Go to the FTC’s Identity Theft website to report identity theft and create a personal, step-by-step recovery plan.
- File a report with the local police agency.
- Contact the Social Security Administration Fraud Hotline (1-800-269-0271). Alert them that your number has been stolen.
- Contact your banks and credit card companies.
- Notify the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-438-4338 or online at www.ftc.gov.
Three Major Credit Reporting Agencies
EXPERIAN
www.experian.com
To order a credit report or report fraud call (888) 397-3742
EQUIFAX
www.equifax.com
To order a credit report call (800) 685-1111
To report fraud call (800) 525-6285
TRANSUNION
www.transunion.com
To order a credit report call (800) 813-5604
To report fraud call (800) 680-7289
For more good information on Identity theft scams check out the Identity Theft Resource Center.
