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TIPS For Families |
Written by: Mary
Ann Holland, Extension Educator Identity theft
occurs when someone steals important personal information about you
like your date of birth, social security number, bank account or credit
card numbers. Often a considerable amount of time passes before the
victim is aware that identity theft has occurred, especially if the
“victim” is a small child or infant. Unfortunately a new “target
group” of potential identity theft victims are under the age of twelve.
As you can imagine, it could be a long time before misuse is discovered.
Medical and/or school records by their nature have personal information
about an individual, as does information kept by the banking and credit
card industry. How can someone steal
your identity? Unfortunately employees steal records or information while
they’re on the job or bribe an employee who has access to records. Identity thieves have
hacked into business computers to steal information; dishonest employees may
“swipe” a person’s credit card through a magnetic reader during a normal business
transaction giving them access to your credit information. Stealing your
purse or wallet, “dumpster diving” or going through your trash for discarded
bank or credit card statements, stealing your mail, or posing as a landlord
or lender to access your credit report are additional ways that thieves get
your personal information. Information is used to open credit cards or other
accounts in your name [not your address of course but one they have provided].
Thieves have also been successful in getting ID cards with your name and their
photo. As a parent, what can
you do to protect your own personal information and that of your children?
Today we as parents apply for a social security number when children are born
unlike years ago when it was more common to get a social security card upon
entering the workforce. It is important to take steps to protect personal
information for all family members. Here are some ways to
lessen the chance your information is accessed by others: 1) Never give out
personal information to someone you do not know whether by phone, mail
or online. Only if you have placed the call and feel certain the recipient
is legitimate is it wise to disclose information. 2) Do not carry
your Social Security card [or those of your children] in your purse/wallet.
Commit the numbers to memory and put the actual cards away in a secure
place in your home or in a safe deposit box. 3) Leave your credit
cards at home; only if you’re planning a shopping trip, take one or
at most two with you. 4) Keep personal
information, including bank or credit card statements, out of sight
in your own home. The person you have hired to come into your home
for repairs or other reasons may not be as honest as you think. 5) Get a copy
of your credit report once a year, verify that what is in it is your
information, and if there are errors, do what is necessary to correct
them. 6) Use caution
when accessing cash through an ATM; make sure no one is “glancing” over
your shoulder. It is not difficult for an accomplished thief to recreate
your transaction including your PIN number. Always be defensive when
handling money. What steps would you
take if you suspect you are a victim of identity theft? 1) You will want
to contact your bank and credit card companies to report the incident,
place a fraud alert on your account, and to cancel your cards. The
information you need to contact credit card companies is found on your
credit card, i.e., name of the credit card company, account number,
expiration date and the toll free number. It is a good idea to copy
all credit cards front and back and file that information away in case
you need it. If you report a stolen credit card in a timely manner,
you are not liable for charges against you made by an identity thief.
2) Contact the
three national credit reporting agencies to place an initial fraud alert
on your credit reports. This alert can help stop someone from opening
new credit accounts in your name. Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; Experian:
1-888-397-3742; and TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289. 3) Contact local
law enforcement to report the crime. Yes, Identity Theft is a crime.
While the likelihood of catching and successfully prosecuting an identity
thief is small, you will need documentation that you have reported the
crime [the police report]. Parents, just as it is
important to guard your child’s personal information and monitor their credit
periodically, it is also wise to talk with the older generation about this
same topic. The elderly are also an easy target for identity theft. Empower
your parents with information to protect their identity and knowledge about
what to do if they suspect a problem. For more information
about Identity Theft, read University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension
NebFact 538, “Protect Your Credit and Identity” through the Extension
Publications website: http://extension.unl.edu/publications;
the Attorney General of the State of Nebraska Consumer Protection Division
website: www.ago.state.ne.us;
or visit the Federal Trade Commission website: http://www.ftc.gov/.
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