Identity Theft

WHAT IS IDENTITY THEFT? HOW IDENTITY THEFT OCCURS Identity theft is when someone takes, uses, sells or transfers Skilled thieves get your personal identifying the “personal identifying information” of someone else information by: without that person’s approval, with the intent to use the • Stealing your ID employees at stores, information for an unlawful purpose. cards, credit cards restaurants or hotels. and bankcards. IDENTITY THIEVES USE THE INFO TO: • Pretending to be • Stealing personal your landlord or • Call you credit card issuer and, information from employer to get your pretending to be you, ask to change your home. credit reports or the mailing address on the account. HOW TO PROTECT personnel records. As bills will go to the new address, YOURSELF • Stealing mail, it may take some time before you To help minimize the risk of including account • Diverting your mail realize there is a problem. becoming a victim, take a statements, pre- using a change of approved credit address form. • Open a new credit card account few simple steps. To start, using your name, date of birth and remember the word “SCAM.” • “Skimming” your information. social security number. When they credit card through S: Be STINGY about do not pay the bills, the delinquent • Stealing credit or a special information giving out your personal account is put on your credit report. debit card numbers device that stores information to others unless as the card is being the card information. • Establish a phone in your name. you have a reason to trust processed. • “S • Open a bank account in your name them, regardless of where • Going through the overhear or see any and write bad checks on that account. you are. trash. personal identifying • File for bankruptcy under your • Buying personal information. name to avoid paying debts they information regularly and information from • You give it to people have incurred under your name, or sources such as you trust. to avoid eviction. look for what should be there and what shouldn’t. • Take out auto loans in your name. A: ASK periodically for a copy of your credit report. WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE A VICTIM • Give your name to the police during • Place a fraud alert on 801-799-3000. Ask for an arrest. If they do not show up for M: MAINTAIN careful your credit reports a copy to show your their court date, an arrest warrant is records of your banking and and carefully review issued in your name. your credit reports. institutions. • Use your social security number to • Contact your • File a report with obtain employment credentials. the Federal Trade institutions. Close all Commission’s accounts that have (FTC) Identity Theft THE MOST COMMON PERSONAL IDENTIFYING been accessed by the Department. KINDS OF ID THEFT: INFORMATION INCLUDES: identity thieves. 1-877-ID THEFT www.consumer.gov/ • Credit card fraud • Name • Keep a log of who you speak to and when. idtheft/ • Phone and utility fraud • Address • Date of birth Send a follow-up letter • If mail was stolen • Bank fraud • Passwords for all phone calls or tampered with, and send all letters by contact the Postal • Employment-related fraud • Pin numbers • Account numbers Keep Inspection Service. • • Telephone numbers copies of all letters and 801-974-2271 fraud • E-mail address documents. • If Social Security • Loan fraud • Social security number • Make a police report Number/Card has • Driver’s license number with the Salt Lake City been stolen, call Police Department, 1-800-269-0271.