- Internet viruses and worms infecting unprotected computers.
- Divulging financial information to telemarketers, over cellular or cordless phones, or through e-mail.
- Illegal use of credit card numbers by employees of legitimate businesses.
- Theft of passports, checks or financial information from mailboxes.
- Inadvertent release of personal information under false or fraudulent pretenses.
- Stealing wallets/purses filled with a person’s Social Security Number or various Personal Identification Number(s) (PIN).
- Printing driver’s license numbers on checks so clerks do not need to ask for identification.
Responding to identity crime
Time is of the essence when you discover you may have been the victim of an identity crime. The following recommendations will help to minimize potential damage to your finances and credit:
- File a police report immediately. This is the first step in apprehending and prosecuting the perpetrator.
- Place a fraud alert and security freeze on your credit by contacting one, if not all, of the three major credit bureaus—Equifax (www.equifax.com), Experian (www.experian.com) and Transunion (www.tuc.com).
- If the crime involves credit cards, notify the issuing financial institution immediately and request cancellation of the account.
