| When a criminal wrongfully obtains and uses another | | | | information include but are not limited to:- "Dumpster |
| individual's personal data in a manner that involves | | | | diving" or sifting through garbage at a victim's |
| fraud the act is referred to as identity | | | | residence, place of business or any retail establishment, |
| theft.Unfortunately, just about everyone knows | | | | restaurant, night club, school, doctor's or dentist's office |
| someone who has been a victim. A good friend of | | | | or any location where there may be copies of credit |
| mine recently became a victim. His case, (and 16 years | | | | card receipts and other documentation containing |
| of law enforcement experience), prompted me to | | | | personal information.- Mail theft. Pre approved credit |
| write this article.*(If you have senior citizens in your life, | | | | card offers and other mail material containing personal |
| PLEASE have them read this and make sure that | | | | information are too often easily obtainable by identity |
| they understand. Seniors are targeted more than | | | | thieves.- The theft of proprietary data containing |
| anyone).The following are actual incidents involving | | | | employee information from a company's human |
| identity theft:The victim - A medical doctor practicing at | | | | resource department or even a briefcase. If employee |
| his successful twenty-year-old office in central | | | | spreadsheets contain no date of birth or social security |
| GeorgiaThe victim realized that several important | | | | information, the names and telephone numbers are |
| pieces of mail that he had been expecting at his | | | | sold to telemarketing or other similar organizations for |
| residence hadn't arrived yet. He had expected two of | | | | a profit.- "Shoulder surfing." Identity thieves will even |
| the items to arrive more than two weeks earlier. While | | | | resort to sitting in their automobile in a parking lot and |
| attempting to telephone one of the companies whose | | | | will utilize binoculars to read a victim's PIN number at an |
| package had not arrived, the victim received a | | | | ATM machine, or credit and/or calling card number at |
| telephone call from the sales manager at an | | | | a payphone.The following proactive steps will aid in the |
| automobile dealership located in central Alabama. The | | | | prevention of identity theft and fraud:- Insure that new |
| manager stated that he was calling to insure that all | | | | orders of personal checks are delivered to your bank, |
| was well with the new automobile that the doctor had | | | | not your residence.- Mail payments containing personal |
| purchased several days earlier. The manager also | | | | checks or money orders from a secure public mailbox |
| stated that he would have contacted the doctor | | | | or the post office, not your residential mailbox.- When |
| earlier, however, all of the telephone numbers listed on | | | | ordering a new or replacement credit card by mail, |
| the doctor's purchase agreement were incorrect. The | | | | write down the name and the extension of the |
| manager had located the victim's telephone number via | | | | representative you speak with, as well as the |
| the Internet. The victim had not purchased a new | | | | expected arrival date for the card. If the card does not |
| automobile in over eight years.Further investigation | | | | arrive by the expected date, telephone the |
| revealed that a nineteen-year-old female from Nigeria | | | | representative immediately to inquire about the |
| who was legally in the United States on a student visa | | | | disposition of your credit card.- If an expected mail item |
| had stumbled across the victim's ad for his medical | | | | does not arrive on the expected date, or you notice a |
| practice in the local Yellow Pages. After leaving his | | | | sudden decrease in your normal amount of delivered |
| office one evening, the victim was followed home by | | | | mail or no mail delivery at all, inquire regarding a |
| the female subject. The next morning the subject | | | | possible fraudulent change of address at your local |
| walked into the local post office and filled out a change | | | | post office.- Credit accounts that are not used |
| of address card, replacing the victim's home address | | | | regularly are attractive targets for identity thieves. |
| with a post office box address that the female | | | | Cancel accounts that have not been used in the last |
| subject had purchased earlier in the week. All of the | | | | six months or longer, and destroy the credit cards.- |
| victim's personal mail would be sent to the P.O. box | | | | Purchase a crosscutting shredding machine. All |
| instead of to his residence. Within days the subject | | | | pre-approved credit promotion documentation, check |
| had received several items of mail addressed to the | | | | stubs, receipts and any documentation containing |
| victim, including pre-approved credit card offers and | | | | personal information should be shredded before |
| other documents containing his social security number | | | | disposal.- Do not give out any personal information |
| and date of birth. Within two months the subject had | | | | over the telephone. If a creditor "representative" calls |
| acquired two automobiles, a motorcycle, a house and | | | | and requests that you provide them with any personal |
| multiple credit cards on the victim's credit. The subject | | | | information, suggest that the representative provide |
| was arrested and charged by the local authorities | | | | you with his or her telephone number and extension, |
| within three months of the initial criminal act, however, | | | | and inform them that you will call them back |
| the victim's credit was completely destroyed.A | | | | momentarily with the information that they are |
| detective with the local police department who had | | | | requesting. If the telephone number does not match |
| befriended the victim during the investigative process | | | | the toll free customer service number found on a |
| stated that he telephoned the victim approximately | | | | monthly statement or on the back of the credit card |
| two years after the subject had been arrested. The | | | | issued to you by that creditor, call the actual customer |
| victim had been forced to close his medical practice | | | | service toll-free telephone number to inquire about the |
| and retire early due to the incident.The victim - A | | | | validity of the call.- Order an unlisted home telephone |
| regional sales manager traveling in GeorgiaThe victim | | | | number, or at a minimum request that your name be |
| fell asleep in his hotel room early one evening after a | | | | listed in the local telephone directory by an initial and |
| day filled with meetings and conference calls. After | | | | last name, and request that your home address be |
| exiting the shower at approximately 7:00AM the next | | | | removed from your listing.- Do not participate in |
| morning, the victim noticed that his wallet, briefcase and | | | | telemarketing promotions, and have your information |
| laptop computer were missing from the hotel room. | | | | removed from promotional lists. Telemarketing lists are |
| Further investigation revealed that the victim had not | | | | bought and sold by companies and individuals on a |
| secured the dead-bolt lock on the hotel room door the | | | | daily basis. Once you have participated in a promotion |
| night before. Someone utilized a pass card-key to | | | | over the telephone or by mail, (even if the promotion |
| enter the victim's hotel room while he was sleeping | | | | offers a free product or service), you will notice an |
| and acquired the missing items.Before the victim could | | | | immediate increase in the amount of promotional mail |
| finish speaking with the local police and report the | | | | and in the number of telemarketing calls you receive. |
| incident to his corporate office, his corporate calling | | | | This greatly increases your risk of becoming an identity |
| card number had been sold to several subjects at the | | | | theft victim.- Do not utilize your credit card on the |
| local airport. During the six-month investigative process | | | | Internet until you have read in full the company's |
| involving the victim's case along with several others, (all | | | | privacy policy, and the company's web site provides a |
| of which originated at the same hotel), the victim's | | | | secured page that utilizes data encryption for credit |
| personal information was utilized to open several credit | | | | card information. Many companies inform e-commerce |
| card accounts and to receive several high interest | | | | customers in the fine print contained in their privacy |
| cash loans.The victim - A Georgia homeownerThe | | | | policy that by purchasing their products via their web |
| victim received a telephone call one morning from a | | | | site, you agree to accept all of the terms and |
| major credit card company customer service | | | | agreements contained in their privacy policy. Quite |
| representative who worked in the theft and fraud | | | | often those terms include the re-distribution of your |
| department. He was calling to inquire about the | | | | personal information to other companies and creditors.- |
| unusually high dollar amounts that had been charged | | | | Do not use a check or bank card on the Internet.- |
| on the victim's recently opened credit card account. | | | | Closely monitor all monthly bank and credit card |
| The victim had not opened any credit card accounts in | | | | account statements for fraudulent withdrawals and |
| over five years. The representative then | | | | charges. Keep monthly statements for a minimum of |
| recommended that the victim call the local police and | | | | one year.- If your social security number is utilized as |
| file a police report.The victim was informed by a police | | | | your drivers license number, have it changed. Do not |
| department supervisor that for three days they had | | | | have your social security number printed on personal |
| received several similar complaints from the same | | | | checks.- Order a copy of your credit report at least |
| subdivision. Further investigation revealed that a male | | | | twice annually.- Maintain one document, preferably in a |
| subject posing as a door-to-door solicitor had retrieved | | | | fire proof security file or safe along with birth |
| several envelopes containing pre-approved credit card | | | | certificates, social security cards, your home inventory |
| promotions from mailboxes throughout the subdivision.(I | | | | and other important documentation that contains the |
| was an arresting officer involved with the following | | | | company name, account number, telephone number |
| case)The victims - Five major Atlanta area retail | | | | and the family member names on each open credit |
| outletsA search warrant was successfully obtained | | | | account. This will speed up the reporting process |
| for an apartment located in Dekalb County. The two | | | | should you ever become an identity theft victim.If you |
| male residents were suspected of fraudulently | | | | suspect that you or someone that you know has |
| ordering and receiving merchandise via the Internet | | | | become a victim of identity theft, contact your local |
| from several Atlanta area retail locations. Upon | | | | law enforcement agency immediately to obtain a |
| entering the residence officers observed several | | | | police report. Early documentation is crucial. Send a |
| expensive and obviously new items of merchandise | | | | copy of the following letter to the major credit |
| located throughout the entire home, including:- One | | | | reporting agencies:///////////SAMPLE LETTER/////////// |
| twelve foot tall artificial Christmas tree containing | | | | //////Re: (Your full legal name/no initials) |
| hand-blown glass ornaments valued at $3000.00- Two | | | | Social Security No:__________________ |
| forty inch projection television sets (one in the living | | | | Date of Birth:___________________ |
| room and one in the master bedroom)- Unopened | | | | Social Security No:__________________ |
| boxes in the dining room containing several sets of | | | | Date of Birth:___________________ |
| crystal and china valued at $10,000.00- Several | | | | Spouses' Name:_____________ |
| unopened boxes located throughout the home | | | | Social Security No:_________________ |
| containing computer equipment including monitors and | | | | Date of |
| PC towers valued at $16,000.00Investigative efforts | | | | Birth:______________Dear_____________,In |
| revealed that the two subjects had obtained a | | | | accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and for |
| Customer Credit Listing book from another individual | | | | the protection of my credit information, I respectfully |
| who was at one time an employee of a credit | | | | request that you take the following actions |
| reporting agency. The book was the size of a | | | | immediately:- Provide me with my current credit report. |
| telephone book and contained thousands of listings in | | | | (Enclosed find $_____)- Please add the following |
| alphabetical order of Atlanta area credit customers by | | | | consumer alert to my credit report: "Do not issue credit |
| full name, last known mailing address, last known level | | | | without telephoning me first at the following number: |
| of income and even social security and date of birth | | | | __________." (This is an excellent deterrent for |
| information.The subjects had highlighted certain names, | | | | imposters!)- Please remove my name from any and all |
| (prioritized by income level), and had utilized the victim's | | | | market mailing and promotional lists. (Call |
| personal information to obtain several credit cards | | | | 888-5OPTOUT to request information removal for all |
| from the retail locations. The subjects would then utilize | | | | three credit-reporting agencies as well.)- Please do not |
| the credit cards to order merchandise.Five retail outlets | | | | change my mailing address or telephone number |
| dispatched seven large panel trucks to retrieve their | | | | without my prior authorization in writing.- My current |
| merchandise from the residence.During the preliminary | | | | address is: _________________ |
| hearing for one of the subjects, officers knew that the | | | | - My current telephone number at my office is: |
| subject was a major flight risk and were not pleased | | | | _____________ |
| with the inadequate cash bond amount that the | | | | - My current telephone number at my home is: |
| presiding judge had placed on the subject. An officer | | | | _____________Enclosed you will find a copy of a |
| approached the bench and placed the large Customer | | | | current utility bill to confirm the accuracy of the above |
| Credit Listing book down in front of the judge, opened | | | | information.Please do not provide my credit information |
| it to a book-marked page and pointed to the only line | | | | to anyone without my prior authorization via telephone, |
| of highlighted text on the page. Both subjects were | | | | fax, or in writing.Please provide me with the necessary |
| denied bail by the judge and were ordered to remain in | | | | information so that I may set up a password to use |
| jail until their trial date.The judges' credit information | | | | for telephonic communications with your agency.If I do |
| was highlighted.Identity thieves will utilize anyone's | | | | not receive anything from you in writing within ten (10) |
| personal information in any way imaginable in order to | | | | business days from the date in which you signed the |
| profit financially, including but not limited to:- Procuring | | | | return receipt for this letter, I will assume that you |
| monies from the victim's established accounts- | | | | unconditionally agree to insure that the above actions |
| Obtaining credit cards from banks and retailers- | | | | are taken.Thank you in advance for your prompt |
| Applying for and receiving cash loans- Financing the | | | | attention to this matter.Respectfully yours,////////// |
| purchase of anything from automobiles to firearms | | | | SAMPLE LETTER//////////////////J.C. Hurst is the IT |
| (identity theft is a simple way for convicted felons to | | | | Internet Marketing Director |
| by-pass gun laws, including background checks and | | | | for The Ziegler Corporations.You may contact J.C. at |
| waiting periods)- Establishing accounts with utility | | | | 800.726.0510 -or- |
| companies- Obtaining a home loan or renting a home | | | | J.C. Hurst is the IT/Internet Marketing Director |
| or apartment- Obtaining employment- Filing for | | | | for The Ziegler Corporations.You may contact J.C. at |
| bankruptcy (in the victim's name)Methods utilized by | | | | 800.726. |
| identity thieves for obtaining a victim's personal | | | | |