What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft is a criminal offense. It occurs when
a person knowingly transfers or uses, without
lawful authority a means of identification of
another person with the intent to commit or to
aid or abet any unlawful activity that constitutes
a felony under any applicable state or local law.
Identity theft and Assumption Deterrence Act 19
USC 1028 (a) (7)
According to the FBI, identity theft is one of the
fastest-growing crimes in the U.S. Studies show
that about 1 in 5 families in the U.S. has been a
victim of theft. It can occur in a variety of ways,
including, stealing your Social Security or credit
Card numbers and then changing the address
on your bills, using your information to
impersonate you and then rent or buy products,
using your personal information in criminal acts.
Once you discover that your personal
information has been used to open unauthorized
accounts you must take immediate action to
cancel all accounts and file a police report.
Tips on Filing a Police Report
Provide documentation: furnish as much
documentation as you can to prove your case.
Debt collections letters, credits reports, your
notarized ID Theft Affidavit and other evidence
of fraudulent activity.
Be Persistent: You must file a report in the
police jurisdiction in which you live even though
the incident may not have occurred where you
live. Stress the importance of a police report;
many creditors require one to resolve your
dispute. Under the “Police Report” initiative
credit bureaus will automatically block the
fraudulent accounts and bad debts from
appearing on your credit report but only you can
give them a copy of the police report and
number.
Tips on Organizing Your Case
- Follow up in writing with all contacts you’ve made on the phone or in person. Use certified mail, return receipts requested.
- Keep copies of all correspondences or forms you send.
- Write down names of anyone you talk to, what he or she told you, and the date the conversation occurred. Chart your actions.
- Keep the originals of supporting documentations, police reports, and letters to creditors.
Your Most Important Contact: Federal Trade Commission’s “Identity Theft
Clearing House.” You can obtain a copy of
the “ID Theft Affidavit” at1-877-438-4338
www.consumer.gov/idtheft
It is recommended that you complete the “ID
Theft Affidavit” found at the FTC website. This
affidavit has two parts: (A) ID Theft Affidavit
where you report general information about
yourself and the theft. (B) Fraudulent Account
Statement is where you describe the fraudulent
account(s) open in your name. This guide will
walk you through “how to file” affidavits with the
companies.
US Postal Inspection Service,
www.usps.com/postallinspectors Free Credit Report-www.ftc.gov
Tips to prevent mail theft/fraud: Don’t leave
mail in your mailbox overnight or on weekends. Deposit mail in U.S. Postal Service Collections
boxes. Tear up/shred unwanted documents that
contain personal information. Review your
consumer credit reports annually.
Internet transactions: A secure website or
encrypted transaction will have two features: (1)
an icon of a lock appears in the bottom of the
web browser page, (2) the URL address for the
Web page changes from “http” to “https” for the
page at which you input your personal data.
Check with your internet provider on security
for DSL lines and wireless systems.
*This information was obtained from the following
sources: US Postal Inspectors, F.T. Commission, US
Secret Service, Financial and Retail Industries.
For more information on Crime Prevention- Identity
theft/Fraud, Scams, and more please contact the
Public Safety Community Coordinator at 734.822.4959 or E-mail: colemanr@pittsfield-mi.gov
Laste Update: March 2010
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