It used to be when you were being robbed, you could identify the robber, or your next door neighbor could call the police before the thieves left with all your valuables. Well in this day and age, thieves are working in ways that steal more than your purse, wallet, television, or jewelry. Today's thieves are taking your good name, social security number and bank accounts and in many cases you have no idea it is happening until it is too late.
As technology advances and thieves become more sophisticated, we as consumers need to take steps to make it difficult for these thieves to steal from us. In fact, Identity Theft is becoming such an issue that the Federal Trade Commission has put together a special task force to help citizens guard against identity theft and what to do if the unthinkable does happen.
There are basically five common ways Identity theft happens. Thieves are going through trash cans to get personal information, skimming (stealing credit card numbers by using special storage devices when processing the card), phishing (pretending to work for financial institutions and tricking the consumer into revealing personal information), changing your address without your knowledge, and old-fashion stealing such as burglary and purse-snatching.
While every situation is different, there are steps you can take to make it more difficult…and hopefully impossible for thieves to get away with your most valued personal information.
The FTC recommends that you:
- Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you discard them.
- Protect your Social Security number. Don't carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give it out only if absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier.
- Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you know who you are dealing with.
- Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails; instead, type in a web address you know. Use firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect your home computer; keep them up-to-date. Visit OnGuardOnline.gov for more information.
- Don't use an obvious password like your birth date, your mother's maiden name, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
- Keep your personal information in a secure place at home especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your house.
Last year more than 242,000 people reported that they were victims of identity theft. If you suspect that your personal financial information has been compromised please file a report with your local police department, place a "fraud alert" on your credit report through one of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies (Equifax, Experian and Transunion) and close any accounts that may have been tampered with or established fraudulently.
Visit www.KansasStateTreasurer.com for more information on financial management and security tips. It is my honor to serve as your Kansas State Treasurer. Please contact my office if we can assist you.
