| The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act, | | | | safety deposit box, or any other secured location. |
| known commonly as FACTA, was put into law in | | | | 6. Avoid giving out personal information on the |
| the United States to help to protect consumers | | | | phone, through the mail, or on the internet unless |
| from identity theft and to help in its prevention. | | | | you are absolutely sure you know and can trust |
| FACTA ensures that all citizens are treated fairly | | | | with whom you are communicating. Caution: |
| when they apply for a mortgage or other form | | | | Before you share personal information, be sure |
| of credit and it entitles them to a free annual | | | | you are dealing with a legitimate business or |
| credit report to verify its accuracy. | | | | organization. (If you are unsure about an online |
| Becoming a major epidemic, Identity Theft occurs | | | | communication, check the organization's website |
| when a criminal uses another person's personal | | | | by typing its URL in the address line. Most large |
| information to take on that person's identity. | | | | companies post alerts on their sites when they |
| Identity theft includes the misuse of a Social | | | | are aware of a scam when their name is used |
| Security number, credit cards, mail fraud, scam, | | | | improperly.) |
| schemes, frauds, or any other form of misuse or | | | | Identity thieves usually pose as representatives |
| abuse of a victim's identity. | | | | of banks, lotteries, sweepstakes, internet service |
| There is no guarantee that you will never be a | | | | providers, or some other officially-sounding-entity. |
| victim; however, there are steps you can take to | | | | They will use any means possible to try to get |
| minimize your risk. Here is a list of 14 steps you | | | | you to reveal your valuable information. |
| can take to prevent or at least minimize its | | | | 7. Call the Customer Service Department of |
| occurrence: | | | | companies or organizations with whom you do |
| 1. Manage your personal information cautiously and | | | | business using the number listed on your account |
| with a new awareness that identity theft can | | | | statement or in the telephone book. |
| occur anytime anywhere and when you least | | | | 8. Do not place passwords on your credit card, |
| expect it. | | | | bank, or telephone accounts. |
| 2. Ask about security procedures in your | | | | 9. When choosing a password, avoid using obvious |
| workplace, doctor's office, or other business or | | | | information like your mother's maiden name, your |
| organization that routinely collects relevant and | | | | birth date, a series of consecutive numbers, or |
| personal identifying information as part of doing | | | | the last four digits of your Social Security Number |
| business or providing a service. Find out who has | | | | or your phone number. |
| access to your personal information and verify | | | | 10. Pay attention to your billing cycles. A missing |
| that it is handled securely. Inquire about their | | | | bill could mean an identity thief has gotten their |
| disposal procedures and if your information will be | | | | hands on it. |
| shared with anyone else (namely third parties | | | | "9.9 million people were victims of identity theft in |
| such as mailing list companies, marketing and | | | | 2002", according to the Federal Trade |
| survey companies, etc.). | | | | Commission. Don't wait until it happens to you. |
| 3. Instead of giving your Social Security Number, | | | | 11. Be wary of promotional scams or phony |
| inquire if you can use other types of identification. | | | | offers to get you to give them your personal |
| Use your Social Security Number with caution and | | | | information such as lottery and sweepstakes' that |
| only when absolutely necessary. | | | | you have never entered and ones asking for an |
| "Your Chances of becoming victimized by some | | | | "administration" fee. |
| form of identity theft is one in ten," according to | | | | 12. If your job requires you to suit up in special |
| the Federal Trade Commission. | | | | clothing at work, never leave your purse or wallet |
| 4. If you find that you have been victimized, | | | | in your personal clothes. Always keep them in a |
| immediately file a complaint with the Federal | | | | safe and secured place. |
| Trade Commission. The FTC maintains a database | | | | 13. When reordering checks, pick them up at the |
| of identity theft cases used by law enforcement | | | | bank instead of having them sent to your mailbox. |
| agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint helps | | | | 14. Obtain a current credit report by contacting |
| the FTC learn more about identity theft and the | | | | any of these major credit bureaus: |
| problems victims are having. This knowledge helps | | | | Equifax: P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374-0241 |
| them to assist you better. | | | | For Fraud Alerts, call: 800-525-6285 |
| 5. Carry only the identification and the number of | | | | Experian: P.O. Box 2002 Allen TX 75013 |
| credit and debit cards that you will actually use. | | | | For Fraud Alerts, call: 888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) |
| Leave extra cards in a safe place at home, in a | | | | Trans Union: P.O. |