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