Identity Fraud Prevention

One of America's fastest growing crimes is identity fraud. Victims of identity fraud describe a havoc wrecking process of required notifications and verifications in order to restore authentic credit rating. This crime is complicated by the fact that this opportunistic thief often operates outside of normal jurisdictional boundaries. The Department offers the following suggestions to minimize your risk:

• Don't carry your social security number with you. Secure it in a safe location.
• Don't allow your mail to remain in your inbox for long periods of time, allowing strangers access.
• Destroy unnecessary personal information containing social security numbers, name, and date of birth.
• Monitor your credit reports, bills, and bill cycles for unusual activity.
• Never give your social security number or personal information without knowing how it will be used or shared.
• Credit cards should not be loaned, and always guard personal information such as PIN numbers and credit information from public view.

If you are the victim of a identity theft immediately contact all creditors by telephone and in writing, notify your bank, and change PIN numbers. Enforcement jurisdiction may fall under the local police, local post office, or the Federal Trade Commission. The Social Security Administration Fraud Hotline may be contacted at 1-800-269-0271.