Identity Theft: How to Protect Yourself
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STATE OF NEW YORK OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THE CAPITOL ALBANY, NY 12224
Never provide any personal, bank account or credit card information to anyone who contacts you through a telephone solicitation. Any reputable company would be happy to send you information about their product or service. Be careful about to whom you give out personal identification information, such as your mother’s maiden name and your Social Security Number. Ask if it can be kept confidential. Inquire into how it will be used and with whom it will be shared. Tear Up/Destroy all ATM and bank receipts, old insurance forms, bank checks, expired charge/credit cards, and any other papers that include personal information, identification, and account numbers about you. This includes preapproved credit card solicitations! Thieves oftentimes search through garbage to find these forms and information and use it to apply for credit in your name. Keep items with personal information in a safe place. Keep a list of all credit cards, account numbers, expiration dates, and the customer service phone numbers in a secure place so that you can quickly contact your creditors in case your cards are lost or stolen.
C You may ask, what is “identity theft” and how does this affect me? Theft of identity is when someone else uses personal identification information about you, for example, your social security number and date of birth, to apply for credit, open bank accounts or make unauthorized purchases. Theft of identity is fast becoming the most prevalent and costly financial crime in the nation. It is estimated that more than 500,000 people have their identity stolen each year, costing consumers and the financial industry billions of dollars. Why is it important? Oftentimes, consumers are not aware that their identities have been stolen and how it may affect their lives. If someone has fraudulently obtained a credit card in your name, he/she may be ruining your credit and your reputation. Unfortunately, you may not find out until damage has been done; when you are rejected for a mortgage or a loan or denied an employment opportunity. Although it’s impossible to guarantee that your personal information will not be used to steal your identity, my office has developed this brochure to provide advice on steps consumers can take to reduce the chances of it happening. For more information about what to do if you believe you’ve been a victim of identity theft of if you have any other credit related question, please contact my office at (800) 771-7755 or visit my web site at www.oag.state.ny.us. C
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Minimize the number of credit cards and other items with personal information printed on them that you carry. Cancel all inactive accounts. Even though you do not use them, those accounts appear on your credit report, which can be used by thieves. Do not leave envelopes containing your checks in your home mailbox, unless it’s secured. Due to the increased risk of theft, it is best to mail bills and other sensitive items at the post office, rather than from your residence. Social Security Number: Give it out only when necessary. Ask to use other types of identifiers when possible. DO NOT store your Social Security Card in your wallet. When creating passwords or PINs, do not use the last four digits of your Social Security Number, your birth date, middle name, mother’s maiden name, address or anything else that could be discovered easily by thieves. To decrease the number of credit card applications that you receive (and the chances of these applications being stolen) call (888) 5OPT-OUT to have your name removed from marketing lists sold by credit bureaus.
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Monitoring your credit card statements and your credit report are the most important steps you can take to safeguard your credit identity. Under federal law, you are entitled to one free copy of your credit report from each of the three nationwide credit bureaus every 12 months. You may contact 1-877-322-8228 or visit www.annualcreditreport.com to order your report. You can order your report from each of the companies one at a time. To order or purchase additional copies of your report, contact the following credit bureaus: Equifax - (800) 685-1111; Experian - (888) 397-3742, and Trans Union - (800) 916-8800. Don’t let merchants record your credit card number on a check. It’s prohibited by law for them to require it. The same goes for traveler’s checks and money orders. Consider placing a security freeze on your credit file to restrict access to your credit line and prevent an imposter from opening an account in your name.
State of New York Office of the Attorney General
Consumer Tips
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Identity Theft: How to Protect Yourself
For more information about identity theft contact the Attorney General’s Office at (800) 771-7755 or visit our web site at www.oag.state.ny.us.
ANDREW M. CUOMO Attorney General