Ways to protect yourself against identity theft

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Parrish Hollingsworth
  • 1 SOSFS
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  Identity theft is reaching epidemic proportions in America, in part because of new, sophisticated technology that allows identity thieves to access personal information about their victims and use it to commit fraud or theft. 

The Federal Trade Commission reported identity theft as its number one source of consumer complaints in 2001. Although the majority of reports concerned credit card fraud, most of the victims had experienced more than one type of identity theft. 

This costly and hard to fight crime often goes on without the victim's knowledge. The effects on a consumer's credit and daily life can be devastating. Because of damaged credit ratings, a victim finds it difficult to obtain new credit cards or loans. Collection agencies hound them to pay for charges they did not make, and they're forced to prove, often without concrete evidence, that they're not responsible for the illegal activities committed in their names. 

Although identity theft is more widespread than ever before, community-based programs to help prevent it are scarce. In the absence of established programs, the best approach is raising public awareness and educating the community on how to combat identity theft and if already victimized, how to limit the damage. 

The FTC recommends that consumers exercise caution when giving out personal information such as social security and credit card numbers. Consumers should put passwords on credit card and bank accounts, and inspect credit reports once a year.
If victimized, the FTC recommends that consumers contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus along with the creditors of any accounts that were opened fraudulently or tampered with. The consumer should also file a report with local police. 

The FTC collects complaints about identify theft from consumers who have been victimized and enters them into consumer sentinel, an online database available to hundreds of law enforcement agencies. It doesn't have the authority to bring criminal charges but it can help victims by providing information to assist them in resolving problems that can result from this crime. 

Consumers can file a complaint and get advice by contacting the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline toll-free at 1-877-438-4338. 

They can also fill out an online complaint form located at www.consumer.gov/idtheft