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Identity Theft
Identity theft is a crime that occurs
when an impostor uses the name, social security number, and/or other
identifying information of a victim to open credit accounts, use
existing credit accounts, or otherwise acquire benefits using the
victim's identity. Identity thieves sometimes change the address and
phone number on a victim's accounts, ruining their credit before the
theft has been discovered.
Deter identity thieves »
Here are some tips:
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Shred paperwork with personal
information before discarding them.
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Don't carry your Social Security
card in your wallet. Give it out only if absolutely necessary or ask
to use another identifier.
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Don't give out personal information
on the phone, through mail, or over the Internet unless you know who
you are dealing with.
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Never click on links sent in
unsolicited emails; instead, type in a web address you know. User
firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect your home
computer; keep these programs up-to-date. Visit
OnGuardOnline.gov for
more information.
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Don't use an obvious password like
your birth date, your mother's maiden name, or the last four digits of
your Social Security number.
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Keep your personal information in a
secure place at home, especially if you have roommates or are having
work done in your house.
Signs that require
immediate attention:
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Bills that do not arrive as
expected.
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Unexpected credit cards or account
statements.
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Denials of credit for no apparent
reason.
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Calls or letters about purchases
you did not make.
Your credit report.
Credit reports contain information
about you, including what accounts you have and your bill paying
history.
The law requires the major nationwide
consumer reporting companies - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion - to
give you a free copy of your credit report each year if you ask for it.
Visit
AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-322-8228, a service created by
these three companies, to order your free credit reports each year. You
can also write:
Annual Credit Report Request
Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
Your financial statements.
Review financial accounts and billing
statements regularly, looking for charges you did not make.
Place a "Fraud Alert" on
your credit reports, and review the reports carefully.
The alert tells creditors to follow
certain procedures before they open new accounts in your name or make
changes to your existing accounts. The three nationwide consumer
reporting companies have toll-free numbers for placing an initial 90-day
fraud alert; a call to one company is sufficient:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 -
equifax.com
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) -
experian.com
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289 -
redirect.php?link=http://www.transunion.com
Placing a fraud alert entitles you to
free copies of your credit reports. Look for inquiries from companies
you haven't contacted, accounts you didn't open, and debts on your
accounts that you can't explain.
Close accounts.
Close any accounts that have been
involved in fraud. Call the security or fraud departments of each
company where an account was opened or changed without your consent.
Follow up in writing, with copies of supporting documents.
Use the ID Theft Affidavit at
ftc.gov/idtheft to support your written statement.
Ask for verification that the disputed account has been closed and the
fraudulent debts discharged.
Keep copies of documents and records
of your conversations about the theft.
File a police report.
File a report with law enforcement
officials to help you with creditors who may want proof of the crime.
Report the theft to
the Federal Trade Commission.
Your report helps law enforcement
officials across the country in their investigations.
Online:
ftc.gov/idtheft
By Phone: 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338)
By mail: Identity Theft Clearinghouse
Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580
Common Ways ID Theft
Happens.
Skilled identity thieves use a
variety of methods to steal your personal information, including:
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Dumpster Diving. They
rummage through trash looking for bills or other paper with your
personal information on it.
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Skimming. They steal
credit/debit card numbers by using a special storage device when
processing your card.
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Phishing. They pretend to be
financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages
to get you to reveal your personal information.
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Changing Your Address. They
divert your billing statements to another location by completing a
"change of address" form.
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Old-Fashioned Stealing. They
steal wallets and purses; mail, including bank and credit card
statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new checks or tax
information. They steal personnel records from their employers, or
bribe employees who have access.
Internet/E-Mail Fraud
Alert
Recently, there have been multiple
e-mail fraud attempts, known as "Phishing", that were initiated via
e-mail sent to both the general public and to some credit union members
that appeared to be from NCUA. This false e-mail asked for the recipient
to click on a link to verify their credit union account registration. If
the recipient proceeded to do so, the link directed them to a false
website and asked for their credit union account number and PIN, along
with other personal information.
NCUA does not ask credit unions
members for such personal information. Anyone who receives an e-mail
that purports to be from NCUA and asks for account information should
consider it to be a fraudulent attempt to obtain their personal account
data for an illegal purpose and should not follow the instructions in
the e-mail.
If you responded to such an e-mail
and provided any confidential account information, please notify your
credit union immediately of the scheme. You should also request a new
PIN, and take any additional action recommended by your credit union to
protect your account.
If you feel that you have received a
fraudulent phishing e-mail purportedly from NCUA please forward the
entire e-mail message to
Phishing@ncua.gov
Additionally, you can file formal
complaints concerning any suspected fraudulent e-mail with the Internet
Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) at
www.ic3.gov. The IFCC
is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the
National White Collar Crime Center.
Mercy Credit Union does not ask our
members for personal information. Anyone who receives an e-mail that
purports to be from MCU and asks for account information should consider
it to be a fraudulent attempt to obtain their personal account data for
an illegal purpose and should not follow the instructions in the e-mail.
If you responded to such an e-mail
and provided any confidential account information, please notify us
immediately at 305.285-2150. If you feel that you have received a
fraudulent e-mail purportedly from Mercy Credit Union, please forward
the entire e-mail message to
mercycu@mercycu.org.
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