Identity Crisis

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Identity Crisis
Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
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• Considerations and Definitions

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Questions To Consider
How many personal identifiers are in your wallet
or purse? How many financial identifiers?
If the volume of mail I get at home drops off
substantially, I should check . . . . ?
Where is a security alert placed and who does
it? What about a security freeze?
What can I do, personally, to prevent or limit
being a victim of identity crime?
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Definition and Types

• Identity Crime is defined as
• Theft or misuse of personal or financial
  identifiers in order to gain something of value
  and / or facilitate other criminal activity.

• Types of Identity Crimes include
• Identity Theft
• Credit card / Access Device Fraud (skimming)
• Check Fraud
• False Identification Fraud
• Passport / Visa Fraud

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Scope and Current trends
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Scope

• ID Crime often facilitates
• Mail theft fraud
• Illegal Narcotics / drugs
• Organized crime
• Financial fraud (money laundering)
• Mortgage fraud
• Weapons trafficking
• Homicide
• Terrorism
• Wire fraud
• Computer crime / internet intrusions

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Scope

• ID Crimes often begin with
• Wallet / Purse theft
• Muggings
• Computer intrusion
• Mail theft
• Dumpster diving (theft of trash)
• Theft of business documents or info
• Theft from medical facilities, hotels, etc.

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Types of Identifiers

• Personal
• Name and Date of Birth
• Social Security Number
• Address and phone numbers
• Drivers license and passport numbers
• Mothers maiden name pet name etc.

• Financial
• Credit card numbers
• Bank account numbers
• PIN numbers
• Insurance account numbers

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Current Trends

• Use of current / latest technologies.
• Scams include
• Over hearing cell phone conversations.
• Reading others faxes or email.
• Hacking into computers.
• Telephone and e-mail scams.
• Careless online shopping and banking.
• Magnetic Strip Scanners

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www.idtheftcenter.org
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Top 10 Consumer Fraud Complaints

• Internet Auctions 16
• Shop-at-Home/Catalog Sales 8
• Internet Services/Computer Complaints
  6
• Foreign Money Offers 6
• Prizes/Sweepstakes and Lotteries 5
• Advance-Fee Loans and Credit Protection 3
• Business Opportunities/Work at Home Scams 2
• Telephone Services 2
• Other (Miscellaneous 12

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Legal aspects of Identity crime
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Protect Yourself

• From Business and Commerce Code Chapter 20,
  added definitions
• Security Alert
• Security Freeze

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Security Alert
Security alert" means a notice placed on a
consumer file that alerts a recipient of a
consumer report involving that consumer file that
the consumer's identity may have been used
without the consumer's consent to fraudulently
obtain goods or services in the consumer's name.
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Security Freeze
"Security freeze" means a notice placed on a
consumer file that prohibits a consumer reporting
agency from releasing a consumer report relating
to the extension of credit involving that
consumer file without the express authorization
of the consumer.
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Prosecuting Needs

• Reporting ID Crime to Police
• Making a written report is vital because credit
  bureaus require a police report.
• You should complete an Identity Crime Incident
  Detail Form.
• You should immediately begin gathering bank,
  credit card statements, letters from creditors,
  merchant account statements, etc.
• You should obtain credit reports from the three
  major Credit Bureaus.

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Need For Immediacy in Reporting Relation to time
of theft and when the theft was reported
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Statistics

• Texas was ranked 4th in the nation for percentage
  of victims in relation to population.
• There were 26,624 victims of Identity Theft in
  Texas in 2005
• City No.
• Houston 3,735
• Dallas 1,908
• San Antonio 1,760
• Fort Worth 1,105
• Austin 858

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Costs of I.D. Theft in the last year

• 4.6 of the Population
• 9.91 Million U.S.Citizens
• Average loss for financial institutions
  4,800.00
• Total loss 47.6 billion
• Average loss for individual victims 500.00
• Average time spent resolving issues 30 hours

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www.consumer.gov/theft
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Credit Reporting Agencys
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How do I get my Free Credit Report
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Experian
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TransUnion
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Equifax
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Credit Report Example
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Other Scams

• Online Business
• Processing Medical Insurance Claims
• Social Group Clubs
• Pigeon Drop Scam
• Lottery Tickets Scam
• Nigerian Royal Family
• Home Repairs
• Envelope Stuffing

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NO Call List
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Telemarketers

• Do not get stuck on the phone
• Never provide credit card information over the
  phone.
• Always ask for mail correspondence if you do wish
  to make a purchase or to make denotation.
• Remember they are calling you, feel free to say,
  Thanks but, NO Thanks

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Personal protection
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Prevention Personal Awareness

• Do not give out personal identifier information
  over the phone or Internet.
• Stay informed about your personal financial
  records with frequent checks of credit history,
  bank records, i.e., extra or unknown
  transactions.
• Limit personal information on necessary public
  distribution items (checks, business cards).
• Purchase a home cross-cut shredder.
• Consider Identity Theft Insurance.
• Limit types of information you provide to
  everyone
• (license plates, kids names, last names)

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Internet Safety
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www.idcrimes.com
We provide services relating to victims of
specific types of crimes involving Identity
Theft. We can assist you in the process of
restoring your credit and ensuring the secure
reacquisition of your personal information.