Identity Theft

A Carebridge Seminar

Loss or theft of your personal identifiers

– Social Security Number

– Financial account or credit card numbers

– Pins and Access Codes

Loss or theft of your Personal Identification

– Drivers License

– Passport

– Signature

What is ID Theft?

Old fashioned theft

– Lifting your wallet or purse

– Mail grab

– Credit card number

scams

– Trash diving

Common ID Theft

Keep alert

Make sure you receive all of your mail

Do not put up the flag on your mailbox

Do not give out your credit card or

bank number over the phone unless

you initiated the call

Shred old documents

Old Fashioned Prevention

Old fashioned scams – now uses the internet– Nigerian scam over $100 million (1997)

– Foreign lottery (2002)

Hacking – usually attack large data bases

Phishing – deceptive email – Ebay, paypal, using accounts for spamming

Pharming – web site redirection – Redirecting domain servers

High Tech

Never click or answer strange email or documents

Do not answer spam

Look for the padlocks on sites

Use spyware, firewall and antivirus programs and keep updated

With wireless networks, use a router with an encryption mechanism

Do not click on links go directly to sites

Do not use protected sites in wireless cafes

Keep ID numbers off your computer

IF IT SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE –IT IS

High Tech Precaution

Credit Reporting Bureaus

– Equifax (800-525-6285)

– Experian (888-EXPERIAN)

– Trans Union (800-680-7289)

FTC – Fraud Hotline (877-438-4338)

Call Local Police

US Postal Service

Review Your Credit Reports Periodically

Social Security Administration (800-722-1213)

Stolen – Now What?

Three Credit Reporting Bureaus

One Free Credit Report Per Year– Effective September 2005

Single Web Source – www.annualcreditreport.com

– 877-322-8228

Go to Each Web Site

and Stagger Requests

ID Insurance

Credit Reports

Identity Theft Websites

US Department of Education; Office of the Inspector General

www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/index.html

Identity Theft Resources Center

www.idtheftcenter.org

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

www.fdic.gov

United States Postal Service

www.usps.gov

Social Security Administration

www.ssa.gov

Better Business Bureau

www.bbbonline.org/IDTheft/

Contact Carebridge

Confidential

Services

1-800-437-0911

www.myliferesource.com