Identity theft occurs when a criminal takes your personal information and uses it to establish credit and charge items to you. Identity theft can occur by using many different types of techniques. Some of the techniques are listed below:

Phishing – pronounced “fishing” and that is exactly what these thieves do: fish for your personal financial information. In a typical case, you receive an e-mail that appears to come from a reputable company that you recognize and do business with, such as your financial institution. The e-mail will warn you of a serious problem that requires your immediate attention. The e-mail will then encourage you to click on a button to go to the institution’s Web site. You are then redirected to a phony Web site that normally looks like the actual Web site. A pop-up window will quickly appear for the purpose of harvesting your financial information. You will be asked to update your financial information or to provide information for verification purposes. If you provide the requested information, you may find yourself a victim of identity theft.

Nigerian E-mail Scam (also known as “Advance Free Fraud,” “419 Fraud” and “Help move money from my country”) – the victim receives a fax, e-mail, or letter often concerning a business proposal or request to move money to the victims bank account. At some point, the victim is asked to pay a fee of some sort up front, be it “Advance Fee,” “Transfer Tax,” “Performance Bond,” or to extend credit, grant COD privileges, or send back “change” on a cashier’s check or money order. If the victim pays the initial fee, often there are many “complications” that require more advance payments until the victim either quits or runs out of money. There are numerous variations of the scam such as a party “paying” for a purchase with a check larger than the amount required and asking for change to be advanced, a bequest left to you in a will or crude oil and other commodity deals,

Dumpster Diving – Criminals who go through the trash of businesses and residences hoping to find confidential information about consumers.

If you are a victim of identity theft:

• The first thing to do is call the local police and file a report. Make sure you keep a copy of the report. You may need a copy to validate claims.
• Call all your credit card companies, banks and investment firms and explain the situation, close the existing accounts and open new ones.
• Contact your local department of motor vehicles. You may want to get a new driver’s license.
• Contact the Social Security Department 1-800-269-0271 if you suspect your number was used to open fraudulent accounts.
• Place a fraud alert with each of the credit reporting agencies and review each report by contacting the three agencies listed below:

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

Experian: 1-888-Experian (397-3742)

TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289

• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, to file a complaint or to learn more visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft or call 1-877-IDTHEFT.