Guard against growing problem of identity theft

Guard against growing problem of identity theft

Those of us here are beginning to learn what some of our big city brethren have learned -- identity theft is a growing trend.

Law enforcement, credit agencies, banking and lending institutions and chambers of commerce across the state have been getting out the word that each of us needs to be more careful.

Unscrupulous people go through our trash looking for whatever can help them succeed in perpetrating consumer fraud.

In some cities, reports are prevalent that checks have been written on accounts that have been closed for some time.

Law enforcement and credit agencies are reporting suspicious behavior around waste collection and recycling sites and noting that members of the public said they had been targeted with unauthorized checks written on their accounts.

Information can be stolen from you by going through your mail or trash to taking pre-approved credit card offers and discarded credit card receipts, calling you on the phone and posing as a solicitor to gain your personal information including your date of birth and social security number, or watching when you access your account at an ATM to steal your account number and password.

Past tax records also can hold promise for thieves who try to parlay that information into cash at your expense.

It's a growing problem nationwide and one that seems to increase around the holidays and around the first of the year.

According to various reporting websites, each year, some 15 million Americans became victims of identity theft, at a cost of $50 billion.

To guard against becoming a victim, officials suggest purchasing a crosscut shredder and destroying all documents with financial and personal information.

In addition to shredding past tax records, credit card receipts and bank statements, old receipts and utility bills and new credit card offers, you should keep a secured list of your credit card account numbers and bank accounts so in an emergency, you can notify these companies quickly to stop fraudulent charges or purchases.

Keep a minimal number of credit cards when shopping and don't carry important documents with you unless absolutely necessary.

If you think you are a victim, contact the credit card companies who are reporting the false debt and have them investigate.

You should also contact all three credit reporting agencies to get as much information as possible.

Keep a record of your efforts.

Protect yourself by being aware of the potential problems.

And shred those documents.