I·DEN·TI·TY THEFT
[AHY-DEN-TI-TEE, IH-DEN-] [THEFT]
DEFINITION-
the fraudulent acquisition and use of a person's private identifying information, usually for financial gain.
TYPES OF IDENTITY THEFT
CRIMINAL IDENTITY THEFT
When a criminal fraudulently identifies himself to police as another individual at the point of arrest, it is sometimes referred to as "Criminal Identity Fraud."
CHILD IDENTITY THEFT
Child identity theft occurs when a minor’s identity is used by another person for the impostor’s personal gain. The impostor can be a family member, a friend, or even a stranger who targets children.
SYNTHETIC IDENTITY THEFT
A variation of identity theft which has recently become more common is synthetic identity theft, in which identities are completely or partially fabricated. The most common technique involves combining a real social security number with a name and birthdate other than the ones associated with the number.
WHAT WE CAN DO !!!!!!
- Don't carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write it on your checks. Only give out your SSN when absolutely necessary.
- Protect your PIN. Never write a PIN on a credit/debit card or on a slip of paper kept in your wallet.
- Watch out for "shoulder surfers". Use your free hand to shield the keypad when using pay phones and ATMs.
- Collect mail promptly. Ask the post office to put your mail on hold when you are away from home for more than a day or two.
- Pay attention to your billing cycles. If bills or financial statements are late, contact the sender.
- Keep your receipts. Ask for carbons and incorrect charge slips as well. Promptly compare receipts with account statements. Watch for unauthorized transactions.
- Tear up or shred unwanted receipts, credit offers, account statements, expired cards, etc., to prevent dumpster divers getting your personal information.
- Store personal information in a safe place at home and at work. Don't leave it lying around.
- Don't respond to unsolicited requests for personal information in the mail, over the phone or online.
- Install firewalls and virus-detection software on your home computer.
- Check your credit report once a year. Check it more frequently if you suspect someone has gotten access to your account information.
WORK CITED
- "Prevent and Report Identity Theft." Prevent and Report Identity Theft. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2015.
- "How to Prevent Identity Theft." WikiHow. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2015.
- "USDOJ: CRM: About the Criminal Division." USDOJ: CRM: About the Criminal Division. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2015.