by Bruce L. Dorner
The Visa bill has arrived. You throw it on the counter and decide to review it later. Several days pass. You finally realize that the payment is due shortly or you’ll run up interest charges. You grab your checkbook and get ready to write the check. You notice that the balance for the month is $3,750.00. What the heck did my spouse buy this month to create this monster?
You scan the text and see several charges with Las Vegas addresses. This makes no sense. You’ve never been to Vegas. They must have applied someone else’s charges to your account. You call the credit card company and wait on hold while your temper builds to a boil. The nice customer service representative listens to your story. She says that the burden is on you to show that you didn’t make the charges, and you need to file a written protest. After much discussion she gives you the number for the fraud department and suggests you talk with their representative. You’re likely a victim of identity theft!
How could this happen? With today’s electronic society it is easier than ever to gather information about an individual. With some diligence you can get addresses, phone numbers, banking relationships and social security numbers. Just think about the last time you went to a department store to make a purchase. You decided to write a check. They had you add your phone number, viewed your driver’s license and recorded that number. Those are all key elements for identity theft.
How do you protect yourself from this vicious crime? Start with the basics. When you have new checks printed, just use your initials and last name. If someone takes your checkbook, they won’t know how you sign your name. When you pay your credit card bills with checks, don’t put the whole account number in the memo portion of the check. Just put the last four digits. The creditor will be able to figure out the full number. Gee, give a thief your entire credit card number and they’ve got a very good start on racking up some really fun stuff!
Consider putting your work phone number on your checks and consider using a P.O. Box instead of a street address. This makes it a bit more difficult to determine your identity. Above all, never put your Social Security number on your checks.
Identity theft also arises when you misplace your wallet. Start by taking all the licenses, credit cards and assorted goodies out of your wallet and make a photo copy of both sides of the documents. In addition, make sure you have all the phone numbers for your credit card companies. Keep this information in an easily accessible place so you can promptly notify your creditors in the event your wallet is stolen and so that you’ll know exactly what needs to be replaced.
If your wallet is stolen, promptly file a police report. Sometimes the wallet does show up and occasionally it gets dropped into a mailbox. Also, there are some major credit reporting agencies. They get called when there are concerns about credit worthiness. You may want to call Equifax, Experian, and even the fraud line at the Social Security Administration. They can flag your account and watch for any unusual transactions. When in doubt, don’t give out any identity information.