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Home » Consumer Information » Personal Privacy

Identity Fraud

Personal Privacy & Identity Fraud

You may feel like you’re doing everything you can to keep your personal information private, but experienced identity thieves will utilize all kinds of techniques to get ahold of it.

How identity thieves obtain personal information:

  • They target wallets and purses containing ID, credit, and debit cards.
  • They steal your mail, searching specifically for bank and credit card statements, tax information, preapproved credit offers, and new checkbooks.
  • They fill out a “change of address form” to reroute your mail to a different location
  • They fish through your trash and rummage through garbage at businesses in a procedure called “dumpster diving.”
  • They will get a copy of your credit report by any means necessary. They might pose as a landlord, employer, or some other professional who might have a justifiable reason for needing access to the report.
  • They come across personal information at your house.
  • They use personal data you share online.
  • They scam you by impersonating someone who works for a trustworthy company or government agency. This is done over the phone or through email.
  • They use a method known as “business record theft” to steal files out of offices where you’re an employee, customer, patient, or student. They may gain access by bribing an employee or hacking into the computer system.

How identity thieves use personal information

  • They contact your credit card company, pretend to be you, request a change of address on the account, and proceed to run up a large bill to that particular account. Since your bills will be sent to an unrecognizable address, you won’t immediately recognize that there is a problem.
  • They open a new credit card account under your name, birth date, and social security number. They use the card and obviously don’t pay the bills, negatively impacting your credit report.
  • They set up a landline or cell phone account in your name.
  • They open a bank account and write checks that bounce in your name.
  • They file for bankruptcy under your name to evade paying off debt that is also under your name. They also do this to avoid being evicted from a building.
  • They produce counterfeit checks or debit cards and empty your bank account.
  • They purchase vehicles by taking out a car loan in your name.
  • They impersonate you by providing the police with your name upon arrest. Once they’re released from jail, there will be a warrant out for your arrest when no one appears in court.

Recognize the signs of identity theft

Monitor your financial account balances on a daily basis, watching for bizarre withdrawals or charges. Some hints of identity theft include:

  • Failure to receive bills or other scheduled mailings, signifying an address change by an imposter
  • Receipt of credit cards that you never applied for
  • Sudden denial of credit for unknown reasons
  • Calls from bill collectors or other companies regarding merchandise or services

How to clear your name and restore credit history

If an identity thief opens new credit accounts under your name, they will probably appear in your credit report. To find out for sure, order a copy of your report from one of the three credit bureaus. If you notice something’s not right, compare that copy with reports from the other two major bureaus. Keep in mind that some mistakes could be a result of computer, clerical, or other errors that are being confused with identity theft.

If your personal information has been lost or stolen, you should consider checking your credit score more often during the first year. Credit bureaus may charge as much as $9 per credit report under federal law. However, reports may be purchased at a reduced rate or free of charge in some states.