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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What Is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is a crime in which someone acquires and uses your personal information, such as your Social Security or driver's license numbers, to take out loans, obtain new credit cards, rent an apartment, buy a car, run up debt, file for bankruptcy, as well as other criminal activities. It can damage your creditworthiness and create unknown criminal records that can result in you being wrongly arrested or denied employment or denied a loan.

Q:
 Can someone really steal my identity?

Unfortunately, yes. Everyday life activities contribute to making your personal information available to criminals. Booking travel, shopping at stores or online, interacting with friends on social networking sites, and tossing junk mail and other business information into the trash can create a trail for identity thieves to follow. Learn more about what puts you at risk. 

Identity thieves use a variety of methods to gain access to your personal information so they can use it to their advantage. Here are some of the ways they get it:

   - From businesses or institutions by stealing records from their employer, bribing an employee who has
     access to the records, conning information out of employees or hacking into the organization's
     computers.
   - "Dumpster diving" through your trash at home or work to find bills and credit statements that contain 
     personal information.
   - Obtaining credit reports by either fraudulently posing as a prospective landlord or misusing an 
     employer's authorized access to credit reports.
   - Stealing credit and debit card account numbers by using a special information storage device (this is 
     known as "skimming") while your card is being processed during a transaction.
   - Stealing wallets and purses containing identification and credit and bank cards.
   - Stealing your mail or completing a change of address to redirect your mail so that they will receive 
     
your credit card statements or tax information.
   - Using camera phones to take a picture of your credit or personal information while you complete a 
     
retail transaction.
   - Stealing personal information from your home.
   - Scamming information from you by posing as a legitimate business person or government official.

Q: What can I do to protect myself from identity theft?

Although there is no fool-proof way to completely prevent identity theft from happening to you, you can minimize your risk by protecting and monitoring your personal information. Doing so enables you to detect potential fraudulent activities early on, which can greatly reduce the financial, emotional and legal burden associated with identity theft and fraud.

Here are some ways you can help protect your identity:

Protect your Social Security number (SSN).
   - Do not: carry your Social Security card with you.
   - Do not: provide your Social Security number unless it's absolutely necessary and you trust the 
     organization to keep your information safe. Only a few organizations, such as motor vehicle 
     departments, tax departments and welfare departments, have the right to require your Social 
     Security number. In addition, employers, banks and other financial institutions that necessitate 
     tax transactions can require your Social Security number, but for all other accounts, you 
     should ask if they will accept an alternative proof of identification.
   - Do not: put your Social Security number on your driver's license — ask for an alternative number 
     to be provided.
   - Do not: put your Social Security number on your personal checks.

Protect your personal information.
   - Watch for people who may try to look over your shoulder, eavesdrop or take a picture with a camera 
     phone when you're exchanging your personal information.
   - Shred first. Then throw away any documents containing sensitive or personal information, such as 
     your credit card statements or pre-approved offers, utility bills or tax documents.
   - Use a locked mailbox to send and receive all of your mail.

Know and frequently monitor your personal information.
   - Review your Public Record Profile to validate that all of the information reported in it is correct.
   - Check your credit report(s) to validate that all of the information listed in them is correct.

Be suspicious.
   - Do not: respond to suspicious "phishing" email requests.
   - Never send information such as your Social Security number, credit card number or
     user IDs/passwords through an email.
   - Never provide information to a telephone solicitor unless you have initiated the call and it is a legitimate
     institution. 

Q:
 I monitor my credit bureau account regularly. Doesn't that eliminate my risk of identity fraud?

Although monitoring your credit bureau report is important, it's actually the last warning you might receive before financial fraud is committed against you. And, even if you notify your creditors of the fraudulent use of your name, your original data stays in the possession of the identity thief — and could be used again. That's why it's so important to monitor both the Internet and your credit report.