Identity Theft and Fraud Prevention
Identity Theft and Fraud Prevention:
No matter how careful you may be, it is still possible to become a victim of identity theft. Identity theft occurs when someone obtains access to your personal information and uses it to open lines of credit or receive insurance, housing, or employment in your name- potentially affecting your credit reports and credit scores.
Signs of Identity Theft:
- Receiving odd bills for items or services you did not purchase
- Unusual charges on your credit card or bank statement that are not yours
- Calls from debt collectors about accounts you did not open
- Unexplained withdrawals from your bank account
- Notification that more than one tax return was filed in your name
- Unexpected denial of credit
Identity theft has become more prominent due to widespread use of the Internet. If you notice any signs of identity theft, there are many steps you should consider taking, and you should act on it sooner rather than later.
Common Steps to Take if You’ve Become a Victim:
Check your credit reports- Notify the Big 3 Credit Bureaus listed below: This is where you will find help with credit monitoring, fraud alerts, credit report locks, and other identity theft assistance you may need. Keep an eye out for any information that is inaccurate or incomplete, or unfamiliar accounts and addresses.
- Equifax
1-888-378-4329
- Experian
1-888-397-3742
- TransUnion Corp
833-395-6938
Contact the company or companies victimized: Contact the companies where you believe the fraud has occurred, and let them know your identity may have been compromised. For example, if you were a victim of unemployment insurance fraud, medical identity theft, tax identity theft, etc., make sure to contact those company’s fraud departments to make them aware.
Submit an identity theft report: with the Federal Trade Commission online at www.identitytheft.gov . By reporting your theft online, you can receive an identity theft report and a recovery plan from the website.
File a police report: with your local law enforcement agency. A police report provides you with a document saying you’ve been a victim, which can help you when requesting additional resources from other institutions, such as your bank or the 3 main credit bureaus. As always, you can reach the Centennial Lakes Police Department by dialing 911 or by calling the Anoka County Dispatch’s non-emergency number at 763-427-1212.
Monitor your accounts: for any suspicious activity, including changes and charges you don’t recognize.
Overall, do your best to avoid becoming a victim in the first place.
- Do not give out personal information via phone, mail or internet unless you initiated the contact (BEWARE- suspects may request a phone call and provide you with a phone number to call. Make sure that phone number is the correct number for the company/business).
- Protect your PIN numbers and other important account information
- Shred receipts
- Take your mail to the post office. Remove the red flag from your mailbox. Do not leave your delivered mail in the box overnight
- Order a credit report annually
- Read your bills carefully and notice if they arrive late, opened or not at all
- Set up multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts
- Say no to telemarketers- Do Not Call Registry https://www.donotcall.gov/ 1-888-382-1222
- Do not answer any phone calls from unfamiliar or unknown phone numbers
Helpful Links:
Online Internet Crime Complaints: File a complaint at https://www.ic3.gov/
Phishing Email or Text Message: Email- reportphishing@apwg.org Text- forward to SPAM (7726)
Internet Safety: https://www.stopthinkconnect.org/
Click here for what to do if your identity is stolen
This is an Identity Theft Guide from the Federal Trade Commission.