Personal & Home Safety - Identity Theft: A real Problem
"If it's too good to be true, it probably is." Heard it before? Most of us have. We overlook the warning signs and when we get paper in the mail instead of cash, we get upset. Here's how it goes:
You either get a mailer, a phone call or an e-mail that informs you that you have qualified for a prize, a cash settlement, a trip or a grant of some sort. You just need to send in an amount of cash to begin the process of getting this "award." And in the mail you receive instructions on what to do, and it describes the next step that you have to take to get your "prize." You expected the "award", not a bunch or paper, so you call the police to report a fraud. The key is that YOU have to take the steps and the sender of the message indicated that they would supply you with information necessary to receive the promised item.
Maybe we are promised a percentage of a large amount of money if we let someone somewhere use our account for a time. Maybe we have a rebate on the extended warranty that we purchased with the new car and they need an account number to send it to, so we give them our account number, or our social security number. Several days, weeks or months later (after the damage is done), we get a notice (or a hunch) that something is wrong, and we find out that our information is being used somewhere for purchases or transactions. Many times our sympathies are being preyed upon. "Someone is stealing from our customers and it's an inside job and we need to catch them. We need you to withdraw some cash and put it in a special account so that we can monitor it and catch the perpetrator." Then they ask to verify your account number. We want to help, so we give out our information.
The bottom line is that money is on the line. It's ALL about money. YOURS! And if you think that FREE money is going to come to you for very little or no investment on your part, just by giving someone your account number, or personal information, I've got some lakeview property you might be interested in. It has a nice waterfall and the temperature is 82 year around. Call me.
Officers have taken these and other similar reports lately and they give the following tips:
- Never give out your personal or financial information on incoming calls. Incoming calls can come from anywhere. Ask them to give you the info that they have, and then verify it. Calls you make are different: you know who you called.
- Be aware of your surroundings at ATM's, banks, the grocery store where you punch in your PIN. Someone may be watching, and don't throw away your receipt that has your account number on it. Take it home and shred it. Don't shout out your account number at the bank drive up window.
- Don't throw away those offers for credit cards. Shred them. Someone could retrieve them from the garbage, activate the new account (in your name) and have the address changed.
- Don't be so trusting about financial dealings. Verify everything. And review your credit report at least yearly. You can get a free credit report once a year now.
- Call the three national credit agencies if you suspect a problem. The companies are: Equifax: 1-800-525-6285, Experian (Formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742, and Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289. Also call the Social Security Administration fraud line: 1-800-269-0271 if you think that your social security number is being used.
- Make a police report to show due diligence. This shows your credit providers that you have taken the steps to get an investigation started.
Be aware. Don't be gullible. If it's too good to be true, you're right.
Craig Harding
Public Information Officer
St. George Police Department |
