IDENTITY
THEFT PREVENTION TIPS
The LAPD suggests the following crime prevention techniques to avoid becoming a
victim of identity theft:
1. To minimize the amount of information an identity thief can steal, do not
carry extra credit cards, a social security card, birth certificate or passport
in your wallet or purse, except when needed.
2. To reduce the amount of personal information that is in circulation consider
the following:
•Remove your name from the marketing lists of the three major credit reporting
bureaus, i.e., Equifax, Experian (formerly TRW) and Trans Union. This will
limit the number of pre-approved offers of credit that you receive. These
offers, if thrown away in the trash, are potential targets of identity thieves
who will use them to order credit cards using your identity.
•Sign up for the Direct Marketing Association Mail Preference Service and the
Telephone Preference Service. By doing this, your name is added to computerized
name deletion lists used by nationwide marketers.
•Have your name and address removed from telephone books and reverse
directories.
3. Install a locked mailbox at your residence or business to reduce mail theft
or use a post office box.
4. When you order new checks, do not have them sent to your home address. Have
them sent to a post office box or arrange to pick them up at your bank.
5. When you pay bills, do not place the envelopes containing your checks in
your home mailbox for the letter carrier to pick up. If stolen, your checks can
be altered and cashed by identity thieves. It is best to mail your checks and
other sensitive mail at the post office rather than your home or neighborhood
mailbox. Write checks with a fine-point permanent marker.
6. Pay bills with an electronic bill payment service.
7. Reduce the number of credit cards you actively use to a bare minimum. Carry
only one or two credit cards in your wallet. Cancel all unused credit card
accounts. Even though you do not use these accounts, account numbers are
recorded in your credit report along with other data that can be used by
identity thieves.
8. Keep a list and/or photocopy of all your credit cards, account numbers,
expiration dates and telephone numbers of the customer service and fraud
departments in a secure place (not your wallet or purse) so you can quickly
contact your creditors in case your credit cards are stolen. Do the same with
your bank accounts.
9. Never give out your credit card number or other personal information over
the telephone, unless you have a trusted business relationship with the person
or company and you have initiated the telephone call. Identity thieves have
been known to call their victims with a fake story that goes something like
this, "Today is your lucky day! You have been chosen by the "Jane and
John Doe Sweepstakes Committee" to receive a free trip to Europe. All we
need is your credit card number and expiration date to verify you as the lucky
winner."
10. Order your credit report once a year from each of the three major credit
bureaus to check for inaccuracies and fraudulent use of your accounts. Make
sure that you recognize every line of information established in your file.
11. Always take credit card receipts with you. Never throw them in a public
trash container.
12. Watch the mail when you expect a new or reissued credit card to arrive.
Contact the issuer if the card does not arrive.
13. When creating a password or Personal Identification Number (PIN), do not
use the last four digits of your social security number, date of birth, middle
name, the name of your family pet, consecutive numbers of anything else that
could easily be discovered by identity thieves.
14. Ask your financial institution to add extra security protection to your
account. Most will allow you to use an additional code (a number or word) when
assessing your account. Do not use your mother’s maiden name, as that is all
too easily obtained by identity thieves.
15. Memorize all your passwords. Do not record them on anything in your wallet
or purse.
16. Protect your social security number. Release it only when absolutely
necessary (tax forms, employment records, most banking, stock and property
transactions). The social security number is the key to your credit and bank
accounts and is a prime target of identity thieves.
17. Do not have your social security number printed on your checks. Do not let
merchants write your social security number on your checks because of the risk
of fraud.
18. Order your Social Security Earnings and Benefits Statement once a year to
check for fraud.
19. Carefully review your credit card statements for unauthorized use.
20. Do not throw pre-approved credit offers in the trash or in a recycling
container without first shredding them. The discarded credit offers can be used
by identity thieves to order credit cards in your name and to have the credit
cards mailed to their address.
21. Do the same with other sensitive information like credit card receipts.
Home shredders can be purchased at many office supply stores.
22. Demand financial institutions to adequately safeguard your data. Request a
special password that only you would know. Memorize all passwords. Discourage
your bank from using the last four digits of the social security number as the
PIN they assign to customers.
23. When you fill out loan applications, find out how the company disposes of
them. If you are not convinced that they store them in locked files and/or
shred them, take your business elsewhere. Some car dealerships, department
stores, car rental agencies, and video stores have been known to be careless
with customer applications. When you pay by credit card, ask the business how
it stores and disposes of the transaction slip. Avoid paying by credit card if
you think the business does not use adequate safeguards.
24. Store your cancelled checks in a safe place. In the wrong hands, they can
reveal a lot of information about you. Never permit your credit card number to
be written on your checks. It is a violation of California law (California
Civil Code 1725) and places you at risk of fraud.
25. Any entity involved in handling personal information should train all its
employees, from the top to the bottom, on responsible information-handling
practices. Persuade the companies, government agencies and nonprofit agencies
with which you are associated to adopt privacy policies and conduct privacy
training. Employees should be trained to check picture identification cards
when accepting credit cards.
