Thursday, January 27, 2005
MSNBC - The secret list of ID theft victims
The secret list of ID theft victims - Immigrants may have your Social Security Number
Perfect credit one day, dumped the next...stolen identity. It's running rampant and forming the nation. Illegal immagrants might might even be using your social security number right now. And, here's the wose part - no one will tell you because they all benefit.
Here's a small snipit:
"Linda Trevino, who lives in a Chicago suburb, applied for a job last year at a local Target department store, and was denied. The reason? She already worked there -- or rather, her Social Security number already worked there.
Follow-up investigation revealed the same Social Security number had been used to obtain work at 37 other employers, mostly by illegal immigrants trying to satisfy government requirements to get a job."
Click the title at the top of this article to read a fascinating news story...
For more information on your protection, read below:
Step 1: Protect your finances
Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus.
Get a copy of your credit report, which is free to ID theft victims. Ask that your file be flagged with a "fraud alert tag" and a "victim's statement." That will limit the thief’s ability to open new credit accounts, as new creditors will call you before granting credit, generally. Insist, in writing, that the fraud alert remain in place for seven years, the maximum, according to PrivacyRights.org.
Credit bureaus
Equifax
1-800-525-6285
www.equifax.com Experian
1-888-397-3742
www.experian.com TransUnion
1-800-680-7289
www.tuc.com
Step 2: File a police report
You will need a police report to dispute unauthorized charges and for any insurance claims. Be persistent; your local police department may suggest that this isn’t necessary, because they don’t want the paperwork hassle. Also, fill out an online ID Theft complaint with the Federal Trade Commission or call 1-877-ID-THEFT.
That enters your case in the FTC’s “Consumer Sentinel” database, a nationwide list of ID theft cases which can be used by law enforcement officers to find patterns and catch criminals.
Step 3: Close all compromised accounts
The list may be wider than you realize. This includes accounts with banks, credit card companies and other lenders, and phone companies, utilities, ISPs, and other service providers. Dispute all unauthorized charges – The FTC offers a sample dispute letter on its Web site. Disputes may require a sworn statement and a police report. The FTC also offers a form affidavit which can be used for the sworn statement at www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/affidavit.pdf .
More help
More detailed 17-step plan to follow if your ID is stolen
www.privacyrights.org/identity.htm
“When bad things happen to your good name” – FTC document full of sample dispute letters and other recovery procedures.
www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/idtheft.htm
U.S. Department of Justice ID Theft kit
www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html
Identity Theft Resource Center
www.idtheftcenter.org
ID theft laws vary by state – here’s a list of state laws
www.consumer.gov/idtheft/federallaws.html#statelaws
Michigan State University School of Criminal Justice ID Theft page
www.cj.msu.edu/~outreach/identity
Other Links Related to This Story
posted by Brian & Brian at 3:22 PM
