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Fighting Back Against Identity Theft
By Matt Poole
A Presentation for CSM564 Dr. Price
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What Is Identity Theft?

• Acquisition of key pieces of someones
  identifying information in order to impersonate
  them.

• Identifying Information Includes
• Name
• Address
• Date of Birth
• Social Security Number
• Mothers Maiden Name
• Credit Card Number
• ATM PINs
• Bank Account Numbers

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How They Do It

• Shoulder surfing at ATMs and Pay Phones
• Stealing your mail
• Dumpster diving
• Check washing
• Check creation software
• Credit Card Checks

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Preventive Actions

• Order your credit report from the three credit
  bureaus once a year
• Never leave receipts at businesses
• Sign all new credit cards upon receipt
• Save all credit card receipts and match them
  against your monthly bills
• Be conscious of normal receipt of financial
  statements

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Preventive Actions

• Promptly remove mail from your mail box
• Deposit outgoing mail in post office collection
  mail boxes
• Never give personal information over the
  telephone unless you initiated the call
• Shred pre-approved credit card applications and
  credit card receipts
• Empty your wallet/purse of extra credit cards and
  Ids
• Opt to use an alternate number on Drivers License

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Preventative Actions

• Shred all financial papers.
• Call 1-888-5optout to stop getting pre-approved
  credit card offers.
• Delete any email that asks for personal info.
• Never have your SSN printed on your checks!
• Photocopy entire contents of your wallet/purse
  and put the copies in your Safe Deposit Box.

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Credit Reports
Equifax www.equifax.com P.O. Box
740241 Atlanta, GA 30374-0241 Telephone
1-800-685-1111
Experian - www.experian.com (Formerly TRW) P.O.
Box 949 Allen, TX 75013-0949 Telephone
1-800-397-3742
TransUnion www.tuc.com P.O. Box 1000 Chester,
PA 19022 Telephone [phone]
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Protect Yourself Online

• Antivirus Software
• Windows Updates
• Internet Connection Firewall
• Spybot SD and Spyware Blaster
• Always use your credit card
• Know your banks procedures
• Exercise common sense!

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Action Steps For Victims

• Contact all creditors by phone and in writing
• Call your nearest Postal Inspection Service
  office and your local police
• Contact the Federal Trade Commission
• Call each of the three credit bureaus fraud
  units
• Ask to have a Fraud Alert/Victim Impact
  statement placed in your credit file
• Alert your bank to flag your accounts and to
  contact you to confirm unusual activity

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Summary
Damage from an Identity Theft attack can be
minimized through

• Careful safeguarding of your information
• Knowing your rights as a consumer
• Watching your credit report
• Knowing how to handle an incident

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Fighting Back Against Identity Theft
By Matt Poole
A Presentation for CSM564 Dr. Price