Identity fraud is one of the fastest growing white collar crimes in the nation. The perpetrators consider this a "faceless" crime, since their targets are financial institutions or retail stores. Little thought is given to the harm their actions bring to the individuals whose identities they have stolen.

Identity fraud is the criminal misappropriation of another person's identity, such as name, birth date, Social Security number, mother's maiden name, and other personal information, which are the "tools" such thieves need to perpetrate this. Personal information may be readily available to identity thieves who may search your mail or your trash for this information via newly issued credit cards, bank and credit card statements, junk mail, tax information, or bill payments. Thieves dig through garbage bins, known as "dumpster diving," to obtain credit card slips, loan applications, bank statements, and even medical records or use scams in which they file change of address cards so a victim's mail is sent elsewhere, then utilize the mail to obtain the documents needed to impersonate the victim. Unscrupulous employees who have access to personnel records or other identification information have been known to provide this information to thieves or use this information themselves to perpetrate this fraud.

The most common complaints for this type of crime are new credit card openings, existing credit card account usage/change, cellular telephone service obtained, new bank account openings, and newly-obtained loans.

Be vigilant in all of your financial matters. You are the first line of defense in reducing your chances of becoming a victim. We urge you to:

1. Only release your personal data (Social Security number, date of birth, bank account or credit account numbers, etc.), to agencies who require it for action you have initiated. Never give this information to unsolicited telephone callers or over the Internet.
   
   
2. Order and closely review biannual copies of your credit report from each of the three national credit reporting agencies:
   • Equifax
     www.equifax.com
     P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
     800-685-1111
     Hearing impaired call 1-800-255-0056 and ask the operator to call the Auto Disclosure Line at 1-800-685-1111 to request a copy of your report.
     
     
   • Experian
     www.experian.com
     888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
     P.O. Box 2002, Allen TX 75013
     TDD: 1-800-972-0322
     
     
   • TransUnion
     www.transunion.com
     800-888-4213
     P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022
     TDD: 1-877-553-7803
     
     
3. Remove your name from mailing lists for preapproved credit lines & from unsolicited mailing lists. The Federal Trade Commission provides information about how to minimize unsolicited mail, including pre-approved credit cards on its web site at www.ftc.gov.
   
   
4. Request that the Department of Motor Vehicles assign an alternate driver's license number if it currently features your Social Security number.
   
   
5. Shred all documents containing personal information.
   
   
6. Ensure that your personal identification number (PIN) cannot be observed by anyone while you're utilizing an ATM or public telephone.
   
   
7. Close all unused credit card or bank accounts.
   
   
8. Contact your creditor or service provider if expected bills don't arrive.
   
   

   If you believe you have been victimized:
   

   • Notify your local police and file a complaint. If your loss is $1,000 or greater, you may also contact your local FBI office.
     
     
   • Immediately contact the major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) and request that a security alert be placed on your account. Follow up with a written letter.

   Equifax
   To report fraud - call: 800-525-6285
   and write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
   
   Experian
   To report fraud, call: 888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
   and write: P.O. Box 9530, Allen TX 75013
   
   TransUnion
   To report fraud - call: 800-680-7289
   and write: Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634
   
   

   • Request and carefully review a copy of your credit report for other false accounts or information.
     
     
   • Contact each creditor on your credit report and request that any unusual activity be flagged and verified with you. Any creditor with fraudulent accounts in your name should be advised that the account is fraudulent. Request a copy of all documents related to the account and demand that the account be closed immediately. Follow up each conversation with a letter detailing the exact circumstances and action requested.
     
     
   • Do not pay any bill or charges that result from identity theft.
     
     
   • Contact your financial institution and request new account numbers, ATM cards, and PIN numbers.
     
     
   • Request a new driver's license with an alternate number from the Department of Motor Vehicles, and ask that your old number be flagged so that any attempted use can be immediately known and reported.
     
     
   • Contact the Social Security Administration and advise them of your situation. In some cases, a new social security number may be issued. For more information, see the Social Security Administration's Factsheet entitled When Someone Else Uses Your Social Security Number or visit the Social Security Administration's Web site feature about Identity Theft at http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html.
     
     
   • Contact the post office and telephone company to ensure that no billing changes are made to your account without a written request from you. Request that all changes be verified.
     
     
   • As appropriate, contact an attorney to help ensure that you do not continue to be victimized while attempting to resolve this fraud.
     
     
   • Be persistent and follow up.
     
     

   The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provides additional material which identifies steps you may take to prevent becoming a victim of this fraud or what to do if you become victimized. Reach them at 1-877-FTC-HELP or www.consumer.gov/idtheft.
   
   Recognizing the serious nature of identity fraud and the long term ramifications to its victims, the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998 criminalized fraud in connection with the unlawful theft and misuse of personal identifying information, regardless of whether it appears in or is used in documents. Violation of the provisions of this Act can result in imprisonment of up to 15 years and fines, or both. In addition, the Act also provides for the forfeiture of any personal property used in the crime, and tasked the FTC with creating and maintaining an consumer complaint center - the Consumer Sentinel - used to refer complaints to law enforcement as appropriate.
   
   The FBI, along with other federal law enforcement agencies, investigates and prosecutes individuals who use the identities of others to carry out violations of federal criminal law. These violations include bank fraud, credit card fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, bankruptcy fraud, computer crimes, and fugitive cases. These crimes carried out using a stolen identity makes the investigation of the offenses much more complicated. The use of a stolen identity enhances the chances of success in the commission of almost all financial crimes. The stolen identity provides a cloak of anonymity for the subject while the groundwork is laid to carry out the crime. This includes the rental of mail drops, post office boxes, apartments, office space, vehicles, and storage lockers as well as the activation of pagers, cellular telephones, and various utility services.
   
   Identity theft is not new to law enforcement. For decades fugitives have changed identities to avoid capture and check forgers have assumed the identity of others to negotiate stolen or counterfeit checks. What is new today is the pervasiveness of the problem. The Federal Bureau of Investigation does not view identity theft as a separate and distinct crime problem. Rather, it sees identity theft as a component of many types of crimes which we investigate.
   
   By keeping abreast of your personal finances and following the suggestions listed above, you may be able to prevent or minimize losses due to this insidious and destructive crime.
   
   
   

   CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FBI'S FINANCIAL CRIMES PROGRAM