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You casually shuffle through your mail one day, just as you always do: cell phone bill, your university begging for money again, an unsolicited birdhouse catalog. Hmmmmm… here's something from a company you've never heard of, and it says 'Statement' on the outside. That's odd, you think to yourself, because you don't remember signing up for an account with them. You open it, and it hits you like a cartoon anvil--
Somebody else is pretending they are you out there. And unfortunately, they seem to be buying a lot of shit.
You're not alone. Identity theft is a huge crime in the US, affecting over 9 million people annually. It can happen to anyone: a criminal gets a hold of your personal information (such as your Social Security Number, or your credit card number) and uses that information to commit fraud or other crimes. The offense can be something as simple as the above example, or something a little more involved--like renting an apartment in your name.
The bottom line is: you'll be happier if there's just one person claiming to be you out there. So, here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to ID theft.
An ounce of prevention…
Once your ID has been stolen, it can be a major pain to clear your name. You can spend hundreds or thousands of dollars and countless hours fixing what a crafty criminal hath wrought. So be diligent about protecting yourself:
Take care of your Social Security Number as if it were a solid gold puppy. Sometimes you need to provide it to people--like when you are opening a bank account, or a potential landlord is checking your credit. If someone asks for your SSN, ask them why. If it is merely for identification purposes, ask if you can use another number.
Invest in a shredder, a cross-cut model if possible. Your rip-and-scatter method may seem clever--but a machine does it better.
Refuse the offers. If you would like to be removed from prescreened offers for credit that come in the mail, you can call 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688). Please note: These guys will ask for your Social--it's okay to give it to them.
