Identity Theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America. It happens in both the physical world and in cyberspace. We have compiled some facts to help you understand not only how it can happen to you in your everyday life, but also how you can guard against it.

How Does It Happen?
Identity theft happens when someone pretends to be you and uses your personal financial information when applying for loans, credit cards or leases. The thief takes advantage of your good credit record, leaving behind bad credit in your name.

The identity thief gets your personal information by:

• Stealing your purse or wallet.
  
• Pilfering information from your mailbox, such as bank statements and pre-approved credit card offers.
  
• Posing as your employer, loan officer or landlord to get your credit report.
  
• Watching your transactions at automated teller machines and phone booths to capture your personal identification number (PIN).
  
• Going through your trash for credit card receipts or loan applications.

How You Can Protect Yourself

• Before revealing personal identifying information, find out how it will be used and if it will be shared.
  
• Pay attention to your billing cycles. Follow up with your creditors if bills do not arrive on time.
  
• Shred all unneeded receipts and credit card offers before you throw them away.
  
• Give your Social Security number only when absolutely necessary. Ask to use other types of identifiers when possible.
  
• Minimize the identification information and the number of cards you carry to what you actually need.
  
• Order your free copy of your credit report from the three credit reporting agencies every year.
  
• Make sure your credit report is accurate and includes only those activities you've authorized.
  
• Learn about your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

How To Fight Back If You Become A Victim

• If you receive an e-mail that warns you, with little or no notice, that an account of yours will be closed unless you reconfirm your billing information, do not reply or click on the link in the e-mail. Instead just contact the company cited in the e-mail directly using a telephone number or website address you know is genuine.
  
• Always avoid e-mailing personal and financial information. Before submitting any personal information through a website, look for the "lock" icon on the browser's status bar or look for "https" in the website address. Both of these signal the information is secure during the transaction.
  
• Please report any suspicious activity to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Send the actual email to: uce@ftc.gov If you are a victim of a fraudulent scheme, file a complaint at www.ftc.gov and visit the FTC's Identity Theft website at http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/ to learn how to minimize your risk of damage from the identity theft.

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