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Security & Scams

What To Know About Identity Theft

Elderly woman looking at her mail at her computer

Identity theft is fraud committed or attempted by using the identifying information of another person without their authority.

Identity theft methods

  • Dumpster diving: Rummaging through trash to look for bills and other documents containing personal information.
  • Skimmers: Electronic storage devices that steal credit or debit card information from the card’s magnetic strip that are commonly found attached to ATMs, fuel pumps, and point-of-sale machines at restaurants and retail stores.
  • Phishing, smishing, or vishing: Sending spam through email or pop-up messages online, text messages, or voicemail messages to trick you into revealing personal information.
  • Address change: Diverting your statements or other mail to another location where thieves can access it.
  • Stealing: Stealing wallets or purses, preapproved credit offers, new checks, tax information, etc.
  • Pretexting: Obtaining your information under false pretenses.
  • Synthetic ID theft: Combining a Social Security number with an unrelated name or birthdate.

What do identity thieves do with a stolen identity?

  • Credit fraud: Open new credit accounts or run up charges on existing lines of credit.
  • Utilities fraud: Use stolen information to open phone, power, gas, or cable accounts.
  • Financial fraud: Open new accounts, take over existing accounts, or apply for loans.
  • Government documents fraud: Use stolen information to obtain a driver’s license, file a tax return, or obtain government benefits.
  • Other fraud: Use stolen information to rent an apartment, obtain medical services, provide false information to police during an arrest, etc.

How to determine if you are a victim of identity theft*

  • Monitor your accounts for unexplained charges or withdrawals.
  • Check your credit report annually.
  • You do not receive expected bills or other mail (the thief may have changed your address).
  • You receive credit cards for which you did not apply.
  • You receive calls from companies about merchandise or services you did not purchase.

*Adapted from the Federal Trade Commission’s “Taking Charge: What to Do If Your Identity Is Stolen”

What to do if your identity has been stolen

If you think your identity has been stolen, follow these instructions immediately:

  1. File a police report.
  2. Close the accounts you think have been compromised or opened fraudulently.
  3. Contact one of the following credit reporting agencies to place a fraud alert on your credit reports. (Each agency is required to notify the other two agencies.)
  4. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC):

For more information, visit the FTC’s website.