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Introduction to Identity Theft
Identity theft is a criminal act in which an individual uses someone else's personal information such as social security numbers, bank account numbers, drivers license numbers, credit cards etc. for their own financial gain.
According to the Federal Trade
Commission, identity theft is the fastest growing white-collar crime in America. People whose identities have been stolen can
spend years – and their hard-earned money – cleaning up the mess the thieves have made of their good name. Some
victims have lost job opportunities, been refused loans, or even been arrested
for crimes they didn’t commit.
Surprisingly, the average victim spends $1,500 in out-of-pocket expenses* and an
astonishing 600 hours of time** recovering from this crime.
*source: Federal Trade Commission
**source: Identity Theft Resource Center’s study: Identity Theft- The Aftermath -2003
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Some Ways
That Identity Thieves Work
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They open a new credit card account using
your personal information. When they use the credit card, and
don’t pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported
on your credit report. |
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They call your credit card issuer pretending
to be you, and change the mailing address on your credit card
account. Then, the impostor runs up charges on your account.
Because your bills are being sent to a new address, you may
not immediately realize there is a problem. |
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They establish cellular phone service in
your name. |
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They open a bank account in your name and
write bad checks on that account. |
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Protect Yourself From Identity Theft
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Before revealing personal identifying information,
find out how it will be used and if it will be shared with others.
Ask if you have a choice about the use of your information:
can you choose to have it kept confidential? |
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Pay attention to your billing cycles. Follow
up with creditors if bills do not arrive on time. |
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Give Social Security number only when absolutely
necessary. Ask to use other types of identifiers when possible. |
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Minimize the identification information and
the number of cards you carry to what you actually need. |
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Order a copy of your credit report from the three credit reporting agencies every year. Make sure it’s accurate and includes only
those activities you’ve authorized. report any unauthorized activity immediately. |
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Keep items with personal information in a
safe place; shred them up when you don’t need them anymore.
Make sure charge receipts, copies of credit card applications,
insurance forms, bank checks and statements, expired charge
cards, and credit offers you get in the mail are disposed appropriately. |
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How Justice FCU Protects You
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Password Protection and Encryption
All online banking services require the use of a password before
conducting transactions. All transactions are secured by
encryption software that converts the information into a secure
code. View our Online
Security page for more information. |
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Privacy Policies
All Justice FCU employees are required to sign a stringent privacy
policy that helps ensure a consistent approach to handling confidential
member information. View our Privacy
Notice for more information. |
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Falcon Software
Justice FCU utilizes Falcon, a 24/7 security software system, as a
secondary security tool. Falcon alerts us of any unusual spending
habits on your credit card account, so that we can contact you
promptly to verify the charges. |
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If Your Wallet or Purse
Is Lost or Stolen
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File a police report. Get a copy
in case your bank, credit card company or insurance company
needs proof of the crime. |
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Cancel each credit and charge
card. Get new cards with new account numbers. |
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Call the fraud departments of
the major credit reporting
agencies. |
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Ask them to put a “fraud
alert” on your account and add a “victim’s
statement” to your file requesting that creditors
contact you before opening new accounts in your name. |
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Ask for copies of your credit reports. Review
reports carefully to make sure no additional fraudulent activity
has occurred. |
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Report the loss to your bank
if your wallet or purse contained bank account information,
including account numbers, ATM cards or checks. |
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Cancel all accounts and open new ones. |
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Stop payment of outstanding checks. |
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Get a new ATM card with a new Personal Identification
Number (PIN). |
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Report your missing driver’s
license to the department of motor vehicles. If your state uses
your Social Security number as your driver’s license number,
ask to substitute another number. |
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Change the locks on your home
and car if your keys were taken. Don’t give an identity
thief access to even more personal property and information. |
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If You Have Been a Victim Of Identity Theft
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File a complaint with the FTC by contacting
the FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline by telephone: 1-877-IDTHEFT
(438-4338). |
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Follow
the suggestions above. |
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Identity Theft Shield
What’s the next step?
You can add a significant layer of protection by signing up for Identity Theft
Shield(TM). This product is the most comprehensive
protection in the marketplace – if you are a victim it will completely restore
your identity to where it was prior to the criminal act by doing virtually all
of the work for you, allowing you to proceed with your daily life without the time,
money, and stress of doing the restoration work yourself. Kroll Background America, a division of Kroll Worldwide
– the most reputable name in investigative services – will not only correct
your credit file, but restore ALL aspects of your identity.
What Services Does Identity Theft Shield Provide?
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When you first sign up, you will receive a credit report, including score, for you to review and make sure there is no
ongoing, unknown case of ID theft. |
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Your credit file will be monitored 24/7 and you will
be alerted of any suspicious activity. |
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If you become a victim, Kroll will assign a licensed
fraud investigator to interact with credit card companies, financial
institutions, the three credit repositories, the Federal Trade Commission,
your state’s DMV, the Social Security Administration, the US Post Office,
and any other government or law enforcement agency necessary to resolve
your case and restore your identity. |
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Kroll will also proactively look at additional local
and national databases for information you may not be aware of to ensure
that your case of ID theft has not spread. |
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The investigator will work on your case until your
identity is restored. If an identity theft issue re-emerges an investigator will re-open the case and
start the restoration process again, as many times as necessary, as long
as you are current with your enrollment. |
Enroll Today!
As a member of Justice FCU, you can enroll in Identity Theft Shield for only $9.95 per
month, or $12.95 per month for you and your spouse or domestic partner. There
are no contracts to sign, no application fee, no additional charges, and you
can cancel your service at any time.
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Additional Resources
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