It was all over the TV and online news on Tuesday afternoon and front page headlines across the country Wednesday (Relax, Manny is not coming back — and the hometown team will be just fine without him.) The Boston Globe headline read: Eleven Charged with Massive Identity Theft. The names of the defendants came in from all over the world, from Miami to Beijing to the Ukraine; over 41 million credit cards stolen. Stunning, but not surprising. At least to police. I'd be willing to bet though, most people don't give it a second thought. They should.
Every day Londonderry Police officers take calls related in some way to identity theft. Most of the time a purse is alleged to be stolen: credit cards gone; maybe a wallet has gone missing, same deal. More frequently, however, charges appear on a bill, without authorization. And once in a while the person has received a call from a collection agency for a bill on a credit card that he or she was unaware that they had. And it is getting worse.
So; what to do.
First. Unless you have initiated the inquiry never, ever give out personal information over the phone. Did I say never. Ever. No credit card info. Ever. No Social Security numbers. Ever. No date of birth. No personal information over the phone, ever. The only exception is if you made the call to a number that you are sure is the number for the bank or financial institution that you are dealing with. As well, be very cautious about giving out information online. Most banks and financial institutions are instituting more strenuous security measures like catch phrases and identity pictographs. If they do not, change banks.
Secondly, check your credit information regularly. By that I mean at least once a year. Your credit information is maintained by three companies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires that each of those companies provide you with a report once a year at no cost. You can make that request through the Federal Trade Commission website at www.ftc.gov/index or search Federal Trade Commission using your Internet web browser. In fact, that FTC site is a great resource for protecting online identity, identifying mail or computer scams, and teaching your children about the potential perils of online activities.
Thirdly, limit the number of cards with your identity on them. Examples include bank debit cards, driver's licenses, credit cards, a Social Security card and anything including a check with you Social Security number on it. Also, be aware of the receipts given to you after a purchase; you should be sure to hang onto them until you get home, then destroy them.
Finally. Be smart. The old rules about scams are still true: If it is too good to be true, it is. Always. Don't discuss personal matters, like bank accounts, investments or Social Security, with someone you don't know. Ever. Hold your ID cards and credit cards tight. When you have learned these rules go back to Rule One and start again. Even taking these basic measures won't protect you completely. But it will limit your exposure to the potential for identity theft. Good luck and safe surfing.
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Londonderry police Capt. Bill Hart's column appears Fridays in the Derry News.
