Marine Corps Base Hawaii -- Facebook is widely used to keep in touch with friends and family, but many people don’t think about the risks of putting their hometown, birthdate or pets’ names on their pages. These things can help identity thieves steal a person’s identity.
Identity theft can happen to anyone. Besides Facebook, people have been known to dumpster dive and steal personal documents or pretend to work for a company like a medical office and ask for classified information over the phone. These people then take the information and sell or use it to open credit cards under the victim’s name and create serious consequences.
“Being smart online is very important,” said Adam Kapp, special agent with Naval Criminal Investigative Service. “If you give too much information, you are opening a window to identity theft. Things like pets’ names are usually password questions, so when you release this information on the Internet someone can hack into your accounts.”
When an identity thief has someone’s information they can drain bank accounts, use credit cards or even open up new accounts and loans.
Deployed military personnel can place an active duty alert onto their credit reports to minimize the risk of identity theft. The alert lasts for a year and can be renewed as long as a person is still deployed.
“It is important to review your credit reports,” Kapp said. “You should verify the information to make sure no one has been messing with your credit. You can get free annual credit reports through some online websites like TransUnion, Equafax and Experian.”
Credit reports show all loans taken out for the past few years. This can help ensure no one has taken out loans or credit cards in someone else’s name.
Signs of identity theft can include unexplained withdrawals from their bank account, debt collectors calling someone who doesn’t have any debt, healthcare plans denying medical claims because it says they have reached their claim limit or even being arrested for a crime someone else committed under their name.
If it is believed someone’s identity has been stolen they should contact a credit reporting company and place a fraud alert on their credit file, monitor accounts for unusual activity and get a copy of their credit report. It is important to report any unusual activity as soon as it is noticed to keep the identity theft victim from being charged for withdrawals and loans someone else has taken out in their name.
Identity theft is a big problem and can be prevented by shredding personal documents like bill statements, not giving personal information over the phone and being aware of what is posted on Internet websites.
“Most banks don’t ask you to verify personal information over the phone,” Kapp said. “So if that ever happens you should ask them if it’s okay to discuss this information at the bank or wherever the caller claims to be from. This can help avoid personal information getting into the wrong hands.”
Children can also become victims of identity theft. Someone can take a child’s personal information and use it to get a job, medical care, car loans or even a mortgage.
A thief who steals a child’s identity can use it for years before the crime is discovered. Many parents don’t think about checking their child’s credit report. A parent can ask about their children’s credit reports if they think their child’s information is at risk. If bill collectors or government agencies contact the child about accounts they haven’t opened it would be a good idea to contact someone for a credit report.
“Be smart about the information you put out,” Kapp explained. “Once it’s on the Internet, it can’t be deleted.”
For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Justice website at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html.