“Identity fraud” is pervasive! One in every eight Americans will have his or her financial identity stolen. Here in the 12th Hampden District, reports of this 21st Century crime are becoming all too common. Typically, the thief uses another’s name, address, social security number or other identifying information to commit fraud. The harm to victims can be significant and long lasting. The trauma is very real and oftentimes permanent. Having your financial identity stolen is a life-altering experience leaving many victims with bad credit and damaged reputations.

If you become a victim or even suspect you are a victim of identity fraud, act quickly. Here’s a summary of what the state consumer affairs office recommends:

1. Contact your bank, credit card companies, utility companies, and landlord. Ask them for a statement of all transactions since the date of your last correct statement. Contact immediately by telephone the service providers and merchants whose accounts appear on your statements as a result of fraud. If someone applied for credit in your name, (for example, they opened a charge account at a local store), ask the merchant for a copy of the fraudulent credit application. Ask for replacement cards with new account numbers and passwords for all your legitimate accounts. Request that your account be flagged with a fraud alert. Prepare a letter setting forth the facts and stating expressly that you are a victim of fraud and that all creditors should contact you to verify all future credit applications.

2. If checking accounts have been fraudulently established in your name, file a report with the following check verification companies immediately:

Global: (800) 780-2305 International Check Serv: (800) 526-5380
Chexsystems: (800) 428-9623 SCAN: (800)-262-7771
Equifax: (800) 437-5120 Telecheck: (800) 710-9898

3. Call the fraud departments of the three major credit reporting agencies without delay. Request that they flag your credit report with a fraud alert and that they supply you with a free credit report every 60 days until the situation is resolved. Ask that they provide you with the names, addresses, and phone numbers of the creditors with whom the identity thief opened accounts and then follow up with them. The three major agencies are:
Equifax: (800) 525-6285
Experian: (888) 397-3742
Trans Union: (800) 680-7289

4. File a criminal complaint with your local police department and/or with the district attorney’s office. Make copies of the complaint as creditors will want copies for their files. Creditors and law enforcement officials will also require that you prepare affidavits of forgery or fill out form affidavits provided by them in order to establish your innocence and the facts of the forgeries. An affidavit is merely a sworn statement in proper legal form signed by you and a notary.

5. After you have dealt with the emergency nature of the problem, as outlined above, notify and seek help from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the federal clearinghouse for complaints by victims of identity theft. You should also notify the Financial Crimes Division of the Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. (FBI). Although, they do not assist individuals, they do prosecute crime rings engaged in conspiracies to defraud financial institutions. The information you provide may be of assistance. Depending upon the facts of your case, you may also want to contact the U.S. Postal Inspector and the social security administration (to report the fraudulent use of your social security number). The contact information is available in my office or you can find it online at www.Mass.Gov/consumer.

6. Extricating yourself can, initially, be a full time job. Keep a log of everything you do right from the beginning. Record the date time and person with whom you spoke for every call you make. Note the time you spend on each call as you may be able to get compensation for your time as part of the restitution to which you will be entitled if the thief is caught and prosecuted.

Technology and law enforcement will catch up with these crooks before long but until then, be vigilant! Check your credit reports yearly. You may be entitled to a free credit report if you have applied for credit recently and the lender or merchant has requested a credit check on you within the past thirty days. Otherwise you may be required to pay a fee. For those of you who are computer and internet savvy, you can go on line and view your credit report, again, for a fee. These are “secure sites”, which are protected, to the extent technologically possible, from thieves. You may be shocked at what you find on your credit report. Correct any errors on your report immediately.

From my experience, I recommend the following: Do not use your social security number or your mother’s maiden name, yours or family members dates of birth, your telephone number or your street address or street name as a password for any account. This information appears routinely in public records. If you have a very common name, and there are many individuals in the telephone directory who share your name, be extra vigilant. I rarely use the internet for purchasing anything, expressly to avoid giving out personal or financial information. I prefer to help the local economy. You can find almost anything you want close to home and there are plenty of merchants in Hampden County who need our business. Remember to always take your credit card receipt and ask the clerk to rip up any carbon paper (used mostly for hand-written receipts) before throwing it in the trash. Destroy them at home and dispose of them carefully.

Currently, victims of identify fraud are left to resolve these problems on their own and, believe me, it can become a full time job. Remember, we are always here to help you. If you become a victim of identity fraud and feel overwhelmed by what has happened, and that may well be the case, do not hesitate to ask us for help. If you have questions, need additional information, or want to share your experience, write to us at P.O. Box 937, Wilbraham, 01095, or telephone us at (413) 599-4785. You may also e-mail me personally at “gale@galecandaras.org”