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How does identity theft happen?
Identity theft occurs when someone steals your personal information, credit cards, checks or drivers license and then obtains credit or merchandise in your name. Identity thieves may use a variety of methods to access your data including:
- Stealing wallets/purses
- Changing the address on credit accounts to divert mail to another location
- Stealing mail from mailboxes
- Rummaging through trash to obtain personal data
- Posing as a legitimate company asking for information via email or the phone. This practice is known as "phishing" online or "pretexting" by phone.
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How do I reduce my risk?
Don't!
- Carry your Social Security card, passport, or birth certificate with you except when absolutely necessary.
- Give out your Social Security number, mother's maiden name or account information over the phone - unless you are sure the caller is legitimate or you initiated the call.
- Place paid bills in your mailbox for pickup.
Do!
- Carry only necessary credit cards and identification.
- Have your mail held by the post office if you will be away from home.
- Shred credit card receipts, solicitations, cancelled checks and other financial documents before discarding.
- Have your name removed from mailing and solicitation lists.
- Request a copy of your credit report every 12 months at www.annualcreditreport.com. [external link disclosure]
To opt out of pre-screened credit card offers, call 1-888-5OPT OUT (1-888-567-8688).
To have your name removed from many direct mailing lists, write to:
DMA Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014
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What should I do if I become a victim?
- Contact your local police department immediately.
Most fraudulent use of cards or checks takes place within days of the items being lost or stolen. File a police report and make note of the case number assigned to your report for future reference.
- Contact the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus.
Requesting that a "fraud alert" be placed on your name and social security number. Retailers and financial institutions use these three major bureaus in lending decisions. The fraud alert may thwart someone from using your identity to get credit.
Experian Fraud Alert: 1-888-397-3742
Trans Union Fraud Alert: 1-800-680-7289
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
- File an identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Call the number below, or file a complaint online. The website contains a wealth of resources, including specific laws, contact information and resources from state and federal government agencies.
FTC ID Theft Hotline: 1-877-438-4338
ID Theft Web site: http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/ [external link disclosure]
If your mail has been stolen...
Contact your local US Postal Inspector.
Stolen mail can be used to obtain new credit cards, bank or credit card statements, pre-screened credit offers or tax information. It may also be used to falsify change of address forms, or to obtain your personal information through a fraud conducted by mail. To find your local postal inspector, check your telephone directory or visit the national website: www.usps.com/postalinspectors [external link disclosure]
If your Social Security number has been used fraudulently...
Contact the Social Security Administration (SSA).
SSA Fraud Hotline 1-800-269-0271
If your passport has been lost or stolen...
Contact the United States Department of State (USDS).
Visit the website below or contact the local field office listed in the Blue Pages of your telephone directory.
USDS Passports page: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_services.html [external link disclosure]
If your checks have been stolen or misused...
Close the account with your financial institution.
You can also contact these major check verification companies to request that retailers using their databases refuse to accept your checks.
Telecheck: 1-800-710-9898 or 1-800-927-0188
Certegy, Inc.: 1-800-437-5120
International Check Services: 1-800-631-9656
To find out if the identity thief has been passing back checks in your name, call: SCAN (1-800-262-7771)
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Additional Protection
Wings Financial belongs to the Retailers Protection Association (RPA, a group of retailers and financial institutions that work together to prevent losses from lost or stolen checks.
Wings Financial members who live in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota or Wisconsin may complete a Supplemental Victim Statement (Supplemental Victim Statement form. Requires Acrobat Reader [external link disclosure]) and file it with the RPA. The information provided to the RPA is used to prevent retailers and financial institutions from being further victimized by forgers.
What should I do?
- File a police report.
- Close the account(s) involved.
- Complete and sign the Supplemental Victim Statement form. Requires Acrobat Reader [external link disclosure]
- Retain a copy of both the police report and the form.
- Fax or mail the form to the task force for distribution to the participating businesses.
Fax to: 763-502-7758
Mail to:
MN Financial Crimes Task Forces
Reroute Suite 515, US Bank
5250 Central Avenue NE
Columbia Heights, MN 55421
Timing is critical. Faxing is recommended!
What happens next?
Using the Supplemental Victims Statement in conjunction with the police report, retailers, financial institutions and casinos individually determine how to prevent acceptance of the stolen or counterfeit checks. These companies will make every attempt to decline the reported checks and avoid any loss to them and inconvenience to you.
How does it work?
The victim reports the stolen or counterfeit checks to the police and completes this form. A police report must be filed and the case number must be on the form. The victim then faxes or mails the form to the MN Financial Crimes Task Force. Retailers Protection Association then assists the MN Financial Crimes Task Force in notifying participating member businesses that support these efforts.
The following is a partial list of the businesses that current members of the Retailers Protection Association and will receive notification:
- 1st Dakota national Bank, SD
- American Bank
- American Express, TX
- Bachmans, Inc.
- Best Buy
- Casey General Store, IA
- Cherokee State Bank
- City & County FCU
- City-County FCU
- Cub Foods
- Eagle Bank
- Fidelity Bank
- Holiday Stores
- JC Penney
- Kmart
- Kohls Department Store
- Kwik Trip, Inc, Wi
- Liberty Check
- M&I Bank
- Macy's
- Mid-Wisconsin Bank
- Main Street Bank
- MN Financial Crimes TF
- Roundy's Supermarkets/Rainbow Foods
- Snyder's Drug Stores
- TCF National Bank
- Teacher FCU
- Twin City Co-Op CU
- US Bank
- US Federal CU
- Wal-Mart
- Wells Fargo
- Wings Financial FCU
- and many more!
If any participating RPA organization wishes to confirm the information with the victim, they may contact the victim before any action is taken. Once the Supplemental Victim Statement has been sent, the victim should open a new checking account (even if the checkbook is found and returned). Please note, it is very difficult to retract the report once distributed.
Related:
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