Jeff loses his identity! Lesson 5: Identity Theft

Meet Jeff Jeff has a credit card he uses to make purchases. He notices several charges on his bill he never made. He wonders if a thief has stolen his identity!

Identity theft occurs when someone fraudulently uses your personal identification information without your permission to obtain credit, take out a loan, open accounts, get identification, or pretend to be you in some other way.

Video: Federal Trade Commission pjXn-sWM

How Identities are Stolen Jeff did some research and found that identity thieves can obtain personal information through: “Dumpster diving” messages (phishing) Voic or phone calls (vishing)

How Identities are Stolen Caller ID “spoofing” Video: Ohio Attorney General’s Office OC76Eh8I

How Identities are Stolen Text messages (smishing) Security breaches

Child Identity Theft Children’s identities are valuable because their credit history is clear and their Social Security number might not show up in credit databases. Easily undetected for a long period of time

Jeff learned a valuable lesson about the importance of protecting himself against identity theft Keep documents in a safe place Don’t carry around personal information (Social Security card, Medicare card) unless needed that day

Shred paperwork that contains account numbers or Social Security numbers before discarding Only provide personal information if you initiate contact with a company or service. If a company or government agency calls asking for personal information, call them back at a phone number you know is correct

Make sure the security software on your computer is updated Be aware of the computer repair scam – consumers receive a call or claiming remote access is needed to fix a virus

Use complex passwords on your computer and phone Request a credit freeze on your credit report – – –

Opt out of receiving pre-approved credit card offers – Monitor accounts and financial statements for unusual activity Review your credit report – – Look for unknown accounts

Video: Federal Trade Commission 9hjnE44 9hjnE44

You’re signing up for a new account and need to create a password. What are some things you should not use in your password?

When Jeff discovered his identity had been stolen, he: Filed a police report Closed compromised accounts Placed a fraud alert or a credit freeze on his credit reports Filed with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office

Ohio Attorney General’s Office – ID Theft Unit Helps victims of identity theft rectify its effects

Video: Ohio Attorney General’s Office

Review Questions What are some steps consumers should take to help prevent identity theft? What are fraudulent identities used for?

A Short Quiz! 1. You receive an from your bank saying your credit card has been compromised. It asks you to click on a link to verify your information. You should click on the link and enter your information. True or False? 2. What should you do if your identity is stolen? a - Close compromised accounts b - File a police report c - Place a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit reports d - All of the above

Quiz (cont.) 3. Typically, criminals are able to use a child’s identity for much longer than an adult’s identity. True or False? 4. What happens when you request a credit freeze on one of your credit reports? a - All of your credit card accounts are closed. b - A permanent freeze is put on your credit file so absolutely no one will be able to access it. c - The credit reporting company is prohibited from disclosing your credit file to many third parties until you lift the freeze. d - both a and c