#1 Consumer Fraud Complaint – 5th straight year! Identity Theft #1 Consumer Fraud Complaint – 5th straight year! Since 2002, it is growing at over 40% per year The cost to Americans last year, $52.6 billion 25% of victims discovered the misuse 6 months later! 72% offline 12% online

Definition Theft of your Identity! It occurs when someone, without your knowledge, acquires a piece of your personal information and uses it to commit fraud.

Are You a Target? Do you: Put outgoing mail in your mailbox? Use a credit card in restaurants? Use a debit card in stores? Have mail delivered to your mailbox? Leave your car unlocked?

Are You a Target? Do you: Lock your purse or wallet in your car? Lock your laptop/pda/cell phone in car? Put out the garbage? Put out the recycle? Leave your house unlocked?

Are You a Target? Do you: Give confidential information to phone solicitors? Answer official-looking email requests? Answer official-looking mail requests? Deal with companies that store your information on computer?

Which Age Group Are You In? Over 65 - lowest rate 35 – 44 - highest $ amount 25 – 34 - highest rate Children – growing rate

Who are the Bad Guys? Your Friends Your Family Your Co-Workers Employees with access to your confidential information Old-Fashioned Criminals Over 50% by family, friends, neighbors 35% a relative 18% a friend, neighbor, in-home employee 6% a person with access to personal data 16% a stranger

How Do They Do It? Friends, family, co-workers have easy access Strangers use these techniques:

How Do They Do It? Steal your outgoing mail Skimming

How Do They Do It? Steal your card Steal incoming mail

How Do They Do It? Dumpster Dive Burglarize your house Burglarize your car Dumpster Dive Burglarize your house Social Engineering – phone Email Scams Mail Scams Hacking

What They Do With Your Information Purchase high-ticket items Take out loans Assume your identity Commit other crimes

What They Do With Your Information #1 – Use your credit card #2 - Get utility and phone service #3 – Commit bank fraud

Avoid Becoming a Victim Post your mail at the post office Don’t let your credit or debit card out of your sight Get a PO box or lockable mailbox Lock your car Don’t leave valuables in your car

Avoid Becoming a Victim Don’t carry SSN card Don’t carry extra credit cards Don’t carry your checkbook What is printed on your checks? Shred credit card offers

Avoid Becoming a Victim Shred all documents with personal information (or go to Wal Mart) Lock the doors of your house Store SSN, account information in a secure place

Avoid Becoming a Victim Don’t give personal information over the phone, mail or Internet unless you initiate contact Don’t respond to email scams Don’t respond to mail scams Cancel unused accounts Get a credit report

Avoid Becoming a Victim Clean out your purse, wallet, organizer Check your monthly statements Opt Out! Purchase ID Theft Insurance - OR – Stay home, lock your doors and communicate with no one!

Avoid Becoming a Victim Watch your wireless use in airports, cyber cafes, other public access computers

If You Become a Victim Who pays? Document, Document, Document Contact local law enforcement Contact the FTC Contact your credit card company Contact the three credit bureaus

Trends Parents using children’s identity Organization misuse of customer/client/employee data

Trends Credit Card Duplicator

Identity Theft Are You Scared? Do You Think You Are Safe?

Questions? Marsha Powell Tompkins Cortland CC Broome County Government Security