1. Identity Theft Ashley Gowin Sabrina Prophet

2. What is Identity Theft? Identity theft is when someone uses your personal information such as your name, Social Security number, or credit card number without your permission to commit fraud.

3. Statistics… The FTC states that about 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. 3.2 million American adults reported the misuse of their information of one or more of their existing credit card accounts in 2005. The same year, 3.3 million American adults reported the misuse of their information of one or more of their existing accounts other than credit cards—such as checking and saving accounts, but not experiencing the most serious form of identity theft.

4. Who is the Federal Trade Commission? The Federal Trade Commission deals with the issues that focus on the economic life of all Americans.

5. Deter… Minimize your risk so you won’t be the next victim of identity theft by: Protecting your Social Security number. Memorize your number and do not carry it in your wallet. Shredding your bank statements instead of throwing them away. Be on guard when using the internet. Verify a source before sharing important information. Store information in secure locations.

6. Detect… Be sure to always monitor your accounts and bank statements each month, and check your credit reports regularly. Watch for signs of identity theft like: Accounts you didn’t open and debts on your accounts that you don’t know about. Failing to receive bills or other mail. A missing bill could mean an identity thief has taken your account and changed your billing address. Receiving credit cards you have not applied for. Being denied credit. Getting calls or letters from debt collectors or businesses about items or services you did not buy.

7. Defend… What are the steps I should take if I'm a victim of identity theft? 1. Place a fraud alert on your credit reports, and review your credit reports. – Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. 2. Close the accounts that you know, or believe, have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. – Call and speak with someone in the security or fraud department of each company. Follow up in writing, and include copies of supporting documents. It's important to notify credit card companies and banks in writing. 3. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. – By sharing your identity theft complaint with the FTC, you will provide important information that can help law enforcement officials across the nation track down identity thieves and stop them. 4. File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. – Call your local police department and tell them that you want to file a report about your identity theft.

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10. Free Credit Reports… You can order your free annual credit report online at annualcreditreport.com, by calling 1-877-322-8228, or by completing the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mailing it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. annualcreditreport.comAnnual Credit Report Request Form

11. Why should I file a complaint with the FTC? Filing a complaint with the FTC is very important. The information that you enter into the ID Theft Complaint Form can be used as part of an Identity Theft Report, which is an important tool in recovering from identity theft. Second, when you file an ID Theft Complaint with the FTC, you can help law enforcers catch identity thieves. Your complaint is entered into the FTC’s Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse, which law enforcement officers can search as part of their criminal investigations.ID Theft Complaint FormIdentity Theft Report

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