1. Identity Theft Project Erin L. Caraway Jacob Locke

2. Identity Theft  Identity theft is when someone uses your personally identifying information to commit fraud or other crimes.  Identity theft can result from stolen items, such as your name, Social Security number, or credit card number.  Identity theft is a serious crime; victims can resolve their problems quickly.  Some spend their hundreds of dollars and many days repairing damage to their good name and credit record.  Some spend their hundreds of dollars and many days repairing damage to their good name and credit record.

3. Statistics  According to 2005 statistics, 1.8 million people have had new accounts and other fraud, and 3.3 million have had misuse of existing non-credit account or account number.  In the 2006 statistics, it states that the estimate of total losses from identity theft is $15.6 billion. Also the 2006 survey, found that 3.7% of the survey population had experienced Identity Theft in 2005.

4. Federal Trade Commission  The FTC settles conflicts that touch the economic life of every U.S. citizen.  When it was created, its purpose was to prevent unfair methods of competition in commerce.  It has administered a wide variety of consumer protection laws.  Its work is performed by the Bureaus of Consumer Protection, Competition and Economics.

5. DETER  In order to minimize your chances of being an identity theft victim, you need to make it more difficult for identity thieves to access your personal information.  This can be done by protecting your SSN, shredding your mail, being careful while using the Internet, verifying your source before giving your information, and storing information in safe places.

6. DETECT  Monitoring your bank accounts and statements each month and checking your credit report on a regular basis are some of the best ways to detect identity theft.  Stay alert for signs of Identity Theft.  Signs of being an Identity Theft victim are: receiving credit cards that you didn't apply for, looking closely for charges you did not make, and getting calls from businesses about merchandise or services you didn't buy.

7. DEFEND  There are steps you must take to recover from Identity Theft:  1. place a fraud alert on your credit reports, and review them  2. close the accounts that you know have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.  3. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.  4. File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place.

8. Identity Theft Tips 1. Guard your Social Security Number. 2. Monitor your credit report. 3. Shred all old bank and credit statements and "junk mail" credit card offers before trashing them. 4. Do not carry extra credit cards or other important identity documents except when needed.

9. Filing A Complaint  In order to file a complaint you must complete the Identity Theft Complaint Form.

10. Free Credit Reports  You can obtain free credit reports from bureaus like: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.  Theses three bureaus have websites in which you can check your credit report.  Doing this will not have an effect on your credit score, such as lowering it.  Most bureaus offer toll-free support 7 days a week.

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