u.s. secret service

U.S. SECRET SERVICEU.S. SECRET SERVICE““Worthy of Trust and Confidence”Worthy of Trust and Confidence”

IDENTITY THEFTIDENTITY THEFTHOW TO DEFEND YOUR GOOD NAME

IDs


AGENDAAGENDA

1. ID THEFT STATISTICS2. TACTICS OF AN ID CRIMINAL3. HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF4. “MY ID’S BEEN STOLEN! WHAT DO I DO?!”5. QUESTIONS AND EXPERIENCES


IDENTITY THEFT FACTS AND IDENTITY THEFT FACTS AND FIGURES:FIGURES:• FASTEST GROWING CRIME IN THE US

• TEXAS IS AMONG THE TOP 6 STATES INTHE US WITH THE MOST ID THEFTVICTIMS

• APPROXIMATELY 15 MILLION PEOPLEBECAME VICTIMS OF ID THEFT IN2006

• COST OF ID THEFT IN 2005 = $56.6 BILLION

STATISTICS PROVIDED BY ITRC



IDENTITY THEFT FACTS AND FIGURES:IDENTITY THEFT FACTS AND FIGURES:(CONT’D)(CONT’D)

• VICTIMS SPEND AN AVERAGE OF 231 HRSRECOVERING FROM ID THEFT CRIME

• VICTIMS SPEND AN AVERAGE OF $1342IN OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES

• APPROXIMATELY 85% OF VICTIMS FOUNDOUT ABOUT THE CRIME DUE TO ANADVERSE SITUATION


TACTICS OF AN ID CRIMINAL

IDs


MAIL THEFT



IDs



SECURITY BREACHESSECURITY BREACHES

In 2006, 312 Security Breaches affecting nearlyIn 2006, 312 Security Breaches affecting nearly 20 million people were reported:20 million people were reported:

• 29% Gov’t/Military Agencies29% Gov’t/Military Agencies• 28% Educational Institutions28% Educational Institutions• 22% General Businesses22% General Businesses• 13% Health Care Facilities13% Health Care Facilities• 8% Banking/Credit Card Institutions 8% Banking/Credit Card Institutions



IDs


SKIMMERS


ATM MACHINESKIMMER


Credit Card Number & Name

CVC & CVV

Discretionary

Information embedded within Information embedded within Credit Card TracksCredit Card Tracks

Skimmers Capture all 3 Tracks of Information



IDs


Use a website/logo that looks like the website/logo of thelegitimate company.

Sender pretends to be a legitimate company or bank.

A fraudulent scheme involving ID Theft typically by email.

PHISHING

PHISHINGEMAIL

EXAMPLE

U.S. SECRETU.S. SECRET SERVICESERVICE

““Worthy of TrustWorthy of Trust and Confidence”and Confidence”

PHISHING EMAILEXAMPLE

U.S. SECRET SERVICEU.S. SECRET SERVICE

““Worthy of TrustWorthy of Trust and Confidence”and Confidence”


• Estimated that between 3% -14% of phishing scams are successful

PHISHING STATISTICS

• # of U.S. adults that received phishing emailsrose from 57 million in 2004 to 109 millionin 2006

• Losses from successful phishing scams rose from$137 million in 2004 to $2.8 billion in 2006



How identity thieves use your information:


• Open a new credit card account or tamper with an existing account

• Open up bank accounts in your name andwrite bad checks/counterfeit checks ordrain your existing bank accounts

• Take out a loan in your name to buy a car/house• Set-up phone, wireless or utility service

• If arrested, they give your name and info topolice and don’t show up for court

• File a tax return in your name


How identity thieves use your information:



HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF

BUY A SHREDDER:• Charge receipts• Copies of credit applications• Insurance forms• Physician statements• Checks and bank statements• Expired charge cards• Credit offers you get in the mail


HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF• Deposit outgoing mail in post

office collection boxes orat your post office ratherthan an unsecured mailbox

• Promptly remove mail fromyour mailbox

• Request a vacation hold fromPost Office if away for anextended time

• Failure to receive bills, statements OR receivingstatements you did not apply for

MAIL THEFTMAIL THEFT



• Opt Out of Pre-Approved CreditCard OffersCall (888)5-OPT-OUT orwww.optoutprescreen.com

• Opt Out of Receiving Junk Mail

www.dmachoice.orgMAIL THEFTMAIL THEFT


HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELF• Limit the identification info and

the number of credit/debitcards you carry to what youactually need

• Monitored Alarm System at Home

• Secure/hide personal informationin your home OR get a safetydeposit box

• Ask about security procedures at your place of work andat businesses/doctor’s offices that collect yourpersonal information. Disposal?

STOLEN PERSONAL INFOSTOLEN PERSONAL INFOWALLET, WORK, HOMEWALLET, WORK, HOME


PROTECT YOURSOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER

• Never carry your Social Security Card in your wallet

• Never write your Social Security Number on a checkor other document

• Only give out your Social Security Number whenabsolutely necessary: Why do you need my SSN? How will it be used? How do you protect my SSN? What will happen if I don’t give you my SSN?


• Pay Cash instead of usinga credit/debit card

HOW TO DEFEND YOURSELFSKIMMING/ATM FRAUDSKIMMING/ATM FRAUD

• When using your credit/ATM card: - Be wary of your surroundings

(ie. shoulder surfing) - Try to keep an eye on what the store clerk/ waiter does with your credit card

• When possible, use ATM machines you arefamiliar with; contact your bank if you noticeanything out of the ordinary



““PRETEXTING”PRETEXTING”

• Never give out your personal info over thephone unless you initiate the contactand you know that you are speakingto a true company employee.

• THINK FIRST! ACT SECOND!!Before giving out personal information, verify this is a real representative of thecompany/agency. Conduct your ownbackground investigation.

• Area Code Decoder: http://decoder.americom.com/cgi-bin/decoder.cgi

• LOOSE LIPS, SINK SHIPS!LOOSE LIPS, SINK SHIPS!



• Do not open or respond to emailsyou know are scams – DELETE!

PHISHINGPHISHING

• Companies/agencies should neverask you for your personalinformation via phone or email

• Independently contact the company/agencysupposedly sending the email

DO NOT use links or phone #s listed in thesuspect email



• Use complex passwords; do not use auto log-in

COMPUTERCOMPUTERSECURITYSECURITY

• Ensure you are using a securebrowser to guard your onlinetransactions (ie. shopping onthe internet): httpss://www.website.com://www.website.com Look for security iconsLook for security icons

• Update your virus protection software regularly;use a firewall and antispyware



COMPUTERCOMPUTERSECURITYSECURITY

• Wireless Internet Users – ensure your wirelesssecurity is enabled in the form of WEP,WPA or WPA2 security protocols

www.cnet.com



• When writing a check, use 207 ink

• On the back of your credit/debit card,write “CHECK ID” instead of signature

• Monitor your bank and credit card accounts frequently to catch fraud early

• Place passwords on accounts with financialinstitutions, etc.



ORDER YOUR FREE CREDIT REPORTS!!!ORDER YOUR FREE CREDIT REPORTS!!!

www.annualcreditreport.com

OR CALL 877-322-8228

Review your credit reports. Look for:• Inquiries from companies you did not contact• Accounts you did not open• Debts on your accounts you can’t explain• Check for accuracy of your personal info• Get fraudulent or inaccurate info removed/corrected



CREDIT (SECURITY) FREEZECREDIT (SECURITY) FREEZE

• Available to all consumers in Texas as of Sept 2007Available to all consumers in Texas as of Sept 2007

• $10 Fee per credit agency unless ID Theft Victim$10 Fee per credit agency unless ID Theft Victim

• Remains in effect until you remove itRemains in effect until you remove it

• A Security Freeze prohibits, with some exceptions,A Security Freeze prohibits, with some exceptions,a credit reporting agency from sharing youra credit reporting agency from sharing yourcredit filecredit file

www.financialprivacynow.orgwww.financialprivacynow.org


““MY ID’S BEEN STOLEN! WHAT DO I DO?!”MY ID’S BEEN STOLEN! WHAT DO I DO?!”

STEP 1: Contact the fraud department ofone of the three major credit bureaus.• Request a fraud alert be placed in your

file (effective for 90 days)

• Order current copies of your credit report(these reports will be no charge)

• Place a Security Freeze on your creditreports (no charge)



STEP 2: Close the accounts that you knowor believe have been tampered with oropened fraudulently• Ask the company/bank to send you fraud

dispute forms or find out what stepsyou need to take to clear your name

• Checks – Stop payment on all checks and ask the bank to notify theircheck verification service (ie.

ChexSystems)



STEP 3: File a report with local police orwith the police department where theoffense took place.• Be prepared to provide copies of the

report to the credit card company orbank. They may need this as proof toerase debts created by the ID thief

NOTE: For Mail Theft incidents you may also try theU.S. Postal Inspection Service



STEP 4: File a complaint with the FTC• This info can help Law Enforcement• Refer the victim to other agencies that

can help• Identity Theft Affidavit


Equifax1-800-525-6285www.equifax.com

Experian1-888-EXPERIANwww.experian.com

TransUnion1-800-680-7289www.transunion.com

THREE CREDIT BUREAUSTHREE CREDIT BUREAUS


HELPFUL WEBSITESHELPFUL WEBSITES

Federal Trade Commission www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/data.shtm

Identity Theft Resource Center www.idtheftcenter.org/

ScamBusters www.scambusters.org

Looks Too Good To Be Truewww.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com

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