Ways to head off ID theft:  

  • Sign your new credit cards immediately. 

  • Report lost or stolen credit cards immediately. Make sure you keep the numbers of the issuers somewhere besides on the back of your card! 

  • Always check your monthly financial statements carefully against your receipts. 

  • Review your consumer credit report annually. 

Mail 

  • Don’t leave mail in your mailbox for more than a day. If you are gone, arrange to have a trusted neighbor or friend pick up your mail. 

  • Double check that mailboxes are official US Postal Service collection boxes before you deposit your mail. 

  • Shred or tear up all unnecessary documents that have your personal information on them. 

Online

  • Never put in a credit or debit card number through a website unless it offers a secure transaction. 

  • A secure transaction will have a “padlock” icon at the bottom strip of the web page. Also, the URL address will change from “http” to “https” on the page where you input personal data. 

Discovering ID Theft  

  • Checking your financial statements frequently and carefully can be your best first step towards discovering an ID theft. 

  • The sooner you discover your identity is being used, the sooner you can begin to fight back to lessen the damage the criminal can do. 

Reporting ID Theft  

  • Call the Police: To report a physical theft of your belongings, or a robbery. If immediate danger is over, you can make a report to the Police non-emergency line:  

  • Call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service office: If the crime involved U.S. mail.  

  • Call the U.S. Secret Service: If the crime involved counterfeit credit cards or computer hacking. 

  • Call the issuing credit card company: if the crime involved credit card fraud. 

OR Protect yourself Get ID Theft Protection