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Who is at Risk for Identity
Theft? Identity Theft can
happen to anyone. 
While ID
theft can take many complex
forms, the essence of this crime
referred to as the "White Collar
Crime of the Century" is simple — someone steals
personal information about you
to use for fraudulent purposes.
By
guarding your personal
information carefully, you can
reduce the likelihood of
becoming a victim. You may
not be able to avoid ID theft
entirely; it can happen in ways
beyond your control. Businesses,
government agencies, and
organizations that obtain
personal information also have a
responsibility to handle it
carefully and keep it secure. |
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Identity thieves use a variety
of ways to gain access to your
personal information. For
example, they may get
information from businesses or
other institutions by stealing
it while they’re on the job;
bribing an employee who has
access to these records; hacking
these records; and conning
information out of employees.
For example:
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They may
steal
your
wallet
or
purse.
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They may
rummage
through
your
trash,
the
trash of
businesses,
or
public
trash
dumps in
a
practice
known as
“dumpster
diving.” |
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They may
steal
your
mail
(unlocked
mailbox),
including
bank and
credit
card
statements,
credit
card
offers,
new
checks,
and tax
information. |
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They may
complete
a
“change
of
address
form” to
divert
your
mail to
another
location.
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They may
steal
your
personal
information
through
email or
the
phone by
saying
they’re
from
your
bank or
a
legitimate
company
and
claiming
that you
have a
problem
with
your
account.
This
practice
is known
as
“phishing”
online,
or
“pretexting”
by
phone. |
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They may
get your
credit
reports
by
abusing
the
authorized
access
that was
granted
to their
employer,
or by
posing
as a
landlord,
employer,
or
someone
else who
may have
a legal
right to
your
report.
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There
maybe a
security
beach
with a
business,
government
agency
or other
organization
that has
your
personal
information. |
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Identity thieves after they have
your personal information can
commit many different types of
fraud. |
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They may give your
name when arrested
by the police.
If they don’t show
up for the court
date, a warrant for
arrest is issued in
your name. |
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They may buy a car
or some other large
purchase by taking
out a loan in your
name. |
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They may establish
phone or wireless
service in your
name. |
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They may open new
credit card accounts
in your name. Then
they use the credit
cards and don’t pay
the bills, the
delinquent accounts
are reported on your
credit report. |
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They may get a job
or file fraudulent
tax returns in your
name. |
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They call your
credit card issuer
and change the
billing address on
your account. Then
they run up charges
on your account.
It may be some time
before you realize
you have a problem
since the monthly
bills are being sent
to a different
address.
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They may get
identification such
as a driver’s
license issued with
their picture, in
your name. |
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They may open a new
bank account in your
name and write bad
checks on the
account. |
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