Identity Theft

What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, address, Social Security number or bank or credit/debit card account number to commit fraud or other crimes.

The three main types of identity thefts are:

• Financial identity theft or fraud - Using someone else's personal information to establish new credit lines.
  
  
• Criminal identity theft - Providing law enforcement someone else's personal information in place of an identity thief's own.
  
  
• Identity cloning - Using someone else's personal information to establish a new identity. This crime also may involve financial and criminal identity theft.
  
  

Common Ways Identity Theft Occurs
Skilled identity thieves use a variety of methods to steal your personal information, including:

• Dumpster Diving - Rummaging through trash looking for bills or other paper with your personal information on it. You can avoid receiving paper documents altogether by signing up for e-delivery.
  
  
• Skimming - Stealing credit/debit card numbers by using a storage device when processing your card.
  
  
• Phishing - Pretending to be financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information.
  
  
• Changing Your Address - Diverting your billing statements to another location by completing a "change of address" form.
  
  
• "Old-Fashioned" Stealing - Stealing wallets and purses; mail, including bank and credit card statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new checks or tax information. Stealing personnel records from their employers, or bribe employees who have access.