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I believe my identity has been stolen. What do I need to do?
Contact your credit card issuers and your bank to dispute fraudlent charges. Contact the three major credit bureaus and ask that a fraud alert be placed on your credit file. File a police report in the jurisdicition in which the crime took place.
Equifax, 1-800-685-1111, www.equifax.com
Experian, 1-888-387-3742, www.experian.com
Trans Union, 1-800-916-8800, www.transunion.com
Click here to download the "Identity Repair Kit" provided by the Colorado Department of Law.
How can I help fight fraud and detect deception?
The Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, has free information to help you fight fraud and detect deception.
- SIGN UP FOR THE NATIONAL DO NOT CALL REGISTRY? CALL 888-382-1222 OR VISIT www.DoNotCall.gov
Latest Identity Theft Issue/Scam? Scam Alert!
Recent Scam Alerts To Be Aware Of.
1- Fraudulent E-Mail Schemes
The United States Department of Treasury has issued a press release regarding recent fraudulent e-mail schemes designed to deceive consumers into surrendering sensitive personal information which could lead to identify theft.
Fraudulent e-mails, which may appear to be from government agencies, direct recipients, such as credit union members, to websites where they are asked to verify personal information such as name, account and credit card numbers, passwords, social security numbers and other information. These websites often appear to be very similar to official government sites; however, they are not authentic official sites and are intended only to steal the member's information.
These e-mails are part of a scam known as "phishing." Phishing is a high-tech scam where e-mails are sent to consumers falsely claiming to be a legitimate company, in an attempt to obtain non-public personal information. The e-mails may claim the information is needed to assist in the fight against terrorism or some other purpose supposedly required by law.
In an ongoing effort to combat identity theft, several tips developed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) are listed below which may help members protect themselves from becoming a victim of this latest scam.
- If you receive an e-mail that warns you, with little or no notice, that an account of yours will be shut down unless you confirm your billing information, you should not reply or click on the link in the e-mail. Instead, you should contact the company cited in the e-mail directly using a telephone number or website address you know to be genuine.
- Avoid e-mailing personal and financial information. Before submitting financial information through a website, look for the "lock" icon on the browser's status bar. Blue Diamond Protection LLC also suggests looking for "https" in the website address. Both of these indicators signal the information is secure during transmission.
- Review credit card and credit union account statements as soon as they are received to determine if there are any unauthorized charges. If the statement is late by more than a couple of days, call the credit card company or credit union to confirm you billing address and account balances.
- Report suspicious activity to the FTC. Send the actual spam to uce@ftc.gov. If you believe you have been a victim of a fraudulent scheme, you should file a complaint at www.ftc.gov, and then visit the FTC's Identity Theft website (www.ftc.gov/idtheft) to learn how to minimize your risk of damage from the identity theft.
The press release on this subject can be found on the United States Department of Treasury's website at www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/js1130.htm.
2- 'Security' Verification Is Actually A Card Scam
SAN FRANCISCO- Consumers are being alerted to be aware of the following phone scam, in which a caller claims to be with VISA or MasterCard's Security Department.
A cardholder receives a call with the following script:
Scamster: "My name is _______, and I am calling from the Security and Fraud department at VISA (or MasterCard). My badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I am calling to verify. Did you purchase and Anti-Telemarketing device for $497.99 from a marketing company based in Arizona?"
Victim: "NO."
Scamster: "Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives victim's own address). Is that correct?"
Victim: "Yes"
Scamster: "I will starting a fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 800 number listed on your card, 1-800-VISA, and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control number." (Then gives a six-digit number). "Do you need me to read it again?"
Scamster: "I need to verify you are in possession of your card. Turn your card over. There are seven numbers. The first four are your card number; the next three are the security numbers that verify you are in possession of the card. These are the number you use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. Read me the three numbers."
Victim: (Reads the number off the card.)
Scamster: "That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?"
Victim: "No"
Scamster: "Don't hesitate to call back if you do."
When does identity theft occur?
Identity theft occurs when your personal information such as: name, social security number, credit card number, financial information, or mail is stolen and used to establish fraudulent credit in your name.
Can identity theft be completely prevented?
Not likely, but you can minimize your risk by managing your personal information shared with others. Always be critical when giving out personal information in whatever format, telephone, e-mail, Internet, fax or by mail. We do not recommend carrying your social security card with you, leave your card at home and secured with other pertinent identification information such as: passport, birth certificate, baptismal certificate, marriage license, school records, and other identification cards. It is also unwise to carry all your credit cards with you. Limit the number of cards you carry. A good practice is to make a photo copy of all your credit cards, including customer service phone numbers for each card company. Place this information in with your other secured identification information.
Young adults are quite vulnerable to identification theft; their credit records are usually impeccable, with new credit or recently established credit, making their credit history a prime target for fraudsters. Their credit scores tend to be on the high scale, making them prime candidates for instant credit approvals. Fraudsters can easily access quick on-line credit within seconds on the Internet.
Our senior adults also fall prey to identity theft thieves. Since their need for credit access may be minimial, a periodic review of their credit history should be performed at least every few months.
How can I make sure that I am not a victim of identity theft?
Request a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus. Audit this information completely. Make sure all entries are correct. If you do find discrepencies, contact the reporting bureau to make corrections.
I feel that inventory has been disappearing. I suspect one of our employees. What can I do?
In order to prevent asset equipment losses, Blue Diamond Protection can assist you by conducting an on site audit to establish inventory control measures, which may include a 'sting' operation that may deter further internal losses or may assist in apprehension.
I own a small liquor store. It seems that I have cash shortages every other month. I have several employees and I suspect it may be one of them. What can I do?
We recommend establishing internal cash management procedures. Our Blue Diamond Protection Fraud Team can assist you in formulating an internal cash handling procedure that best fits your business need. In most cases, we recommend a shift change audit, with a periodic cash 'bait' plant that may register a cash drawer overage or shortage against an established beginning cash inventory.
My insurance company is asking for a copy of our safety policies and procedures. I am a small business owner without an HR department to handle this for me. What can I do?
Most small business entities utilize a bookkeeping service/software, or payroll company to help with wages, withholdings, unemployment taxes and cafeteria plans; however, they may have limited experience in establishing safety and security policies and procedures. Blue Diamond Protection can assist your company by conducting a business audit, establishing both security and safety policies and procedures. In most cases, we will help you develop a policy and procedure manual that best fits your business needs.
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