Published: May 10, 2008 11:20 pm            

Don’t share your identity with anyone

Who are you? I know you know who you are as a person, but who are you to your bank, credit card company, eBay, grocery clerk, home shopping network, Internet provider and even your friends and relatives?

You are a number, an account, a person with identification that could be used for their gain at your expense. Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Experts estimate about 10 million people become victims each year. That means every minute, 19 people become new victims of identity fraud. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, drug trafficking now is being replaced by identity theft as the No. 1 crime.

If you become a victim, it will probably take you hundreds of hours and an average of $1,000 to recover from ID theft. There are various studies that associate the cost of identity theft. A 2007 study by the Javelin Strategy and Research cited an average (not median) fraud amount of $5,720 per victim that year. A 2003 Privacy & American Business survey put the average cost per victim at $740. A study released in October 2007 by Utica College’s Center for Identify Management and Information Protection found the median actual dollar loss for identity theft victims was $31,356. No matter what the cost, it is enormous.

So what is identity theft and how does it happen? Basically identity theft is a term used to refer to fraud that involves stealing money or getting other benefits by pretending to be someone else. So many times we seem to think this comes about by our use of the Internet. While use of computer and Internet identity theft happens, there are many other ways that your identity can be stolen. Several studies show only about 50 percent of ID theft involves the Internet or other technological devices.

More than 27 percent of the crimes that did not involve technology were from dumpster diving, stealing mail from mail boxes and change of address. In this case the thief has obtained some use of bank accounts, credit cards or has obtained new loans or credit lines and has used a change of address to send the bills to some other location so you do not know your identity is being used to obtain money or goods.

You have to constantly be on your guard because many times identity theft is too easy. One such new scam to obtain personal information is the “Jury Duty Scam.” You get a call and the caller identifies themselves as an employee of the district court and tells you they have issued an arrest warrant for you for failure to show up for jury duty. Of course, you argue the fact you never received notice to appear for jury. After some discussion with you, they offer a solution. They say they may have made a mistake and they need some information to clear up the situation. They ask for your full name, address and Social Security number and maybe some other information.

You are so upset about the arrest warrant you let your guard down, and you are now a victim. Don’t let it happen to you. You should never give any personal information to anyone one the phone or Internet, especially if you did not make the call.

You need to be aware of all of the different ways you can have your identity stolen and take steps to prevent it. One way to minimize your chances of identity theft is outlined by the Department of Justice fraud division and that is to think SCAM.

• S: Be Stingy about giving out your personal information to others unless you have a reason to trust them, regardless of where you are.

• C: Check your financial information regularly and look for what should be there and what shouldn’t.

• A: Ask periodically for a copy of your credit report, which is available at no charge at www.annualcreditreport.com.

• M: Maintain careful records of your banking and financial accounts.

There are numerous Internet sites that discuss the ways your identity can be stolen, the latest scams, what to do to avoid identity theft and what to do if you become a victim. Samples of the Web sites with information are www.ftc.gov, www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html and www.scambusters.org.

Take the time to educate yourself and your family and take the necessary steps to avoid having your identity stolen. If you have any questions or need any information about any of the programs provided by Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service, you can contact your local county extension office, contact me at (580) 237-7667 or e-mail me at stan.ralstin@okstate.edu.



Ralstin is Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service community development specialist.