Identity Theft Affidavit Form - Wichita Police Department (Page 14 of 14) in pdf

How thieves can steal your identity:

•

Dumpster Diving. They rummage through trash looking for bills or other paper with your personal

information on it.

•

2. Skimming. They steal credit/debit card numbers by using a special storage device when processing

your card.

•

3. Phishing. They pretend to be financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages

to get you to reveal your personal information.

•

4. Changing Your Address. They divert your billing statements to another location by completing a

change of address form.

•

5. Old-Fashioned Stealing. They steal wallets and purses; mail, including bank and credit card

statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new checks or tax information. They steal personnel

records, or bribe employees who have access.

How can I find out if your identity was stolen?

The best way to find out is to monitor your accounts and bank statements each month, and check your credit

report on a regular basis. If you check your credit report regularly, you may be able to limit the damage caused

by identity theft. Unfortunately, many consumers learn that their identity has been stolen after some damage has

been done. (See #1 below)

If your checks are rejected by a merchant, it may be because an identity thief is using the magnetic Information

Character Recognition (MICR) code (the numbers at the bottom of checks), your driver’s license number, or

another identification number. The merchant who rejects your check should give you its check verification

company contact information so you can find out what information the thief is using. If you find that the thief is

using your MICR code, ask your bank to close your checking account, and open a new one. If you discover that

the thief is using your driver’s license number or some other identification number, work with your DMV or other

identification issuing agency to get new identification with new numbers. Once you have taken the appropriate

steps, your checks should be accepted.

To find out if the identity thief has been passing bad checks in your name, call: SCAN: 1-800-262-7771

You may find out when bill collection agencies contact you for overdue debts you never incurred.

You may find out when you apply for a mortgage or car loan and learn that problems with your credit history are

holding up the loan.

You may find out when you get something in the mail about an apartment you never rented, a house you never

bought, or a job you never held.

Take steps to respond to and recover from identity theft as soon as you suspect it.

Secure Other Vulnerable Forms of Information

• Place passwords on your credit card, bank, and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available

information like your mother’s maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN or your

phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers. When opening new accounts, you may find that

many businesses still have a line on their applications for your mother’s maiden name. Ask if you can

use a password instead.

• Secure personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or

are having work done in your home.

• Ask about information security procedures in your workplace or at businesses, doctor’s offices, or other

institutions that collect your personally identifying information. Find out who has access to your

personal information and verify that it is handled securely. Ask about the disposal procedures for those

records as well. Find out if your information will be shared with anyone else. If so, ask how your

information can be kept confidential.

•

Invest in a “cross-cut” shredder and shred any junk mail or personal information that you would

ordinarily throw away.

Identity Theft Affidavit Form - Wichita Police Department Page 14

Related Articles

Related forms

Related Categories