Bruce Mandelblit
Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2002

The headline is startling: "Federal Authorities Crack The Largest Identity Theft Scam in U.S. History"! There may be over 30,000 victims and millions upon millions of dollars in consumer losses. As U.S. Attorney James Comey stated, "With a few keystrokes, these men essentially picked the pockets of tens of thousands of Americans and, in the process, took their identities, stole their money and swiped their security."

Instead of focusing on what you can do AFTER you are a victim of identity theft, I will concentrate on helpful ideas that just may reduce your chances of being a victim in the first place.

The U.S. Department of Justice, in its report "Identity Theft: The Crime of the New Millennium," outlines some shrewd ideas on how to possibly prevent the fastest-growing crime in our county – identity theft.

The report says while it is extremely difficult to prevent identity theft, the best approach is to be proactive and take steps to avoid being a victim. Here are a few of the suggestions:

• Share Identity Information Only When Necessary. Be cautious about sharing personal information with anyone who does not have a legitimate need for the information.

• When in Public, Exercise Caution When Providing Identity Information. So-called "shoulder surfers" regularly obtain such personal information for their fraudulent use.

• Do Not Carry Unnecessary Identity Information in a Purse or Wallet. According to the FTC, the primary means for thieves to obtain identity information is through the loss or theft of purses and wallets. To mitigate the danger that identification might be misappropriated, carry only the identity information necessary for use during the course of daily activities, such as your driver's license, one credit or debit card, insurance card and membership cards that are required for daily use.

• Secure Your Mailbox. According to the FTC, the second-most-successful means for thieves to obtain identity information is through stolen mail. Some good ideas include depositing outgoing mail in a locked post office collection box or at the local post office, installing a locked mailbox at your residence and promptly removing mail after it has been delivered.

• Secure Information on Your Personal Computer. Credit card numbers should not be provided to anyone on the Internet unless the consumer has initiated the contact and is familiar with the entity with whom they are doing business. Also, computer users should install a "firewall" on their personal computers to prevent unauthorized access to stored information.

• Keep Financial and Medical Records in a Secure Location. It is important to keep all financial and medical records, and any other information containing identity information, in a secure location under lock and key.

• Shred Non-essential Material Containing Identity Information. It is especially a good idea to shred pre-approved credit applications and subscription solicitations.

• "Sanitize" the Contents of Garbage and Recycling. Junk mail or old financial documents may be a gold mine when obtained by an identity thief.

• Ensure That Organizations Shred Identity Information. Customers, clients and patients should insist that all data be shredded before being discarded, and that all retained data be kept in secure storage.

• Remove Your Name From Mailing Lists. Customers of businesses that may market identity information should submit such requests, notifying the entity in writing of their desire to opt out of any mailing lists and to not have identity information shared.

• Carefully Review Financial Statements. Promptly review all bank and credit card statements for accuracy, and report any irregularities to the bank or credit card company immediately.

• Periodically Request Copies of Credit Reports. The reports should be reviewed carefully to make sure no authorized accounts have been opened or unauthorized changes made to existing accounts.

A Final Thought: Identity theft is a reprehensible crime. In addition to the undeniable harm of your possible monetary losses, many times the process of attempting to extricate yourself from the perplexing web of clearing your good name and credit history is not only expensive but also exhausting.

It is best, therefore, to attempt to avoid the venomous trap of identity theft crooks before they have the opportunity to scam you.

Copyright 2002 by Bruce Mandelblit

"Staying Safe" with Bruce Mandelblit is a regular column for the readers of NewsMax.com and NewsMax.com magazine.

Bruce welcomes your security, safety and crime prevention questions. He will answer questions of general interest in his column. Bruce's e-mail address is CrimePrevention123@yahoo.com.

Bruce is a nationally known security specialist, as well as a highly decorated reserve Law Enforcement Officer.

Bruce was recently commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel - the state's highest honor - by Gov. Paul E. Patton for his public service.

This column is provided for general information purposes only. Please check with your local law enforcement agency and legal professional for information specific to you and your jurisdiction.

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