There are many different forms of fraud that occur. Some of the most popular types of fraud are:
-Identity Theft
-Phishing – Emails pretending to be from a well-known source (bank or credit card company) asking to confirm personal information
-Lotteries/Lottery Clubs
-Nigerian Scams/Nigerian Money Offers
-Overpayment Scams
-On-line Dating Services
-Pump & Dump Scams– Where an online source promotes a Stock to raise the price and then he sells his at the raised price
-Work-at-Home
-Auctions
-Fake Checks
Of the above types of fraud one of the most common is Identity Theft. Identity Theft has become one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States and is very prevalent in the St. Louis area.
What is Identity Theft?
Identity Theft is defined by Missouri Statute RSMO 570.223. The statute states:
A person commits the crime of identity theft is s(he):
- Knowingly and with the intent to deceive or defraud
- Obtains, possesses, transfers, uses, or attempts to obtain, transfer or use,
- One or more means of identification not lawfully issued for his/her use.
The classifications for identity theft in the State of Missouri range from a class B misdemeanor to a class A felony.
How can Identify Theft affect me?
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), individuals who have had their identities stolen could be tasked with months or longer worth or work cleaning up their credit histories. The task of clearing your credit history and name can also cost thousands of dollars. While individuals are working to clear their names and credit history, those victims may lose job opportunities, be denied credit or loans, or even be arrested for crimes they did not commit. The victim of an identity theft will be contacted by creditors on loans they did not take out. The victim will be required to use their personal time and resources to make phone calls, write letters, and fill out affidavits to close these fraudulent accounts that they did not open. Many times the victims are forced to prove that they are indeed victims.
How can my information be used?
A suspect can use your information to:
-Open credit card accounts in your name or add authorized users to your existing accounts
-Open bank accounts in your name
-Obtain loans in your name (real estate, auto, or personal)
-Establish utilities (power, gas, water, internet, or phone) in your name
-Obtain cell phone accounts in your name
-Counterfeit checks using your bank account information and drain your account
How can someone obtain my information?
An individual can obtain your personal information by:
-Stealing your wallet or purse
-Breaking in to your vehicle and obtaining information off of documents left in the vehicle
-Stealing your mail
-Filling out a change of address form to divert your mail to another address
-Going through your trash looking for financial documents or pre-approved credit offers
-Going through the trash at businesses or "dumpster diving"
-Stealing it from businesses where you are a customer, patient, student or getting it from an employee who may have access to the information
-Scamming you into giving it to them. They may pose as an employee from a legitimate sounding business and ask you for the information to open up or to update an account
-Gathering the personal information that you share on an unsecure website
-Data breaches of businesses where you are a customer and have left some form of personal information in the past
What can I do to protect myself?
While it is impossible to prevent identity theft entirely, there are steps that you can take in order to reduce the risks of becoming a victim or at least to discover that you are a victim before the damage to your credit becomes too great.
-Review your credit reports with the three major credit bureaus annually to ensure the reports are reflecting your accounts accurately
-Know who you are giving your personal information to and how it will be used
-Minimize the amount of personal information that your carry in your wallet. Do not carry extra credit cards or your social security card on a daily basis
-Do not place sensitive outgoing mail in your mailbox—place outgoing mail in a secure mailbox
-SHRED IT OR DREAD IT. Never throw away financial documents, receipts, or pre-approved credit offers without shredding them first
-Never write down your passwords or any personal identification number (PIN)
-Protect your social security number and only provide it to reliable sources when necessary
-Pay attention to your billing cycles and follow up with companies if your bills do not arrive on time
-Secure personal information in your home so that it is not readily accessible to visitors
-Never leave personal or financial information in your vehicle
-Create strong passwords for all of your online accounts and change them on a regular basis
RESOURCES FOR VICTIMS OF IDENTITY THEFT
If you find or even suspect that your personal identifying information has been misused by someone without your consent, you may be the victim of identity theft. If this happens, act immediately. When it comes to identity theft, the sooner you act, the more likely you are to get help in stopping or minimizing the damage to your finances or your credit.
Step 1: Report Identity Theft to the Ballwin Police Department
Report any actual or suspected Identity Theft to the Ballwin Police Department if you live within City limits or if the crime occurred in Ballwin or Winchester. (If the crime occurred elsewhere, be sure to report the incident to local law enforcement where the crime occurred.) To contact the Ballwin Police Department, call the Non-Emergency Line at 636-227-9636.
- After the report is completed obtain a copy so you can submit duplicates to your bank and the credit-reporting bureaus.
Step 2: Report the problem on the Missouri Attorney General’s Office (AGO) website
The Attorney General’s Office has set up a hotline to help you recognize and report identity theft. Complaint investigators are available to provide advice on what to do next. The hotline number is 1-800-392-8222. More information found on the AGO WEBSITE.
Step 3: Alert your bank and credit card issuers
- Request an “account number change” for your credit card(s).
- Be hesitant to close legitimate accounts or you might risk sending the wrong message and damaging your credit score. Instead, request new account numbers, PINs, ATM cards, and change all your passwords, and get a new checking account number if your checkbook is missing.
Step 4: Contact each of the three credit bureaus
- Request your credit report and review it for new accounts, debts you didn't know about, inquiries from companies you don't know, and other inaccurate information.
- Place a “fraud alert” or “security freeze” on your credit report. The fraud alert tells creditors to follow certain procedures before opening new accounts in your name or making changes to existing accounts. Fraud alerts are free. Security freezes are reportedly more secure and sometimes they are free for people 65 and older.
- Cancel any accounts you did not open.
Equifax
PO Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
To order credit report: 800-685-1111
To opt out of marketing lists: 888-567-8688
To report fraud: 800-525-6285
www.equifax.com
Trans Union
PO Box 390, Springfield, PA 19064-0390
To order credit report: 800-888-4213
To opt of marketing lists: 888-567-8688
To report fraud: 800-680-7289
www.tuc.com
Experian
PO Box 2104, Allen, TX 75013-2104
To order credit report: 888-397-3742
To opt out of marketing lists: 800-353-0809
To report fraud: 800-301-7195
www.experian.com
FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
To file a complaint: 877-ID THEFT
www.consumer.gov/idtheft
To opt out of prescreened credit card offers:
1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688)
Step 5: Complete a “Victim's Complaint and Affidavit” with the Federal Trade Commission FTC
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (or call 877-438-4338 toll-free). Complete a Victim’s Complaint and Affidavit by going to ftc.gov/idtheft and using the affidavit provided to support your written statement.
- Then use the FTC affidavit to alert your bank and other agencies
- Dispute any fraudulent charges or accounts; click these links to the Missouri Attorney General’s Office for:
- Block any fraudulent information from your credit report
- Keep track of your actions and save copies of all your correspondence
Step 6: Contact the Social Security Administration if your Social Security number has been used by someone; call the Social Security Administration Fraud Line at 800-269-0271
If you have any questions you can contact
Detective Aliou Coulibaly
Phone: 636-227-9636
Email:
Helpful phone numbers for victims of Identity Theft
Ballwin Police Department: 636-227-9636
To notify retailers who use their databases not to accept your check:
TELECHECK: 1-800-710-9898 or 927-0188
CETERGY: 1-800-437-5120
INTERNATIONAL CHECKS SERVICES: 1-800-631-9656
CONSUMER CREDIT COUNSELING SERVICE: 800-388-2227
Helpful web-based resources for victim of Identity Theft:
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/
ID Theft Resource Center: http://www.idtheftcenter.org/
United States Department of Justice: http://www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html
United States Secret Service: http://www.secretservice.gov/investigation/
Social Security Administration: http://oig.ssa.gov/report-fraud-waste-or-abuse
