Identity Theft

Karen began her presentation with a demonstration conversation of how identity theft can occur.  In the conversation, Karen was asked for information that she should not have provided.  The caller said that they were from her credit card company and that they were needing to verify some information.  In fact, this demonstration call was not from the credit card company at all. Without thinking Karen gave out information that would allow the caller to use her credit card for purchasing goods or even changing the address on the account to keep Karen from realizing that the information had been compromised.

Karen explained that all mail from credit card companies including companies that are soliciting you for a new card should be opened and shredded.  She also stressed that it is very important to review your statement every month to be sure that all of the charges are ones that you actually authorized. 

Karen explained how to go about checking your credit information with the three credit reporting agencies. She also explained how to notify your credit card company in writing of a dispute.  A sample letter as well as the excellent handout is available in the download area of this website. 

Because a stolen identity can cause so much difficulty and require an inordinate amount of time and effort to correct, the information Karen provided was a helpful look into the nature of this problem and how we can protect ourselves from having information stolen.

It is helpful to know that under California law, you can obtain a copy of your credit report several times a year for free from www.annualcreditreport.com.

For further information on how to protect yourself against identity theft, visit www.thinklikeaspy.com.