Identity Theft
What is Identity Theft? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines identity theft as the "illegal use of someone else's personal information (such as a Social Security number) in order to obtain money or credit".
Each year the number of identity theft cases increases, with consumers between the ages of 20-39 being the most heavily targeted victims. In 2017, Maryland ranked 4th overall for identity theft complaints reported to the Federal Trade Commission (with 7,788 complaints reported). The median loss for all types of fraud in Maryland was $458 (22nd highest). The most common form of identity theft is credit card fraud (35%) followed by employment or tax-related fraud (26%). Across the country, in 2017, there were nearly 400,000 identity theft complaints received by the FTC. Learn how to prevent being an identity theft victim and avoid being another statistic.
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How can you detect and prevent identity theft?
- Protect your social security number. Only give your social security number to trusted sources.
- If a bill does not arrive as normally scheduled, call your creditor. Mail theft is a common tool used in identity theft.
- Avoid giving your personal information over the phone or through the mail unless you initiated the contact.
- Be sure to shred documents containing personal information before disposing them.
- Regularly monitor your billing statements and bank charge accounts. If there are charges that you did not make, you might be a victim of identity theft.
- Regularly monitor your credit reports by contacting annualcreditreport.com .
Are you a victim of identity theft? If so, take immediate action!
- Contact the three main credit bureaus ( Experian; Equifax; Trans Union), as well as rising secondary credit bureaus Innovis and NCTUE (for telecom and utilities accounts) to place a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit reports.
- Contact you local law enforcement agency and report the fraudulent activity. Police reports can help combat debt collection on fraudulent accounts.
- Place a security freeze on your credit report. This is done to prevent credit reporting companies from releasing your credit report without your consent. With a security freeze on your credit report it would be unlikely for an identity thief to open new accounts using your personal information.
- Contact the Office of Consumer Protection for assistance. We have an Investigator-on-Duty (T: 240.777.3636), Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- File a complaint with the FTC and the FBI's IC3.gov . The information provided by the complaint form is used to detect deceptive wrong doings world wide and may lead to an investigation or prosecution.
| Contact Information | Description |
|---|---|
| Federal Trade Commission 600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, DC 20580 T: 202.326.2222 www.identitytheft.gov Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center www.ic3.gov |
The Federal Trade Commission has detailed information to help you deter, detect, and defend against identity theft. The Federal Bureau of Investigation collects the data for future investigation and enforcement. |
| Consumer Action 221 Main St., Suite 480 San Francisco, CA 94105 T: 415.777.9635 www.consumer-action.org |
Consumer Action provides information on how to prevent identity theft and the steps that need to be taken if you have been a victim of identity theft. |
| Maryland Office of the Attorney General 200 St. Paul Pl. Baltimore, MD 21202 T: 410.576.6300 TDD: 410.576.6372 www.oag.state.md.us |
The MD Attorney General's office has useful information on what to do if you have been a victim of identity theft. |
| Annual Credit Report Request Service PO Box 105283 Atlanta, GA 30348-5283 T: 877.322.8228 www.annualcreditreport.com Equifax P.O. Box 105873 Atlanta, GA 30348 T: 800.685.1111 www.equifax.com Experian P.O. Box 2104 Allen, TX 75013-2104 T: 888.397.3742 www.experian.com Trans Union Consumer Disclosure Center P.O. Box 1000 Chester, PA 19022 T: 800.916.8800 or 800.888.4213 www.transunion.com Innovis 875 Greentree Road Parkway Center Pittsburgh, PA 15220 1-800-540-2505 www.innovis.com National Consumer Telecom & Utilities Exchange P.O. Box 105161 Atlanta, GA 30348 1-866-349-5355 www.nctue.com |
To acquire a copy of your credit report, contact Annual Credit Report, or the three main credit bureaus. Please keep in mind the rising secondary credit bureaus. |