Outline - Identity Theft Presentation

Presentor Dean F. Ely AARP Consumer Issues Task Force 332 Washington Avenue Jersey Shore, PA 17740 570-398-2811

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1. Background Committee background: The AARP Consumer Issues Task Force is made up of approximately 24 members from all corners of Pennsylvania. We are volunteers who meet in Harrisburg on a quarterly schedule to be updated on a variety of fraud issues that impact senior PA residents. Some of the areas we are involved in are: ID Theft, Home Improvement Scams, Investment Scams, Payday Lending, Precious Metals/Coin Investments, Foreign Money Offers, Power Cut-Off by Utilities and Energy Assistance Programs to name a few. In addition to making presentations, we actively lobby our state and federal elected officials who are involved in crafting legislation on many of these subjects. Recently members of our committee have assisted in exposing the lack of weights and measures enforcement across PA. Thousands of fuel dispensers, scales and parking meters have gone uninspected for years. Our committee chairperson is Mrs. Mary Bach of Murraysville and our contact in Harrisburg is Mr. David Kalinoski at the AARP state office. My background: In 2003 I retired after thirty-six years with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Standard Weights and Measure serving as a Field Investigator, District Supervisor and Regional Director. In this role I was involved in hundreds of investigations on issues of fraud relating to weights and measures laws, many of these ending up in courts of law. I have been "on-line" since the mid eighties utilizing the computer for communication, banking and as source of information.

2. Overview I D THEFT: What it's all about When we discuss fraud, it is best if we clearly define just what it is. According to Webster's Dictionary fraud is "deliberate deceit or deception planned and executed with the intent to deprive another of property or rights". The key word here is "intent". If someone sets out and plans to separate you from your property or possessions, that is fraud. I D Theft involves the illegal taking and use of any of a number of pieces of identity information we all have today. What are some of these pieces of I D we all have? Name, address, phone number(s),date of birth, social security number, bank account number(s), credit card number(s), password(s), pin number(s), drivers license info, mothers maiden name, city of birth, your maiden name, etc. Are there more? (E-mail) How big a problem is I D Theft? It is estimated that 9.9 million people had their I D lifted last year. 250,000 people filed complaints with the FTC. I D Theft enables the perpetrator to commit numerous forms of fraud. By taking over or accessing ones financial accounts. Opening new bank or credit accounts with your ID. Making purchases such as furniture, clothing, appliances, vacations, etc. By using your I D and good credit to obtain a credit line to make major purchases., to apply for a loan, to apply for social security benefits, to rent an apartment, to establish services with a utility such as phone, electricity, water, gas, cable TV.

3. Discussion How does Identity Theft occur? I D Theft commonly begins with the loss or theft of a wallet or purse. However, there are a number of ways that individuals can acquire and use your personal information. Many times you have no control over the loss of that info. (Handout) Passport clerk faces 18 counts of identity theft. Man pleads to fake ID charge. Pen Dot licensing office robbed of laptops. Department of Defense laptops stolen. Veterans Affairs laptops stolen or lost. Medical records stolen. Lost or stolen mail. Remote mail boxes. Stop mail when away. Direct deposit. Social security numbers still appear on many drivers' licenses and invoices. You can also inadvertently give out your information by not being careful how you handle it. By disposing of important documents in the trash. These should be shredded. By not being prudent with whom you do business with on the net. Purchases by phone. My FYE experience. Gone Phishing. Follow-up calls or e-mails asking you to confirm several parts of you I D or account info. My PBS experience. My chance to become a bank. (Handout) Gone Pharming Obtaining your medical or pharmaceutical records by false means.

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4. Prevention & Detection How can you tell if you are a victim of I D Theft? Review your transaction records and account statements carefully and routinely. Review them on line if you have the capability. "No waiting." Failing to receive a bill could be a tip-off. Receiving bills for merchandise you did not purchase is a definite tip-off. Denial of credit for no reason. Receiving calls from debt collectors or firms about merchandise or services you did not buy. Getting your credit report: An amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the major nationwide consumer reporting companies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report once every 12 months. To order your free annual report: Visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll-free: 1-877-322-8228. Can also be requested by mail. Where to call or go on line for your credit report: EQUIFAX EXPERIAN TRANS UNION Phone Number in your handouts. Tips for staying safe on-line: Make sure you have a fairly current operating system (OS). Windows 98, 2000, Windows XP. Same advice for Apple users. Update it regularly through Microsoft or Apple. Obtain secondary internet security software. Norton/Symantec, McAfee, etc. Keep it updated to ensure protection from new and emerging threats and viruses. Some typical features found on security software. Security Personal Firewall Outbreak Alert Intrusion Prevention Norton Antivirus Security Inspector Privacy Control Conduct regular full system scans for spy ware and other threats. Don't let your computer run on line 24/7. Don't open e-mail from unknown sources. When banking or buying, examine the URL for the web site you are visiting. Make sure it reads "https" (the "s" stands for secure). Passwords and Pin Numbers: Don't be predictable. No birthdays, no names, no 54321, etc. Mix upper and lower case and numbers and letters. Banking, paying bills or making on-line purchases: Discreet passwords and pin numbers are very important here. Don't use the automatic log in feature that saves your user name and password and always log-off when you are done. Always look for the little gold lock that signifies that your data is being encrypted.

5. Corrective Actions What to do if your personal information is lost or stolen: Act quickly. Close all accounts affected immediately. Call the toll free fraud number of any of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies and place an initial fraud alert on your credit reports. Contact the agency that issued your drivers license and follow procedures to cancel the lost one and get a replacement. Watch all accounts closely for any suspicious activity. Immediate steps for identity theft victims: Place a fraud alert on your credit reports and review them. Call the toll-free number of any of the three consumer reporting companies listed in your handout. The company you call is required to notify the other two. Let's Review: We've identified I D theft and fraud. We talked about the many forms of I D we all have. We described how big the problem of I D theft is and it's getting bigger. We've discussed how I D theft can occur. We discussed Phishing and Pharming. We talked about staying alert for signs of I D theft. We discussed how easy it is to obtain a copy of your credit report. Review: cont. We talked about staying safe on line. We discussed developing secure passwords and pins. We talked about what to do if you discover you are the victim of I D theft. Act quickly. Close all affected accounts immediately. Place a fraud alert immediately. Remain vigilant.