Identity Theft: Trick and Treat

By Kathy Perkins
Fall has definitely hit us in the Atlanta area. When we think of autumn, it brings to mind leaves, magnificent colors and cool crisp air. For children, their thoughts center on Halloween and fall festivals with lots and lots of candy. For adults thinking about this season, an analogy could be made between Halloween's "trick or treat" and identity theft.

Halloween is a time where people dress up to pretend to be someone else for a time in order to gain a treat. This is what happens in identity theft. A person takes another person's secure information, whether it be an address off a magazine, a check from a mail box, social security number or credit card number. The thief then pretends to be that person as they obtain a benefit - a financial gain, avoiding criminal charges or obtaining a service.

The Trick

Tricks can take many different forms. Mail taken from a mail box, a stolen check from a business or personal account, dumpster divers looking for shredded material. Thefts are big from information taken from a car or lap top. Thieves in home burglaries are looking for identity information that they can sell. It's easier to remove this information from the home than a large screen TV. Scams are another way of tricking the person into giving out their personal information. The person poses as someone from a charitable organization and then takes your personal information. An insider theft from a trusted person also is a trick, using that trust you have in them for their own gain. There are also people who rebuild hard drives - unshredding, if you will, for the computer.

The Treat

For them - a monetary gain, utility services they don't have to pay for, avoiding criminal punishment, government benefits or drugs. For you - loss of time clearing up your name and credit, toll on your emotional health not to mention the financial loss you might suffer. It is not unusual for an identity theft to occur and the victim not to be aware of it for a year or so. The average out of pocket loss is around $6,000.

Enjoy the fall time of year. Remember to wear a defensive costume - protect yourself and your information. If you do become a victim of identity theft, be sure to report it to the credit bureaus, put a fraud alert on your credit, close accounts that are affected and report the crime to the police.