You can greatly minimize the risk of scams or identity theft by implementing the tips below:

• Be extremely cautious when handling and disclosing the following information:
  • Social security number
  • Mother's maiden name
  • Date of birth
  • Current and past addresses
  • Driver license number
  • Credit card numbers
  • Bank account numbers
  • Personal Identification Number (PIN) codes
  • Usernames and passwords
• Never provide personal information over the phone, unless you have initiated the phone call.  If you receive a call and want to confirm the caller's identity, ask for a callback number and check it against the publicly-advertised numbers for that company.  You can check with the Better Business Bureau to determine the legitimacy of a business.
• Never leave sensitive outgoing mail - such as checks or forms with the personal information listed above - in your residential mailbox.  Use a blue postal mailbox or your local post office.
  • Consider installing a residential mailbox that is secured with a locking mechanism.
  • Never leave mail in your mailbox overnight.
• When ordering new checks, do not have them mailed to your home.  Pick them up at your bank or have them delivered by registered mail.
• Use a shredder prior to disposing of bank and credit card statements, cancelled checks, pre-approved credit card offers, and any other personal information listed above.  A crosscut shredder offers added security by making it more difficult to reconstruct shredded documents.
• Place your garbage bins out in the morning on the day of pickup, rather than the night before. This gives "dumpster divers" less opportunity to go through your trash.
• Minimize the amount of information you carry in your wallet or purse by taking out extra cards and IDs.
• Cancel all unused credit cards.  Maintain a list of all active cards and account, including the following details: account numbers, expiration dates, telephone numbers and addresses for each creditor.  Store this information in a secure place.
• Open all bills promptly and check your accounts monthly. 
• Call your credit card company if your card is expired and you have not received a replacement.  Report any lost or stolen cards immediately.
• Notify financial institutions and credit card companies in advance of any address or phone number changes.
• Always shield the keypad from prying eyes when you enter your PIN number.
• Never leave transaction receipts behind, including at an ATM, the gas pump, the bank, or in a nearby trash receptacle.  These should be shredded if they include any sensitive information.
• Order a copy of your credit report at least once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus. Review each report to verify that the information is correct and that there are not fraudulent transactions. You can also purchase services that alert you when there are irregularities in your accounts. Check with the three major credit report agencies for further information on these services.
  • Equifax: 800-685-1111
  • Experian: 888-397-3742
  • TransUnion: 800-888-4213
• Order credit reports for your children too.  Anyone can be a victim of identity theft.

Scams can take on many forms.  These tips are universal steps you can take to protect yourself if you are approached about providing your money, another form of payment, or personal information.

1. Stop.  Check it out.
   • Do not give out any personal information until you have verified the identity of the caller.   Ask the caller for their name, department, and business phone number. Confirm that information by calling the organization at a phone number found on the internet or through official correspondence/billing statements.  If the caller refuses to provide this information, terminate the call immediately.
   • Independently check with the company or people involved to see if the caller's story checks out.
2. Keep your information (and your money) safe.
   • Never give out personal identifying information, such as bank account or credit card account numbers, to anyone you do not know. And never send money (or a cash equivalent) to an unknown person.

If you believe you have been the victim of a scam through the mail, please contact the Postal Inspector at 877-876-2455.

If you believe you have been the victim of another type of scam, please file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint.

For additional information on identity theft, visit the Federal Trade Commission's website.

If you believe that you have been the victim of identity theft, take action immediately.  Keep a detailed record of your conversations and correspondence.  Exactly which steps you should take next will depend on your circumstances and how your identity has been misused.  These three basic actions, however, are appropriate in almost every case:

1. Contact the fraud departments at the three major credit bureaus: Equifax (800-685-1111), Experian (888-397-3742), and TransUnion (800-888-4213).
   • Request that a "fraud alert" be placed in your file, as well as a victim's statement that asks creditors to call you before opening any new accounts or changing your existing accounts.
   • Order copies of your credit report from each credit bureau.  Credit bureaus must give you a free copy of your report if it is inaccurate because of fraud and you ask for it in writing. Review your reports carefully to make sure no additional fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name or unauthorized charges made to your existing accounts. Also, check the section of your report that lists “inquiries.” If “inquiries” appear from any companies that opened fraudulent account(s), request that they be removed from your report.
   • In a few months, order new copies of your reports to verify your corrections and changes, and to make sure no new fraudulent activity has occurred.
2. Close the accounts that you know (or believe) have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
   • Credit accounts: These include all accounts with banks, credit card companies, other lenders, phone companies, utilities, and other service providers. If you are closing your existing accounts, use new PINs and passwords when you open new accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN or your phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers.
     • If the identity thief has made charges or debits, ask the company about the following forms for disputing those transactions:
       • For new unauthorized accounts: Does the company accept the ID Theft Affidavit? If not, ask the representative to send you the company’s fraud dispute forms.
       • For your existing accounts: Ask the representative to send you the company’s fraud dispute forms. If the company doesn’t have special forms, use the sample letter provided below.
   • ATM/Debit cards: If your ATM or debit card has been lost, stolen, or otherwise compromised, cancel the card as soon as you can.  Get a new card with a new PIN.
   • Checks: If your checks have been stolen or misused, stop payment and ask your bank to notify the check verification service with which it does business. While no federal law limits your losses if someone steals your checks and forges your signature, state laws may protect you. Most states hold the bank responsible for losses from a forged check. At the same time, however, most states require you to take reasonable care of your account. For example, you may be held responsible for the forgery if you fail to notify the bank in a timely manner that a check was lost or stolen.
     • You can contact major check verification companies directly for the following services:
       • TeleCheck: 800-710-9898 or 800-927-0188
       • Cetergy: 800-437-5120
       • International Check Services: 800-631-9656
     • To find out if the identity thief has been passing bad checks in your name, call SCAN at 800-262-7771.
   • Follow up on all calls in writing.  Send your letter by certified mail with return receipt requested, so that you can document what the company received and when.  Keep copies for your files.
3. File a police report with your local police department or the law enforcement agency where the identity theft took place.  Get a copy of the report for your records.  Very often, the bank, credit card company, or other institution will need proof of the crime in order to erase the debts created by the identity theft.  If you cannot get a copy of the report, record the case number.

Here is a sample dispute letter for existing credit accounts:

(Date)

Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Account Number

Name of Creditor
Billing Inquiries
Address
City, State, Zip Code

Dear Sir or Madam:

I am writing to dispute a fraudulent (charge or debit) attributed to my account in the amount of $________. I am a victim of identity theft, and I did not make this (charge or debit). I am requesting that the (charge be removed or the debit reinstated), that any finance and other charges related to the fraudulent amount be credited as well, and that I receive an accurate statement.

Enclosed are copies of (use this sentence to describe any enclosed information, such as police report) supporting my position. Please investigate this matter and correct the fraudulent (charge or debit) as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Your Name

Enclosures: (list what you are enclosing)