Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft

Identity theft has reached near epidemic proportions. Never respond to e-mails  that direct you to a Web site asking you for personal information. These are called phishing attacks, so named because identity thieves are “fishing” for information. To learn more or to report an attack you have experienced, visit www.antiphishing.org where you also can see examples of these fraudulent e-mails by clicking on the phishing archive.

Each month, carefully review your credit union, credit card and other financial statements for accuracy. Shred documents containing personal information. To the extent possible, limit the information you disclose on applications, contest entries and the like by including only the essential data required.

For more details on how to protect yourself, check these sites:

• www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/
• www.idtheftcenter.org
• www.privacyrights.org

Regularly check your credit report, too. You can get a free report from each of the three major credit reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – each year. You can order your free annual credit report online at www.annualcreditreport.com, by calling 1-877-322-8228, or by completing the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mailing it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

	You can order all three reports at once, but if you order one every four months you can keep better track of the information being compiled about you. Each agency collects slightly different information.