Identity theft and scams are on the rise. Approximately 10 million Americans were victimized by these crimes in 2008, a 22% increase from 2007. It takes a victim an average of 330 hours to repair the damage done by identity theft—the equivalent of just over two months of full-time work. You may think it won’t happen to you, but consider this: 77% of household waste
contains at least one item that could aid in identity theft; four in 10 individuals divulge private data to strangers via Facebook; 90% of credit card users never check the transactions on their bank or credit card statements; and at any given time, an estimated 100-150 million PCs on the Internet are under the control of hackers. The most common ways that your identity might be
compromised are a stolen wallet, through PDAs, someone “shoulder surfing” while you conduct a transaction, information taken by a relative or friend, online, and data breach. Below are several tips for protecting yourself from identity theft and scams.
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Be suspicious of any e-mails or phone calls with a request for personal financial information.
By Jennifer Newby Business Development Indiana Members Credit Union
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Never give out financial information such as checking and credit card numbers or your social security number.
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Notify your credit union or bank of suspicious phone inquires such as those asking for account information.
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Avoid using the link in a suspicious e-mail to get to a Web page.
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Approximately 10 million Americans were victimized by these crimes in 2008, a 22% increase from 2007.
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Protect Yourself from Identity Theft and Scams
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Never reply to a suspicious e-mail.
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Report lost or stolen checks immediately.
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Closely guard your Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) for your credit and debit cards and online banking access.
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Check your monthly statements to verify all transactions on your statement.
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Beware of text message scams circulating throughout Indianapolis and surrounding cities! (Indiana Members Credit Union will NEVER contact you and ask for your personal information by electronic means.) If you feel you may be a victim of a text message scam, you can visit one of the following sites to report the issue: http://www.fbi.gov, http://www.ftc/gov, http:// www.fcc.gov, http://www.ncua. gov, or http://www.ic3.gov.
Gateway to Graduation
If you have been a victim of identity theft contact the police to file a report, and inform your credit union or bank to cancel your accounts and open new ones. Most importantly, contact the three major credit bureaus and have them flag the accounts with a fraud alert. The credit bureau numbers are: Equifax, 800-682-1111; Experian, 888-397-3742; and TransUnion, 800-916-8800. Statistic sources: http://www. spendonlife.com/guide/2009identity-theft-statistics http://www.id-theftprotect.com/ fraud_statistics.php?first=270 Brought to you by YOUR credit union:
University College
The Gateway to Graduation Program is a faculty-led effort to improve student learning and retention in courses with high enrollments of first-year students.
https://gateway.uc.iupui.edu | (317) 278-6480 12
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