PLEASE READ!!!

Officials: Slight Increase in Identity Theft May Occur During Holiday Season
By TIFFANY WRIGHT Daily American Staff Writer
Saturday, November 29, 2008 11:56 PM EST

Consumers should use caution when swiping their credit cards or making online purchases this holiday season, as personal information can be subject to identity theft.But experts say people should take caution year-round to protect their personal information so they do not fall victim to identity theft.

“The biggest thing for people during the holidays is to watch the information they’re handing out,” said Zack Friesen, an identity theft educator and expert. He formed a program to educate people about identity theft after his identity was stolen at the age of 7, but did not know about it until he was 17 years old.

Friesen said during the holiday season people can be so busy that they fail to look at bank statements or receipts of their purchases, and may not know they had their identity stolen until after the holidays.He said people should pay attention when handing out their credit cards to make sure they are not being swiped on two machines.

“There are so many extra purchases that people are making during the holidays that they have to be careful when they hand over their credit card,” he said.

Younger people, who Friesen said are the most common victims of identity theft, need to watch the information they submit for seasonal jobs.

“With temporary jobs you fill out applications that have personal information on it and students needs to be more responsible when they fill out applications,” he said.

Identity can be stolen from applications that have been thrown in the trash or because multiple people view the information.

Nils Frederiksen, a spokesperson with the state attorney general’s office, said more people are victims of identity theft by someone stealing their identity directly rather than online.

“Be careful what you carry in your wallet or purse during this time of year because mugging and pick pockets can increase when crowds are bigger and people are more distracted,” he said. “If someone steals your wallet they have your credit card, social security card, health insurance information and drivers license, so they have your entire identity. When you shop online they can only get your credit card number.”

Frederiksen said the attorney general’s office handles several hundred cases of identity theft a year, but it is not just prominent during the holidays.

James Shaw, Somerset state police station commander, agrees that identity theft cases are consistent throughout the year.

He said consumers should protect private data by shredding old information and checking their mail daily so it does not pile up. People should check their credit record every month so unusual purchases do not go missed and contact police to start an investigation if they think their information has been stolen.

Shaw said the department handles between 15 and 20 cases a year.

Friesen said clearing credit and a name after identity has been stolen can be a long and vigorous process.“

A lot of people find out their identity has been stolen when they’re looking to get a loan and those people end up spending four times as much money and three more months clearing up their information and name,” he said.

Never give out personal information, including your social security number, to people trying to contact you through a phone call or e-mail, Friesen said. He said keep track of purchases and unsolicited attempts to get information in order to assist police during an investigation.

Frederiksen said TransUnion, Equifax and Experian are the three legitimate sources for free annual credit reports. The official site to help consumers obtain their free report is www.annualcreditreport.com.