San Marcos Record, San Marcos, TX

Local News

April 7, 2011

ID Theft: Texas #5

— Texas has the fifth highest rate for reported identity theft complaints in the nation, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s Consumer Sentinel Network (CSN).

 CSN’s 2010 report compiled nationwide complaint data from the Better Business Bureau as well as from the FTC, Internet Crime Complaint Center and other consumer advocacy organizations.

The CSN rankings for states and cities are based on the amount of complaints received per 100,000 consumers.

Of 384 cities reported nationwide, Austin has the 150th highest rate of reported identity theft complaints.

“With more than 24,000 victims of identity theft in Texas last year, it’s time for every consumer to evaluate and strengthen their personal identity theft prevention techniques to ensure protection for their

Fraudulent usage of government documents, such as stolen or forged driver’s licenses, Social Security cards, tax filings, etc., was the most common form of reported identity theft in 2010.

Credit card fraud was the second most common form of identity theft, followed by phone and utilities fraud.

Security experts offer the following tips to help consumers and business owners minimize the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft:

• Shred sensitive materials – Participate in community shredding events whenever possible.

• Don’t carry your Social Security card – Leave it at home in a secure location until you need it. Your Social Security number is considered the gateway to your identity.

• Photocopy your account cards – Keep a duplicate in a secure location in case something happens and you need to know the identification numbers to freeze or close accounts.

• Never give personal information over the phone – Unless you are the one initiating the phone call, you should not give your Social Security Number, driver’s license number, bank account information, etc. over the phone.

• Steer clear of suspicious links – Unsolicited e-mails and pop-up ads can be full of computer viruses designed to steal usernames and passwords from your computer. Don’t give in to curiosity, just close or delete the message.

 

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