Identity Theft Information

What is identity theft?

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information to commit fraud or other crimes. The thief takes your Social Security number, bank account number or other information and causes problems, like taking out loans in your name or charging money to your bank account or credit card.

Preventing identity theft

Follow the good habits below to prevent identity theft:

• Don't give out your Social Security or account numbers unless you initiate the contact.
• Leave your Social Security number off checks and driver's license.
• Shred trash with sensitive information. Include convenience checks and credit-card offers you get in the mail.
• Send sensitive mail using a Post Office drop box, rather than your mailbox at home.
• Carry only the credit cards and documents you need on a daily basis. Don't carry your Social Security card.
• Opt out of pre-approved credit card offers and get fewer solicitations at home: http://www.optoutprescreen.com/ or 888-567-8688.
• Use virus protection, a firewall and spyware detection on your computer.
• Freeze your credit report (see below).

How do I detect identity theft?

• Check bank statements at least monthly - watch for unauthorized withdrawals and debits.
• Check credit card statements at least monthly - watch for unauthorized charges.
• Check your free credit report three times a year - watch for unrecognized entries (see below).

Free credit report

http://www.annualcreditreport.com/ or 1-877-322-8228
Before you start: Watch for confusing sites requiring a purchase of another product. For example, at the Experian site, you may see a "free credit report" promoted. However, to get this report you will first have to enroll in a service with a monthly fee of $13.
There is only one place to get a free credit report: http://www.annualcreditreport.com/ or 1-877-322-8228. Three credit bureaus participate: Trans Union, Experian and Equifax. Choose which company's report you want to see - the law allows you one free report per year from each company.

Freeze a credit report

By placing a security freeze on your credit report, you make your personal information useless to a thief. When a lender or creditor tries to access your credit report, they will not be able to see it. Thus, they won’t issue new credit in your name. If you freeze your credit report, you can temporarily lift it when you need to apply for credit.
Each credit bureau charges $5 for this service, and you can find instructions at:

• Experian
• Equifax
• TransUnion

What should I do now that theft has happened?

Contact Us

You also can e-mail the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division if you have questions.

• Act quickly
• File an Identity Theft Complaint with the Attorney General's Office. You can fill out the form on your computer but remember to make a copy for yourself before closing it.
• Contact your bank or credit card company and report it: State and federal laws may protect you against unauthorized charges and withdrawals.
• File an identity theft incident report with police and keep a copy. Many banks and creditors will ask for it. Also, prosecutors can seek restitution from the thief.
• Close the accounts you know the thief has accessed. Use new account numbers and passwords.

- taken from Missouri Attorney General's office website