Americans Unaware of ID Theft
A new report reveals that 44% of consumers do not realize that their personal information can be used to obtain a mortgage and 32% do not know that thieves can obtain a drivers license or photo ID card with such information. The survey from Capital One and Consumer Action found that 93% of Americans are well aware of the growing crime of identity theft. About 15% do not realize that their personal information can be used to open lines of credit for products such as credit cards, while 24% do not know that identity thieves can use their information to apply for a job. Consumers were equally unaware of the steps they should take if they are victims of identity theft.
It is suggested to take several steps to help consumers’ spot potential signs of ID theft and account fraud:
* Check your credit report. You can get one free copy of your credit report annually from the three national credit reporting bureaus. Go to the official Annual Credit Report site (www.annualcreditreport.com) to get your free reports. Review your reports for accounts you don’t recognize or information from companies you don’t do business with.
* Monitor your mail for missed bills, credit card statements and other mail. A missing bill might mean that a crook has taken over your account and changed your billing address.
* Investigate mysterious purchases, charges, bills or collection calls immediately. If you receive a credit card that you didn’t apply for or find a charge on your credit card bill that you don’t recognize, call the companies immediately to address the problem.
* Question credit offers. If you know you have good credit but your application for a new credit card is denied, it could be a sign of ID theft. When you are denied credit, you can get a free copy of your credit report from the credit bureau used by the lender.