What should people do if they believe their information has been stolen?
Once a person has fallen prey to having their personal information stolen, it is critical to take the urgent steps needed, such as filing a police report, notifying one of the three major credit bureaus and, most importantly, issuing a fraud alert requiring brokers, credit card companies and other lenders to scrutinize anyone who opens any account in your name. Californians can also order a ‘credit freeze,’ requiring lenders, retailers and other businesses to get special access to your credit report through a pin-based system, preventing anyone from getting new loans and credit in your name.
What is the U.S. government doing to combat identity theft?
While there is no silver bullet to address identity violations, members of the U.S. Senate are introducing a package of measures to regulate the use of Social Security numbers by government agencies and private companies. This legislation would prohibit the sale or display of Social Security numbers to the public and require a business or government entity to notify individuals when a hacker has obtained sensitive information. Last year, Congress approved the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, which imposes tougher penalties on identity thieves.
Although progress is being made, former Secret Service and F.B.I. agents who have spent years investigating these crimes can provide extensive expert advice on how to respond to and combat this escalating epidemic.
For further insight and information:
U.S. Government for victims of identity theft: www.consumer.gov
U.S. Secret Service for victims of identity theft: www.treas.gov
FTC consumer complaint form: https://rn.ftc.gov
U.S. Department of Justice: http://www.usdoj.gov
SSA Inspector General for fraud: http://www.ssa.gov
Ron Williams is the CEO at Talon Companies. Reach him at (800) 808-2566 or [email protected] to schedule a training program. Reach Talon Companies Headquarters at [email protected], (800) 808-2566, or www.TalonCompanies.com.
