PART 1: Protect thyself: ID theft isn’t just for children

“Letters, we get letters, we get lots and lots of letters …” It was a familiar tune to those old enough to watch/listen to “The Perry Como Show” in the 60’s.

Today it would sound more like “Email, email, we get lots and lots of email …” alluding to the most common form of 2014 criminality. It had not even been dreamt about in 1964. Technology has indeed changed the world. Nancy was 16 years old in 1964. Here’s what she wrote:

“I have been the victim of a scam. About a month ago, I received a notice from the post office that they had changed my address as requested. Having not requested anything of the sort, I called quickly and it was changed back. I filed a USPS fraud report. A couple of weeks later, Social Security called to say a request had been made online. They had not acted on it and the person I talked to knew about the USPS scam. Yesterday, my MasterCard sent me a letter and said they had changed my address to a location in Detroit. I called, no activity, closed account. Then I checked with other accounts and banks — so far no other breaches. I looked up the listed “new” Detroit address. It’s an old abandoned house: Zillow says it’s listed for $200! My question is, should I be notifying anyone else about this? The Detroit police? Any suggestions? All change of address requests were made online.”

Nancy

Had Nancy, a California consumer, not been on high alert and PRO-ACTIVE, she would shortly have been in deep doo-doo. What would come next? In late January, a fake income tax return requesting a significant refund. (The numbers on those fraud cases are through the roof!). The rest of the year, new credit accounts, credit limit increases, cash advances, “lost” cards replaced, bank accounts opened for bogus transactions (in her name) and then drained and closed when things got hot. In extreme cases, a full set of ID would have been accumulated bearing someone else’s picture, owned property could have been SOLD, bogus insurance claims made and paid, and professional credentials “borrowed” in the name of High Holy Havoc. (Nancy is an MD.) The list goes on, but you get the picture.

Can you, or anybody, 100 percent protect him/herself from identity theft? In a world where arrested electronic thieves have ranged in age from 8 to 80 (I am NOT MAKING THIS UP) the answer is a resounding “NO!” Even the Identity Theft Protection guy who boldly blasted his own Social Security number to millions of television commercial viewers along with a challenge to steal his identity … does not do that anymore. Hopefully I can help you move toward 99 percent.

Once again, due to word count limits, it’s STOP TIME. I’ll provide you with some answers next week about what TO DO and what NOT TO DO to protect your good name and your hard-earned assets in Part II of this column. Meanwhile, here’s your assigned homework between now and then. Look up and learn the difference between a Fraud Alert and a Credit Freeze.

Stay tuned to this channel.

Drop by the Pahrump Valley Times offices, 2160 E. Calvada Blvd., for a copy of Leslie Kim’s latest book “123 Main Street … the Scamming of America.” Only $19.95 while supplies last.