Gilroy
– It can start with a phone call from someone claiming to be a
bank representative, or the theft of a wallet containing credit
cards, maybe even a Social Security card.
By Lori Stuenkel
Gilroy – It can start with a phone call from someone claiming to be a bank representative, or the theft of a wallet containing credit cards, maybe even a Social Security card.
Identity theft often starts small, or even goes unnoticed, but can turn into a headache that requires years of recovery.
It is striking more and more consumers across the country, and the Federal Trade Commission recently announced identity theft is the No. 1 crime against consumers, for the fifth year in a row.
“Everybody is at risk,” said Charlene Zettel, director of the state Department of Consumer Affairs. “Everybody has a Social Security number and can be a victim. It can be senior citizens, it can be children.”
That includes Gilroy residents, whose reports of identity theft also are on the rise.
“They have increased immensely in the last three to four years,” Sgt. John Sheedy said.
He did not have the precise amount of the increase, but Gilroy Police Department’s property crimes detectives said they get more identity theft cases than other crimes.
During National Consumer Protection Week, which runs through Saturday, the Department of Consumer Affairs is alerting consumers all over the state to the importance of prevention.
Experts and police say the rise in identity thefts is a matter of convenience. Consumers unwittingly may make their personal information available by using mail or the Internet, while thieves enjoy the anonymity and immediacy of on-line transactions.
“We’ve become a society of quick, instant response, and I think that’s part of the problem,” Sheedy said.
Police say California’s three-strikes law has made identity theft especially desirable to convicted criminals avoiding another strike.
Phishing expeditions
The newest trend in identity theft, a scam called “phishing,” takes advantage of that convenience. Through telemarketing or Internet fraud, consumers are tricked into providing personal information to scammers posing as officials from a bank, a government agency, even e-Bay.
“It looks very much like a legitimate message,” Zettel said. “But no legitimate bank or financial institution is going to e-mail you or telephone you for your account numbers or your password, and if you have a question and you think that was a real call, hang up and call your bank.”
A spokesman for Washington Mutual – which has been used as a front in phishing scams – said the bank is educating customers about identity theft issues, including phishing.
“These scams have been the focus of the entire financial services industry as they have increased in frequency and reach,” Spokesman Joe Arbona said.
Gilroy police said they have received calls from residents asking about suspicious e-mails – including those from a “Nigerian royal” – or telephone calls. One resident even lost $20,000 in a scam to someone claiming to be inheriting a large fortune, Detective John Marfia said. When something like that happens, it can be near impossible to recoup losses because the thieves are often overseas and use multiple contact points, making them difficult to track, he said.
Gilroy police Detective Rosa Quiñones said she saw an identity theft case last year that spanned more than a decade.
In some cases, identity theft can be committed by someone who already has access to insider information, such as a cashier at a retail store.
“It’s because it’s so easy, when it’s an employee or cashier who takes your information, or someone who takes carbon copy credit card receipts,” Quiñones said.
In Gilroy, retail centers can pose an identity theft threat not only because of the cashiers, but also the thieves who burglarize cars containing personal information, left in the parking lot.
“It doesn’t take much to smash the windows, grab something, and run to a store,” Quiñones said. “And the people don’t even notice (the credit card transactions).”
It takes only minutes for someone to use a stolen credit card to steal thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise – or, using a stolen identification card, to set up and use instant credit.
Ending identity theft
The faster victims spot identity theft, the less time will be needed to uncover the damages.
“It can take years, depending on how much damage they do to your credit report,” Marfia said. “Collection people aren’t as forgiving or forgetful.”
Whether identity theft becomes evident after unauthorized credit card charges, or a call from a collection agency, filing a police report is one of the first steps to stopping the problem.
A report safeguards victims from losses and may be requested by credit companies. Reports also may provide leads to finding a suspect, although Sgt. Sheedy said such leads are often hit or miss.
The three major credit bureaus should be contacted and notified, after a police report is filed. If a victim fears the identity theft will continue, they may want to place a freeze on their credit, which would require more proof of identity should someone try to acquire credit or a loan in their name, said Zettel with Consumer Affairs.
The number one tip to preventing identity theft is to protect Social Security numbers and cards.
“And don’t carry it in your wallet or purse,” Zettel said. “There are many, many instances where the start of identity theft started with a wallet being lost or stolen and a Social Security card and name were in their wallet.”
Zettel and Gilroy police also offer these recommendations to prevent identity theft:
– Shred documents containing personal and financial information – bills, bank statements, credit card offers – with a cross-shredder, because criminals will take the time to piece together single-shredded documents
– Keep personal items out of sight when leaving your car parked in public. It’s an invitation for thieves to steal items and identity information.
– Regularly order credit reports from each of the three bureaus, once a year as a minimum.
– Write “See CA ID” instead of signing credit cards
– Call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT to stop receiving pre-approved credit card offers. If stolen, a thief can fraudulently obtain a card using someone else’s credit
For more information, visit http://www.consumer.gov/ncpw, or www.phishinginfo.org.
