As you all know, identity theft is a rapidly growing problem. The Javelin Strategy and Research Center found that 10 million Americans fell victim to this crime in 2008. You may think identify theft is primarily caused by using the latest and greatest technology, but according to the Center, low-tech methods are still the most popular among identify thieves. Online methods only account for 11% of all cases.
One growing, low-tech method used to commit identity theft that may directly affect you are thieves posing as state insurance department employees. Recently, Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland warned insurance producers and adjusters to beware of scammers posing as state insurance department employees seeking personal information. According to reports, these fake employees called insurance agents and asked them to fax personal tax information. Similar cases were also reported in Nevada and California where imposters were calling agents and telling them that their licenses were going to be suspended for filing improper paperwork. The imposters then would ask for personal information, such as birth dates, social security numbers, and credit card info to correct the problem.
We remind you to remain vigilant about protecting your personal information. Here are several actions you can take to minimize your chance of becoming a victim (source: www.ftc.gov):
- Review your credit reports at least once a year, or every three months if you have already been victimized
- Place passwords on your credit card, bank, and phone accounts; don't use easily available info for your passwords such as maiden names, birth dates, phone numbers, and last four of SSN
- Secure personal information at home, especially if you live with others
- Always ask how your personal information will be secured by those who require it to do business
- Don't give out personal information over the phone, through the mail, or on the Internet unless you've initiated contact or have established trust with the entity you are dealing with
- Shred your docs with sensitive info
For a full list of actions you can take to help prevent identify theft, click here.
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