Guarding Your Privacy
- Tips to Prevent Identity Theft
How to Lessen Your Risk of Being a Victim
Unfortunately, there is no way to completely protect yourself from having your identity stolen, but limiting access to your information can help reduce the risk. Follow these suggested steps to better protect your private data.
Remove Your Name from Marketing Lists
You may remove your name, or “opt-out,” from marketing or promotional lists maintained by credit bureaus and other organizations with which you have a relationship.
Credit Bureaus
When reviewing your mail you probably noticed a number of pre-approved
credit offers with other mail. The credit bureaus offer a toll-free
number to “opt-out” of having pre-approved credit offers sent to
you for five years or permanently. When credit offers are thrown in the
trash, they are a potential target for thieves. To “opt-out” of receiving preapproved
credit offers you may call 1-888-5-OPTOUT ((888) 567-8688) or
log on to www.optoutprescreen.com
for more information.
In addition, notify the three major credit bureaus that you do not want your personal information shared for promotional purposes. To limit the amount of information credit bureaus share about you, write your own letter or use the sample letter provided here to notify the credit bureaus of your request. Send your letter to the following addresses:
Equifax
Information Services
P.O. Box 740123
Atlanta, GA 30374-0123
www.equifax.com
Experian
Attn: Opt-out Services
P.O. Box 80128
Lincoln, NE 68521
www.experian.com
TransUnion
Opt Out Request
P.O. Box 505
Woodlyn, PA 19094
www.transunion.com
Direct Marketers
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is a trade association of
catalogers, financial services firms, publishers, book and music clubs, online
service companies, and others involved in direct and database marketing. To
“opt-out” of DMA mailing lists (other companies may continue to contact
you) for up to three years, visit DMA’s website, www.dmachoice.org, or send
your own request or use the sample letter with your complete name (including variations), mailing address, email address, and signature along with a check or money order made out to “DMA” in the amount of $3 to:
Data & Marketing Association
DMAchoice
P.O. Box 900
Cos Cob, CT 06807
www.dmachoice.org
Federal law forbids a telemarketer to call you once you have asked to be put on that telemarketer’s “do-not-call” list. A telemarketer who ignores your request can be held responsible for up to $500 in damages per call and $1,500 per willful violation. Thus, if you do not want to be called in the future, you should tell the telemarketer that you want to be placed on that telemarketer’s “do not call” list and that you know you are entitled under federal law to $500 per call after your request.
You should also take an inventory of banks, charities, and other organizations with which you do business. Write to these organizations telling them not to sell or give out your name. You may use this sample letter. If you think your name has been sold, send a letter to the company or organization and complain. Ask for the list of businesses or charities that bought your name and information. Then, write to these organizations and ask them to put you on their “do not mail” and “do not sell” lists.
The National “Do-Not-Call” Registry
The Federal Trade Commission registers consumers on
a national “do not call” list. You may register up to three phone
numbers at one time (including your cell phone number) by visiting
www.donotcall.gov. You may register one phone number at a time (including
your cell phone number) by calling (888) 382-1222, but you must call from
the phone number you want to register. Your phone number will remain
on the registry permanently unless you later delete it from the registry.
Telemarketers covered by the National Do Not Call registry have up to
31 days from the date you register to stop calling you.
Some calls are exempt from the Do Not Call law. Examples of exempt calls include:
- Calls from—or on behalf of—political organizations, charities, and telephone surveyors;
- Calls from companies with which you have an existing business relationship; and
- Calls from companies you’ve given permission to call.
Don’t Be an Easy Target
When you pay bills, don’t leave the envelopes containing your checks at your home mailbox for the postal carrier to collect. If stolen, your checks can provide valuable information to a thief or be altered and cashed. Your credit card payments, if acquired by a thief, contain all the information needed to steal your identity. Also, consider installing a locked mailbox at your residence to reduce the possibility of mail theft. You should also take the following steps:
- When you order new checks from your financial institution, remove extraneous information such as your middle name, phone number, Social Security number or driver’s license number. The fewer pieces of identifying information you have on your checks the better.
- When creating passwords and personal identification numbers (PINs), do not use any combination of numbers that could be easily detected by thieves. Don’t use the last four digits of your Social Security number, your birth date, middle name, mother’s maiden name, address, or consecutive numbers.
- Don’t toss credit card convenience checks or pre-approved credit offers in your trash or recycling bin without first tearing them into small pieces or shredding them. These solicitations can be used by “dumpster divers” to cash the checks or order credit cards in your name. Do the same with other sensitive information like credit receipts, bank statements, and important bills you do not retain for your records.
- Store your canceled checks in a secure place. In the wrong hands, checks could reveal a lot of information about you, including your account number, telephone number, and driver’s license number. Never permit your credit card number to be written on your checks by a merchant. (It is illegal in Minnesota for any merchant to write your credit card number on your check when you are completing a purchase.)
- Carefully review your credit card statements and phone bills for unauthorized charges or fraudulent use. Scrutinize your local, long distance, and cell phone bills each month and report any unauthorized use to your service provider. You may contact your local telephone company to verify your long distance carrier and request a “PIC Freeze” on your account so it cannot be changed without your specific authorization. If you would like more information on a PIC Freeze, telephone billing, and how to avoid phone fraud, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office offers a free publication entitled The Phone Handbook.
Be Smart with Credit Cards
Check for fraudulent use of your credit accounts. The most important step to safeguarding your identity is to monitor your credit card statements and credit report.
- Once a year, order a free copy of your credit report from each of the three largest credit bureaus. Reduce the number of credit cards you actively use. Carry only one or two credit cards in your wallet or purse and cancel all others. Unused cards should be canceled because, even though you don’t use them, the numbers are recorded on your credit report and can be used by identity thieves.
- Don’t give out your credit card number or other personal information over the phone unless you know with whom you’re doing business. Even then, before revealing any personal information, find out how it will be used or shared with others.
- Always take credit card and ATM receipts with you when you make a purchase or withdrawal. Monitor your mail when you are expecting a new credit card that you have applied for or a reissued credit card that has expired. Contact the issuer right away if the card does not arrive on the date expected.
Shop Smartly Online
The Internet puts vast information at your fingertips. With a click of a button, you buy an airline ticket, book a hotel, send flowers to a friend, or purchase stock. Before you shop, consider the following safety tips.
Use a secure browser.
A browser is software you use to navigate the Internet. Your browser
should comply with industry security standards. These standards encrypt
or scramble the purchase information you send over the Internet,
ensuring the security of your transaction. Most computers come with a
browser installed, though you may also download some browsers for
free. Look for “https://” (the “s” is for secure) before the web address,
because this indicates that the website and Internet connection are secure.
Shop with companies you know.
Anyone can set up shop online under almost any name. If you’re not
familiar with a merchant, ask for a paper catalog or brochure to get a
better idea of their merchandise and services. Determine the company’s
refund and return policies before you place an order.
Check the company’s online privacy policy.
Many companies post a “privacy policy” on
their website. The privacy policy should disclose what information is
being collected on the website, as well as how that information is being
used. Before you provide any merchant with personal information, read
its privacy policy. If you can’t find a policy, send an email or written
message to the merchant’s site to get one.
Make sure you’re at the correct website.
Online merchants may have links to other webpages selling the same
product. For instance, you might go to an online bookstore to shop for
a particular book and, in the course of your shopping, click on a link to
“learn more about the author.” The link might take you to the author’s
homepage where you can also order the book. You might inadvertently
buy the book from the author rather than from the original bookstore, and
then be bound by privacy and return policies you haven’t read. Before
you order a product online, be sure to check the URL (the address at the
top of the page) to ensure that you are on the correct website.
Disclose only necessary personal information.
Don’t disclose personal information, such as your name, address,
telephone number, email address, or Social Security number, until you
know who is collecting the information, why they are collecting it, and
how they will use it. If disclosure of personal information is necessary
(e.g. to deliver a product you buy), then disclose only the amount of
personal information that is required to complete the transaction. If you
have children, teach them to check with you before giving out
personal or family information online.
Pay by credit or charge card.
If you pay by credit or charge card online, some companies let you
pay bills and check your account status online. Before you sign up for
any service, evaluate how the company is securing your financial and
personal information. Many companies explain their security procedures
on their website, often in their “privacy policy.” If you don’t see a
security description, call or email the company and ask.
Keep a record.
Be sure to print a copy of your purchase order and confirmation number
for your records. Since the Federal Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise
Rule covers orders made online, your merchandise must be
delivered to you within 30 days. If there are delays, the company must
notify you.
Opt-out of information sharing.
Many companies now give you a choice on their website, often as part of
their “privacy policy,” as to whether and how your personal information
is used. These companies allow you to decline—or to “opt-out” of—
having personal information such as your email address used or shared
with other companies. Exercise this option to reduce access to your
personal information.
Keep your passwords private.
Be creative when you establish a password, and never give it to anyone.
Avoid using a telephone number, birth date, or a portion of your Social
Security number. Instead use a combination of numbers, letters, and
symbols.
Freezing Your Credit Report
Minnesota law helps consumers protect themselves from new account fraud by allowing any consumer to freeze his or her credit report by simply contacting a consumer reporting agency and requesting a credit report freeze. A credit report freeze will deny identity thieves access to the consumer’s credit history and prevent them from obtaining new credit cards or loans under the consumer’s name.
Any Minnesotan can impose such a freeze on his or her personal credit report for any reason. There is no charge for placing a security freeze. When a credit reporting agency receives a freeze request, it must place the freeze within three days of the request, and provide a unique PIN to the consumer within 10 days of the request.
The consumer may then use the PIN to temporarily lift or “thaw” his or her report for a specific period of time or for a specific creditor. For example, suppose that you are looking to purchase a new car. If you know that you want to buy the car from Dealership XYZ, you may contact the credit reporting agencies and allow that specific dealership to access your credit report. Or you may request that your credit report be accessible to any creditor for a specific period of time, such as 30 days, to give you time to shop at several dealerships. After the specified time, your credit report will automatically refreeze.
Be sure to keep the PIN in a safe place. If you forget your PIN, it may delay your ability to obtain credit.
Because different credit issuers may use different credit reporting agencies, you will need to freeze your credit report with each of the three major credit reporting agencies. Each of the three credit reporting agencies has its own process for taking credit freeze requests.
For instructions on how to request a credit freeze, consumers may contact the credit reporting agencies as follows:
Experian Security Freeze
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
(888) 397-3742
www.experian.com/freeze
Equifax Security Freeze
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348
(800) 349-9960
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/
TransUnion Security Freeze
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
(888) 909-8872
www.transunion.com/credit-freeze
Credit report freezes are helpful in the fight against identity theft. You can be proactive in protecting yourself from its expensive, time-consuming consequences by freezing your credit report.
Plan Ahead
When your credit file is frozen, no one will be approved for new credit in your name. In order for you to obtain new credit, you must use your PIN and contact the credit reporting agencies to thaw your file. While credit reporting agencies are to thaw credit reports in an expedited manner, thawing your file may take up to three business days. Be sure to plan ahead and temporarily thaw your credit file before applying for credit.
