Protecting Your Identity

By Remar Sutton
DCU StreetWise National Spokesperson

What is Identity Theft? ID Theft—as it is usually called—is a crime where someone uses your name, personal information, and credit to steal products and services.

How big a problem is Identity Theft? According to the FTC's 2007 Consumer Fraud and Identity Theft Complaint Data report, it's the top consumer complaint for the eighth year in a row. Hundreds of thousands of consumers are affected each year by various forms of Identity Theft costing consumers billions of dollars. This doesn't include the time and money it takes for consumers to clear their names.

Having one's personal identity stolen can be costly and frustrating. While you can't prevent ID Theft, you can take steps to reduce your risk. The following articles and sites describe ID Theft in more detail, provide tips on how to reduce your risk, and what steps to take if you become a victim.

Remar's Review: How's Your Identity Theft IQ

StreetWise's Privacy Protection and Fraud Prevention section has numerous articles on protecting your identity and keeping your financial information secure.

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse has numerous resources and links to other resources. Take the Identity Theft IQ Test to get an idea of what you are currently doing right and where you need to improve.

Deter. Detect. Defend. Avoid ID Theft is a one-stop national resource to learn about ID Theft from the Federal Trade Commission.

Identity Theft is a brochure from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston

Don't Be an On-line Victim: How to Guard Against Internet Thieves and Electronic Scams is a multimedia presentation (requires Macromedia Flash Player) from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)

When a Criminal's Cover is Your Identity is also from the FDIC

Identity Theft And Your Social Security Number is from the Social Security Administration

You Can Fight Identity Theft from the National Credit Union Administration

Identity Theft Resource Center has resources for victims and consumers. It also has information about Id Theft in the workplace.

LooksTooGoodToBeTrue.com has tips for avoiding ID Theft as well as other frauds.

This handout for Remar Sutton's seminars was prepared by Remar Sutton, DCU's Streetwise National Spokesperson & Remar Sutton Associates for DCU Streetwise, April 2008. All rights reserved.

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